New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-16

and the victory. as we might follow the march
of battolions. and the deeds of great COM
manders.
We too have had our mighty orators our
great intellectual battles. Shall we have them
no more 7 For the time, at all events the ar'
of Government by debate is forgotten. The
cloquence that moves Senates is never heaiu
in our Capitol. The statesman who Womb
have held the House, generation ago, intent
upon his earnest and burning words, VINO
would have captured the Judgment by cOgent
reasoning and commanded majorities by pas
sionate appeals, now writes a cold and fiimsy
spcecb. with the aid of his clerk, and reads II
| TO the reporters of The Congressional RECORD,
| while the members are busy with their
NEWSPAPERS and private letters, or lounglng
| in the cloak-rOOms. 1t is common
saying that no vote in Congress is ever changed
by speech. 1t would be more correct to say
that even the ablest and most patriotic OF our
political leaders rarely attempt the application
to political undertakings of those forces which
in past years played so important part in the
regulation of all free States. IF 1t is not ex-
actly true that the arts of argument and per-
suasion have been abandoned and replaced by
chicanery, intrigue, and traffic, 1t is true that
the contests of parties are no longer conducted
in the arena of public debate, but settled, to
all ntents and purposes, behind the closed
doors of cOmmittee-rOOms or III tho secrecy Oh
the caucus. 1t goes without saying that such
a change must be of vast injury to the Gov
eminent that it facilitates the introduction of
base practices and unworthy influences that
t impairs the proper effect of public opinion I;
and that il brings to the front OF affairs not
the strongest intcccts, and the loftest char
acters. but the men who are most adrot in
playing upon the passions and weaknesses OF
their fellows, and the most fertile in tricks and
.tratagcms. Large assemblies are moved by
grand impulses, but private cabals arc ruled
by intrigue.
| Yet there are surely topics before our pres
ent Congress which ought to arouse the sleep
ing energies Of statesmen, and call forth once
more the stirring eloquence which OF old
| shaped the course of nations and aroused the
soldiers of independence, freedom and reform
He must be but scurvy patriot who feels no
indignation when the honor of his country is
IN peril, and finds an assault upon its good
name no inspiration to imprisoned appeal, to
indignant protest, to the noble anger of in
|
one of the gravest and should be one of the
most exciting that Congress has ever had TO
| discuss but the floor seems TO be abandoned
| in both Houses To outrageous attacks upon the
| National credit, exhibitions of ignorance
touching the fundamental principles of NOR
ality and finance, and the tmid apologies Of
| politicians without conscience who stoOp to
the prciudices of their dcluded constituents.
Where are the champions of truth and honor
Where are the statesmen who ought to lead the
Nation out of this danger There have been
n few speeches on the right side, made at IT.
regular intervals, without sign of concerted
PURPOSE and with very little of the combative
and aggressive spirit which anImates followers
| and commands victory. There are men who
have dared 10 face the adverse sentiment OF
their ncighbors and political friends.-mcn
| like Mr.. Lamar, for instance, who cannot be
induced 10y any personal or political influences
! 10 abandon cause which they know to
be right But the country needs some
GriinS pore. If the Republican leaders wonld
House some Of the passion which they are
said To cxpend in the caucus; if they would
defend their country with "a much earncstness
as they waste upon the appointment of tide
walters if they would make the halls of Con-
grcss ring again with sawart speech and gen
crous wrath as they did in the days of the
slavery debates, no schemes of dishonor could
withstand the onset, and the Republican party,
ralyng once more the best, the purcst the
lofticst sentiments of the Nation, would march
forward to freah triumphs.