Daily globe., 1879-04-23

as Judge Davis, arises aud eXcOrlate8 these |
promoters of strife, they should hang their
heads in shame. Their game is transpar
ent fraud.
CONGRESSIONAL MANNERS.
Judge Hoar says "the sovereign people of
America are gentlemen" and Wendell Phil
lips unkindly adds to the statement the
caustic comment, ''Before the next centen-
nial comes round hope the judges will be
also.'' Now this is really too bad, especially
when Senator Hoar considers himself enough
of an authority to administer crushing re-
buke to representative of a portion of this
sovereign American people, thoughtlessly in
cluded in his gracious compliment: As the
great opposing political parties are arrayed
against each other in Congress, it is curious
to see the old tactics come into acrimonious
action.
"Plantation manners is the stinging re-
vival which is used with much ef-
feet, and is neat campaign COM
pendium of all the constituents of
the late unpleasantness. 1t would seem
to be of no sort of use trying to establish a
national standard of Congressional demean-
or when the distractions are not only inher
emily sectional, but temperamental. More
ever, sapient authorities differ widely in
their opinions concerning the behavior of
our public men. When all the evidence of
Congressional department is equalized in the
dispassionate mind, it will just resolve itself.
into question of preference as to the es-
pecial kind of insolenoe to be deplored or
condemned, the hot or cold. Unfortunately,
and unfairly, too, we hear more about the
hot sort, which of itself is effervescent, and
apt to cool off in generous mood,
but all the partisan sources are imme-
diately charged with it. The telegraphic
dispatches, and the unhagging correspond.
ents all give it the party rebound, until the
episode becomes a chain-lightning- whisky
and-revolver- -whiplash sort of story. On the
other hand, the cool impudence, the hard,
fr1gid turbulence of which Roscoe Conkling
is the exemplar, seldom gets reproof, or
even mild bit Of description, unless when
it is directed specially at his powerful rival,
Blaine. When he sits pairing his finger
nails, or reading intently, or doing any of
the numberless peculiar acts of rudeness
during the speeches of James the Sun
struck, why isn't some equally felicitous de-
scriptive compendium discovered for such
Northern 'Emanners?" The Conkline
peculiarities of Congressional con.
duct are quite as indigenous tc
the North, and. as fully identified
with its methods Of debate in Washington
as those which are SO frequently, and sneer
insly termed 'splantation manners" Tht
simple truth is that these sectional manners
are equally reprehensible, albeit We hear sc
much more blame of one kind than tn,
other, until the constant reiteration make!
the odium an accepted fast in argument
Dynamic parliamentary wrath is grievousl.
weak and futile; but is the corrosive acid o
hate and cool cynicism any better? We al
know that tho intangible and unsubstantia
amenities of politeness and good manner
are as much actual forces in the sum of hu
man character as the steam that drives a.
engine. But if our representative Becks ar
deficient and lapse from Senatorial dignit
in quick, flushing anger, 80 do our own OK
emplary Conkling, and Hoar, and Edmunds
either in the most conspicuous and premedi
tated insolence, or in cool, unmanly bade
ering of any parliamentary victim.
k1r,a 10
as uncomfortable as fire in political discus
sion, or vitriol eating up the tissues withor
making much hubbub. Presumably, thel
modus operandi of parliamentary condus
will repeat itself forever at home and abroat
Macaulay pictures an English scene in 1889
"Lord Norleys was whistling and making a
sorts of noises Lord Maidstone was so ill
hammered that hope he was drunk. A
last, after much grossly indecent conduct,
which Lord Eliot expressed his disgust
to me, furious outbreak toe
place. O'Connell was so rudel
interrupted that he used IL
expression beastly bellowings. Then ro
such an uproar as no mob at Covent Garde
theatre, no crowd of chartists in front of
hustings, over equalled. Men on both sid
, stood up, shook their fists, and bawled at Il
top of their voices. O'Connell ragged like
mad bull, and I, while regretting and CO.
demning his violence, thought 1t much
! tenuated by the provocatSon.'' Mr.. Senat
, Hoar's ''plantation manners" are not so sp
cifc after all.