The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-04-03
THE CHANGED SENATE

The United States Senate for the last two
weeks has presented to the world spectacl,
never before witnessed in that body, and hs.
furnished indubitabls evidence of the changed
condition of our times politically. For two
weeks that famous, and, theoretically a
least great body of digniaed Solops, has
been engaged exclusively in wrangling ovel
the possession of two senate offices The
business of the senate has been postponed,
the interests of the country neglected, petty
quarrel and illcohcesled spite have
been INDUCED, and the condition
OF affairs is exactly the
same as when this immense hullabsloo
commenced When Webster and Hsyne
crossed SWORDS in the wonderful debates OF
80 and '32; when Clay, and Benton, and
Calhoun were struggling with the tremendous
questions rocking America "as
with the throes OF An earthquake; when to
be a United States senator, in short, WAS
greater than to BE- king"-such waste of
time, such recreancy to duty, such puerile
conduct would simply have been impossible.
We earnestly hope that thi, descent,
lately exhibited by what ought to b. the
most thoughtful and dignifed assembly
OF men Ia the world is accidental, and not
likely to be repeated, but /! nevertheless
inculcales many lessons. That "to the VIC
tors belong tho spoils." is not now in Ameri-
can politics cOn!rover.ed point, and it was
very natural that the republican party on the
new organization of the senate should seek
to ill the offices and If Mahones conduct
In the premises was not such as many antici-
pated, it was such as he had perfect
right to pursue, and ss shrewd politician in
his cirm'tances would very materially pursue.
When it was discovered which party had the
majority, avote should have been taken, the
senate organized, and the matter thereupon
dropped.
However, many senator's who Seem to de.
'ire nothing more in the way Of reputation
Than n3toriely, began placing themselves in
The attitude of the little boys who won't
play unless they can go first" We do not
propose to follow those honorable senator's.
in tho language Of one of their body, into
tho domain of chesp and puerile jokes. 1.
may DO that they are the proper judges of
what is required Of them a. the hands of
The country. And if they think they
have fitted themselves for their senate.
rial duties by the perusal of comic slmapscs,
rather than the constitution of the United
States, they know better the extent
IF their intellectual capacity, and
he correctness Of their own tastes.
Sill we cannot help believing that the con-
lrmaiion of judges of The supreme court,
minister's to foreign countries and other
,reat offices under our government, the bus
ness particularly for which the extra session
WAS called is, together with tho considera.
ion of grosI commercial questions affecting
ne whole country, of infoietly more
Importance than the election of clerk and
ergeant-at-arms Of one houss OF congress.
We cannot help believing after perusing the
enase proceedings for the last fortnight, that
he fat sarcasm, the poor wit
nd the disgusting personalities
ontsined therein, are better
uited to political convention or cross.
Dads ratification meeting than TO the senate
It the United States. This people, above all
hings else, expect in their representatives
'rompt and faithful attention to the business
n hands, and negligence in them is no more
rcussble than in the poor man who works
or his 81 aday and is locked BY his overseer
Or every hour lost from labor. Especially
o they expect wisdom and despatch from
no senate. This constant chid's play over
he political and sectional issues of almost
mother age, and derelic.ion OF duty in
eferenccto tho all controlling questions Of
he present, is simply M outrage on the
God sense of the American people
lines have cer,sinly changed and as the
lssses, 50 should Legislators and leg
.lation change with them. Itma.ters not 10
ilS nation whether Mr., hahone votes for
iorham or Burch for secretary of the United
tsles senate, or whether the party lines arc
loosely drawn in Massachusetts, or Virginia
0 tho representatives, como from whatsoever
ourcc they may, address themselves TO the
oclal improvement, tho Intellectual culture
nd the commercial greatness sf their vast
We do want eXac,ng corpor.
tions and monopolies bridled, communism
oncilia,ei, commerce fos,ercd, and unlelter.
d, religion purified, and liberty maintained.
We don't want Ben Hill, and Malone, and
.smsr, and Hosr, VOORHEES,, Dawes, ct id
inno genus, TO run this government, waste
he public time aud misuse the public mon.
y, 10 constantly retail a! our expense all tho
isrcpu,sble facts they may know on each
Their, and influence local election In the
la,o of Virginia. This species Of dirty
men washing is less their province and more
nsecmly with. them than. with the columns
{ a bsckwoods penny sheet. 1t will DO a
reO, duy for tho American Union when
ien will oil tho importsn, offices in this
oyernment who are free from tho strife and
iokcrings of past generation, and who have
cen moulded into broad End wise states