Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-12-19
StateSmanShlp.

Craftsmanship.
The dignity of Roman senators is one of
the traditions of the world; grave and
reverend they were reported to be. There
is loo. by the association of ideas perhaps,
wide spread notion that our own senate
is a dignifod body which dcvotes its self
to calm consideration of matters of state,
leaving its shorter lived and bigger and
noisier brother. the House, to do ut the
other end of the capitol what clap-trap
md Buncombe may be bought needfnl to
delight the ears of groundlings.
But House habits TOO often follow into
the Senate chamber. The last week ha~
furnished an illustration of how two lead
ing senators may act in their high places
like couple Of self-willed boys and OF how
the Senate. without II word of remon-
STRANGE on the part Of any member con
trolled by the famed courtesy we pre-
sumo, instead of resentng the insult to
itself by II fitting condemnation OF the
boorishness of its contemncrs, spreads
upon its records u Pickwickan explanation
gotten up by four men who, in their com
bined effort cannot express themselves
dramatically OF inteligibly.
Brihey Senators Conklng and Gordon
last week quarreled in an executive ses'
sion. Gordon said Conkling issued orders
to the chair, and Conkling said, in effect
that Gordon lied whereupon the Georgian
senator remarked that the matter could be
settled elsewhere. Conkllng was ready
to settle it at any time. Then llamln
and Ransom, and Howe and Mcdonald
sat up most of one night getting up Il
document which conveys parts Of an idea
that there was some misunderstanding
and that the offensive words aro mutually
and simultaneously withdrawn. Then the
Senate of the United States spreads that
stuff on its records.
This silly performance if for anything
was to prevent possible invitation to q
man WHO would possibly have accepted il
to hostile meeting which might possibly
have taken place if neither principal or his
many friends had given officers who have
care of the public peace warning, and a
which somebody might possibly have beer
hit and if so possibly seriously injured
That the Senate of the United States SHOULD
have come to such baseness can only b.
explained on the theory that many of it
members are devoting themselves to
study of that courtesy which has the eff
feet to make the several federal Offices il
each state the prerequisites of the scna
tors.
Mr.. Conkling had just succeeded in de
feating some of the president S New Yorl
nominations and Mr.. Gordon was trying
10 defeat n Georgia nomination. II was ;
quarrel over what the " courtesy Of tn
Senate" has set up as a new kind of per
bonal property.
The country does not look upon til
Senate with half the respect that it woul
did there not reasonably exist the suspicion
that it is largely occupied in securing al
poinlmens personally satisfactory an
beneficial to its members. No sensibl
man can blame the Senate for rcjcctn
nominations any more than he can til
president for making them if each acts o
good Judgment. Mistakes must often b
made at both ends of the avenue N
harsh criticism for these will find fave
among decent people But no degrade
ton of the highest legislative body in Il
country into Il SET of squabblrro over e
sonnl matter Can be looked ON with fave