Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1837-03-22

A ScEsR AT THE CAPIToL.-The
following is, we believe, from what we
heard Of il, a pretty fair description OF
the state and condition OF the House OF
Representatives on the last night Of the
late Session Of Congress.-Nat. Int.
tCorfespObdeBee Of the Boston Advocated
WASHINGTON, March 4, 1887.
"There was a mob in the House OF
Representatives last evening, as direct
a mob as was ever got up, and more
than two.thirds Of the members Of Con.
gress we're literally driven out of their
seats. Had they been pressed ever so
hard by the rioters, they would not
have offered the least resistance /; and
when the officers Of the House attempt.
cd 10 expel the mob, the members not
only withheld all aid from them, but
actually refused to suffer the rioters to
be driven from the seats they had usur-
ped. IL was the most lovely mob that
fancy could sketch, or art and taste
adofn-a mob of brilliant, beautiful la
dies. Disregarding all the rules Of the
House, and no. a few of the rules of
proprleiy, some two hundred ladies',
comprising the beauty and fashion that
is centred here from all the Union,
rushed into the Hall, and pressed into
the aisles and the very seats oil the
members, until, instead oil representa-
tiyes, there were ladies' occupying half
the seats, and the members standing in
the passage.ways and outside the bar.
This, Of course, put an end 10 all bust.
ness ; and was quite as bad in effect
upon the public interest as the raving
speeches OF Peyton and Wise, which
had consumed the night before. 1t
was a gross improperly, and should
be prevented recurring by some deci-
siye measures. The business Of the
nation is sometimes paramount even to
politeness TO the ladies'. But who
could turn out the fair intruders 2 The
House was in Committee of the Whole
MIR. Smith, Of Maine, in the Chair.
AT every attempt of the Clerk to read
u bill, some of the members would ex.
claim that they could hear nothing,
there was so much confusion. The
ladies were buzzing, with mods and
wreathed smiles, as if the Hall had
been converted into a drawing-room /;
and they were evidently electioneerlng
at a great rate with every member who
had the felicity to sun himself in their
smiles. In vain the Chairman called
upon members to resume their seats,
and attend to business. The ladies
only looked delightfully."- with all their
might, and kept their seats unmoIested.
Well-bred impudence is the most i'm
perturabIe thing on earth, and what
did the members care for the Choctaw
bill when a lovely woman was a much
lore agreeable subject of discussion
Nothing could be done. The Speaker
resumed his Chair, and tried his autho.
rity. The rules ofthe House, he said
must be enforced the Hall must be
cleared, and the members must resume
their seats. This febuke prevailed on
about half the beautiful intruders 10
leave the desks, and go inside the bar,
but enough remained TO throw all bust
ness into confusion. They sat it out,
most of them, till near midnight, The
confusion was like that Of a town meet.
ing, and the sound of voices like that
of many waters, drowning even the
powerful voice and distinct ~enuuncia.
ton Of the Clerk"