The native American., 1838-02-03

ana lOlty attltude. Suuueniy nc BdVo ycil VI
anger and revenge, and darted through the ko-
tunda followed by his whole party. thought
that | had heard their battle cry, and almost in
stnctively felt for my scalp. Whether that yell
was in rage or admiration, and think it was the
first, it was barbaric compliment paid to the ar
tist for the truth and force of his performance.
was worth volume of erudite criticism.
Stumbling on my way, through one or two
miserably dark passages, the Senate Chamber rs
at length reached. tits small in comparison with
the House of Representatives. The ceiling is
succeed, and the dome of glass is consecrated, in
my mind, by that beautiful alusion of Mr.. WEB
sTER, to which have hastily referred The la.
dies gallery, for even grave Senators cannot dc
without their cheering presence, the only kind o
cheering permitted in our National Councils
runs around the half-moon of the hall, and is sup
ported by light bronze pillars. Beneath this gal
lery, are sofas for wearied members, who take adj
vantage of the inviting cushions, and lounge in
true North American elegance. At the northern
and southern private entrances, two large mahO
gany prison houses may be seen, with three oI
four curious looking gentlemen in each, who are
necessarily engaged in business hours with writing
out speeches letters for distant political papers
These gentlemen are the speech reporters ant
writer's of letters, tribe Of individuals famous iT
this country, and who are forming to themselves
an independent literature, adapted to haste, and
totally free from responsibility. An honorable
Senator who wanted to vent his spite against ;
certain member of the honorable fraternity o
scrbes, upon one occasion lately, approached
the desk, and in sotto Uoce, said: lyon lool
like prisoner in the box EYES," replied the
witty and unabashed reporter, "and if was, yOt
should not sit as juryman upon my trial" The
ha1
the Vice Presidents chair, cut to the very quick
The Reporter gravely went on with an abusive
letter he had been writing, enjoying the satisfac
ton of having said good thing, and entirely re-
gardless of the powerful enemy he had made
There he sits free and democratic in the broades
facceptation of the term, tolerated by those high
spirited representatives, and by the Vice Presi
dent of great nation; not because they respect
in the least, those humble reporters, but because
they, too, are the representatives on that floor o
a higher power than any there. They are thu
delegates from the great body of the press--a bold
dauntless, and irresponsible press-the engine
that commands respect and insts fear. Tht
reporters re)calm amid the widest and most fu
rious scenes, because they are the champions Q
the people, and Of the peoples palladium, as tn.
press has been styled.
! The Vice Presidents chair is plain and unos
tentatious; gided eagle at the apex Of the stoop
clutches the crimson drapery in his talons, ant
thence it flows down in graceful festoons. Owe
the chair is the rude and awkward gallery for thu
gentlemen or the people in general, and here
boldly presented to the gaze of all, is Peale's
celebrated likeness of the Pater PatriG. Its huge
size and massive frame are directly in the way
and entirely out of keeping with the great original
who never stood in the way of the people, Here
the absurd taste of some official drapery hanger
has placed thefikeness, precisely where the large
crowds in the male gallery cannot see i, ane
where it closes out an entire view Of the floor. j
was much better where it was last winter, at the
south end of the gallery. As tits, many are the
patriotic citizens who are half induced to curse
the picture, merely on account of its situation
For the sake of George Washington's modesty,
if not for the people, it, and let it be an
ornament and household God, rather than q
nuisance.
TO BE CONTINUED.