Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-04-10
a cowardIy Congress.
Nau Yarlr 3. W. . :. ~. I. }


Apart from the implied rebuke
administered 10 the Committee OF
Ways and Means, the three daysj
wrangle in the House on Represent
atives which ended Thursday seems
to have been as idle and unprl4uct-
i've as any recent proceeding OF Con-
gress. Mr.. Townshend's bill has
gone to the committee to which It
would have gone in tine first in
stance under the rules III the ulOver
had not deceived the House about
it. When the trick was discovered
the billunqusstionably would have
been sent at once to that committee
by as strong q vote as sent it there
Thursday II a vote could have been
had. The question, however, was
put off from Tuesday TIL Thursday
with no other result than we have
mentioned. IL filalr
.q The Committee Of Ways and
Means deserves the implied rebuke
which II has received. The fact
that the device OF Mr.. TOwnsheud
was employed at an and the fact
that he was supported by 30 rnany
members show that the committee
IS not trusted. But sharper re-
buke and a direct one might well
have been administered long ago.
1t was not necessary to take this
roundabout way of expressing an
opinion upon the conduct OF that
committed. In the actual case the
reOuke Involves no practical rOhse-
quencs. The committee simply
has got possession of another tariff
bill which ii will suppress at its
leisure. On the other hand, II the
House OF Representatives had de-
termined to SO to work in direct
and honest way in the matter, all
that was needed was the adoption
of a resolution directing the COM
mittee to report forthwith one Of
the tariff bills. say the sugar bill.
This course would have rebuked
the committee with sufficient force
and beside would have effected the
satisfactory practical result Of put
ting the House OF Representatives
in possession OF the bill. The tariff
question would thus have been
brought before Congress.
Ii the Congressional leaders were
I'm earnest in this matter there is no
doubt that this course would have
been aopted long ago but Congress
has treated the whole subject in a
way. The three DAYS
discussion i an illustration Of evas-
i've Congressional methods. Ii IL
self the debate n wholly unimport-
ant. Nobody cares to know what
the Democratic McAfillin thinks OF
the Republican Kelley, or what the
Kelley thinks ~ the
DenOcratic ToWnshend. Nobody
cares whether or not the Democrat
ic CohrrOth believes that the Demo-
cratic Blackburn was 4 atraltOr" to
his country and ought 10 have been
'fhangedN for his treason !" and
cares other than as matter
of idle curiosity whether or not
Blackburn ana Cohroth, on account
of these injurious imputatiOhs, fght
a duel, or pretend 10 fight one, or
enter upon q long negotiation to
avoid fighting one. ~ personal
of the sort limited mt is
not the only way In which mem
bers of Congress may exhibit cour-
age. They may show II BY taking
up business questions of importance
and voting on them according 10
their convictions without f.yard to
the effect upon the Presidential elec-
ton or their own return to Wash
ingtOn.
"Manhood, Mr.. Speaker, man
hood, sir, on this flO0r, ~ the OBJ
servance Of its rules" said Mr.. Me-
Millin on Thursday. He might
have bettered his axiom by saying
that true manhood in a member of
Congress is to resolve 20 do his
Vysio.s duty 10 the country, and 10
do il.