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Washington Letter

Washington Letter image
Parent Issue
Day
23
Month
February
Year
1883
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Washington, D. C, Feb. 17, 1843. The galleries of the Seríate and House are viíited every day now by an unusually large nuniber of those transient sightseers with which Washington is perennially thronged, all eager to be eye witnessesoftlie real workings of tbe American Congress. Of course they hear nothinr but the discussion of the all absorbing tariffquestion. After listening to the debate for several hours they g' away, and doubtless inquire of the ilrst person to whom they daré confido thclr ignorance, a la Gen. Hancock : " Who is Tariff, and what does he want with revenue only ?" These spectators take much interest in the scènes below, are especially anxious to know the naines of congressmen, and show much amusement at the little tilts and spats that tliey indulge in so often, not because of the fine quality of these retorts, but visitora hare preconceived ideas of the gravity of statesmea and cannot but be surprised to see them descend so readily to triviality. The House gallerj in particular is the worët coneeivable place for expanding ones volume of national pride. It permits that close contact with real congressmen that inevitably results in disappointment. United States congressmeu have never been noted for dignified deportment, finished inanuers, courtesy or elegance of any kind, but there are some rules of ordinary decency that they should feel required to observe. They should not be allowed during sessions to lounge and take naps on sotas, smoke, elevate tbeir feet above their heads, sit with their liacks to the speaker, or defy his utmost eíforts to makc a member heard. They do not seem to feel in the least impressed with the importance of time, even in the present stress, and on the slightest provocation will turn aside from business to wrangle ill-naturedly over some insignificant point, and in their efforts to get even hurl school-bov epitliets in lieu of logic. The Senate of course is more quiet, orderly, dignified, and respectful. But even there little scènes of daily oocurrence, prove United States Senators to be "not the shrinking creations of culture " they might hayo been, and persons entering these halls of legislution under the influence of a suicharge of national inflation are in (langer of leaving the capitol more impressed by the grandeur of lts plan, architecture, paintings, and sculpture. than by the force, power, and dignity of our national statesmen. The tarifl" debate briiigsconstantly to the surface the humiliutingiact that the minds and votes of Congressmen are much more poweifully nfluenced by local than by national mterests. Aliiiot i-vn-y ¦"" -nu the highest possible protection for the interests of hia State, and the lowest possible duty upou every article consumed, but not produced, by bis people. l'he men who shout the loudest tor free trade squirm the most wben au indnstry in which tliey are personally interested in attacked. Thesupremacy of nioney in behalf of private rather than national Interestshas been the bane of tariff legislation all the time, and there has been so much narrow-gauge thought and contracted self-lnterest brought to light that purity of intent and breadth of principie are no longer recognizable. The happy Democratie family of the Senatehasjusthad a little quarrelin which some accused others of voting to protect their personal interests. This proves that the tariff is as distracting to Demócrata as to Republicana. Bituminouscoal was the exciting cause. Senator Davis, of West Virginia, who is largely interested in coal mines, had sald that a large portion of an argument made by Senator Morgan, of Alabam.i, was unworthy of notice; whereupon Senator Morgan arose full of indignation and said he would show that the man who made that remark was voting taxes out of the people to put into his own Docket to enrich himself.

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Ann Arbor Courier
Old News