New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-28
DEuocR1T1C IDEAS or DECENCY.

DEMOCRATIC IDEAS OF DECENCY.
II makes all the difference in the world with
our Democratic friends in Congress and out,
whose OK it Is that happens to get lmpaled on
the horns of a personal controversy In no
Congress since the war has there been such
license of debate as has been INDUCED by
Democratic members during the present ses-
sion. In no Congress has there been such ban
dying of loose and offensive eplthets; such
reckless flinging forth of railing accusations
such unmeasured ard unrestrained blackguard-
ISM Indeed, we can recall nothing to compare
with it in any of the stormy sessions before
the war. For while those sessions were char
acterized by all the bitterness of sectional AMI
mostly and the utmost intensity OF PARTISAN
ship. while there were ordinations and recrim-
nations, fierce and angry passages and not
passionate exchanges it WAS very rare, even In
the most exciting debates, that reflections
were cast upon the individual integrity
or personal honor of any member. 1t
was reserved for the Democratic members
of the present Congress to put themselves on
record as exceeding all their predecessors III
habitua violation of parliamentary decorum
and the deeencies of debate. At the same
time that they have been doing this they have
| likewise exceeded all others in senstivenesS
TO anything that seemed like retort in kind
and fastdous delicacy concerning the Ian
guage used by their opponents.
No man was ever so violently traduced ID
his own presence on the floor of the House as
Mr.. Robeson has been by Democratic mem
bcrs during the present session, ana this not
once only, in the heat and upon the impulse
| tr-ifh do
alton by members who call themselves states
men as well as gentlemen, and who pretend
TO have some sef-respect and decent regard
for the amenities and prOpretes of lie. One
member having disgraced hlmself-and HIM
self only-by calling Mr. Robson " har,"
perinrcr" and thief two Otl ers
have since repeated the stale black
euardism, and with singular blindness to
the obvious fact that he who bore the
attack in silence appeared the gentleman,
while his assailant was simply blackguard,
have tainted him with cowardice for not de-
scending to the atter's level and making the
| floor of Congress a bear garden. Hardly day
! passes in which some Democratic member does
not use language which would disgrace a
| brothcl concerning some opponent who has
been deemed by "A majority OF his fellow-cltl-
zens worthy to be trusted in high position with
| grave official responsibilities And these things
are not occasional outbursts born of sudden
impulse and hasty temper, but habtual utter
| ances made out of cool deliberation. The
| Sneaker OF the House has been openly insulted
| and prominent Republican members treated in
| the most insolent manner, while nothing has
/ been so common as charges of corruption and
| a OF former
| Republican Administrations.
And during all this time Democrats in and
ont of Congress have been pretending to be
shocked beyond measure if any Repoblican in
timated the possibility that a Democrat could
be guilty OF SO much as a parliamentary indie
corum. With Democrats occupying seats IN the
| House, to which they VIGOROUSLY had no title,
and drawing salaries to which they knew they
had no legal right, they have pretended a
righteous indignation whenever In the due
course of Justice and the discharge of official
duty Republican members have set forth the
actual facts and described calmly and dispas-
sionately the methods by which these men de-
| feated and overreach the will of the majority.
Sensitive beyond measure to any ntimation
| that Democrats had been guilty OF fraud even
where the fraud was too brazen to be denied,
they have had no hesitation i'll denouncing Re-
publcans as dishonest and corrupt upon the
vaguest rumOrs and the loose hearsay of pro-
fessional a-mongers Democratic news
papers that applaud when one OF their own
men calls a Republican &" liar" perjurer'
and "thicf," affect to be shocked at
the violation of the propreties of de-
bate whenever a Republican cites testimony
to show that Democrat has gained a seat in
the House or Senate by any unlawful means,
while they all with one accord lift up their
hands in holy horror if ever a Republican,
stung to resentment by Democratic jeers
and taunts, sends back a sharp answer in
kind or hurts them in n sore spot by some
unpleasant reminder of their past They are
quite cheerful when the Republican OK is gored
in this kind of debate; but the touch of a
horn to one of their own cattle makes them
very anxious lest the prophecies of debate
should be violated.