Year: 1859

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The Mobile Register, a democratic Or


gan, has evidently tired of the manner


in which the legislation of the country is


conducted at the Federal Capital. 1t


has got an antiquated idea in its head


that the sole object of Congress should be
to inquire diligently into all the depart
ments, to supervise carefully the whole
administration of the country, to pass
such laws for the general good as shall
seem demanded by the necessities Of the
great interests of the nation, to make all
just and needful appropriations for the
different departments, and to- come
home. President making, Buncombe
speechifying, with an occasional "set to-
between Honorables from different States,
the Register does not regard as coming
strictly under constitutional duties of
members, and SO believing, thinks stop
should be put TO it, through means which
it suggests, in the extract we copy below.
That Journal, speaking of State Cen
vention for the purpose of nominating a
candidate for Governor does not see its
necessity for that purpose, since Gov.
Moore will be the candidate by accla-
nation:


But we can see very well that good
might be done by Convention, which
takes for its text the late Congress, and
in temperate and dignifed address
probe its corruptions delinquences to the
bottom, and present them to the contem-
plation of our people. 1t is remarkable
fact that the practical working of Con-
gress; its daily labors, its mode of trans
acting business; the parliamentary leger-
demain by which fraudulent measures are
smuggled through to enactment, and hon
est measures defeated, have never be-
come the subjects Of popular criticism or
examination. AS a general rule a Con-
gressional canvass, even when the contest
is secure one, turns upon the discussion
of few general principles, or some ques-
ton of party policy advocated by one and
opposed by the other. The successful
candidate repairs to his post, takes his
seat perpetrates speech or two, which
he takes good care to have printed, and
universally franked to his constituents
returns home and receives from those
who have been hattered by his attention
the cordial welcome of "well done good
and faithful servant" His daily life and
labors at Washington are not looked at
scarcely cared for, certainly never inquir-
ed into.


Now, this is all wrong, and it is time
that the people should bestir themselves
and awaken from this lethargic condition,
and endeavor, notwithstanding the diff
culties in the way, to penetrateinto the in
terror life of Congress, and hold their
members responsible for the waste of
time, the disgraceful brawls; the sense
less, interminable talking, miscalle d
speaking, upon foreign and unimportant
issues, the neglect Of the suffering inter
ests of the country, and the extravagant,
wild, wasteful votes of land and money,
to say nothing of the corruption and ven
ality which stinks in the nostris Of the
country. 1t is time that members should
be held to answer to their constituents
for these things, and to that end we know
of no agency better calculated to awaken
the people to their duty than bold, Wig
orous, temperate, but fearless address
from a Democratic State convention
We throw out these remarks for the con
sideration of our friends of the press in
the interior, and shall gladly corporate
with them in doing what we may towards
the eradication Of evils which have become
well nigh intolerable, whether it be in the
mode suggested or otherwise.