Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-28

ODD LIGHT ON OUR INFANCY

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practice OF the upper house. at once
members and visitors wear their
hats.
81 have been prescn; ut numerous
discussions, among which were the
subjects OF Revolutionary Claims
and n General bankrupt BIN" and
General ST. Glars Claim The lat
Ter was the topic when first cntefed
the gallery of the assembly. The
TACT OF his having advanced 81. 500
OF his private property for national
purposes was proved by receipt. nj
testing 1t at the time. given bv tide
next In command. WAS surprised
To find that the question of the re.
paying of this sum could BIO made n
subject OF debate. naturally conclud.
ing that this powerful nation would
not have suffered itself. even for u
moment. TO remain debtor To poor in.
dividuals; and that the mere fact OF
u revolutionary general having fallen
into distress only required to be
known In order that he should be re.
licved. TO my extreme surprise and
regret. however | was speedily I'M
deceived. General ST. Glars claim
was SO strongly opposed that con
cluded II would necessarily he lost
The arguments advanced by It's adj
vocates were. first that the money
wa sdue TO him, and II not paid the
country were neither more nor loss
than swindlers; and. secondly, that.
having been one OF their political
saviors. they sought to 70 hand and
heart to pour oil into his wounds.
and not suffer his gray hairs TO de.
sccnd with sorrow to the grave
These reasons met with tho fol.
lowing mercenary, coldblooded ar
gumcnts in the way of reply: Gen.
eral st. Clair certainly has claims m
on our gratitude. and IL we could
DO directed by orr wishes we should
assent To the bill but we were not
sent here by our constituents to he
governed by or to legislnta according
To our feelings. The obtainmont of
our liberties also was certainly n val.
ual,le acquisition, but those are argu-
mcnts foreign to the present discus.
sion We have now got out consti.
tuition. AMI how ii was obtained IL ut
this time n matter OF little moment.
We are not etcrnally to be looking Mt
the past: we are now free. that *
our main consideration; our duty and
true policy is to look mt the future"
"Thc prominent leader of this side
of the question was a man gifted with
great volubilty OF speech. much self
Importance in delivery. considerable
occasional violence In manner and
who seemed to command much atten-
ton, rather from the strength OF his
lungs, however. than from the solldl-
ty of his reasoning. This gentleman
found To- be Henry Clay. speaker
OF the House of Representatives. mn
active man of business. He is said
to understand the forms OF the
House better than any other member
Ills manners are not exactly gentle.
manly. His natural talent should
SUSPECT to be good. though but little
cultivated, at least by present appli-
cation. His mode OF speaking pos
sesses strength, but is totally desti-
hite either OF pahos or logical ar
rnngement. His thoughts against
General st. Clair | thought ably re-
lufcd. II was proven 10 demonstra-
ton. that, although gratitude ought
not 10 be overlooked, this claim was
not Of that class. II was demand
upon their justice and If they did nor
pny the money. principal ana inter
N'''s ivy Ntit htiutillN lODl'uS lUtlT
creditor Upon division the origi-
nal motion was lost and an amend
ment carried allowing him on the
ground of national gratitude c13 los
per month. ! believe there is not a
man In Washington who would in.
sure the generals life for year and
a half.
Nearly all the members OF the
Representative chamber are young
mon, and out of the 100 members
$50 at least are lawyers. class of
men whose minds here. as elsewhere,
appear nodded and contracted by
their profession. and not pgssessed
OF that general knowledge, or not
taking those large and equitable
views of things which should be the
distinguishing characteristics of the
legislators o ia great and commercial
people.
THE State legislatures are. equally
infested with lawyers They occupy
in fact. eight-tenths of all the public
situations in America. This is a
great and crying evil. and being one
that is more likely 10 increase than
diminish. may naturally give rise
to some melancholy forebodings con
corning the practical continuation of
this excellent constitution"
The Roman Cstacombs.