The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-01


| Whenever he rises with the promise Of some
thing bright and fresh dawning in his face, ever
eye lights up with comical expectation-all ar
on the lookout for fun and satire and none seen
to enjoy it more than some Of the victims WIFI
can but admit that the operation, though severe
was performed with "neatness and despatch"
Mr.. Hunter of Virginia spoke on Thursday
A very interesting speaker, and at times, elo
quent He takes, on this question, the extrem,
Southern ground His speech was followed by
a lively debate between MIR. Foote who was, a,
usual, worked up TO the boiling point-Mr. Da
Wis Of Mississippi, who spoke in o tone which wa,
a singular minglng Of the military and the min
isterial-and Mr.. Butler Of South Carolina, wbC
was even more than commonly animated, shaking
his snowy head, his quick, fiery eyes cleaning
out from behind his wild, Overhanging locks, like
-tboso NJ. % ose-Ay.a} b..0sl~
TrNaav wornlng Wxs mostly taken up by orIe
speeches from Mr. King, Judge Berrien, and Mr.
Clay The first strikes one as a practical, me
thodical, commonsensical sort of a man, one
whose spina! uprightness may be but the outward
type of an unbending and honest character. Mr.
Berrien has evidently an opinion Of his own, but
he draws 1t rather mild MIR. Clay spoke with
earnest eloquence, and was listened to with eager
interest. never was so struck by the clearness
compass, melody and meaning of his wonderful
voice On Monday next he Is TO make his last
great speech on the Compromise bill. To-day
the Senate are in Executive session, with closed
doors.
In looking down upon the Senate one is imme.
diately struck by the prevailing badness, not Of
style, but Of head. IL puzzles me to account for
this With Mississippi's excitable Senator il
may be the effect of the vigorous working of his
hot and restless brain; but on the opposite side
OF the Chamber sits a Senator who takes the
world more easily, says little, and that quietly,
but over the CLASSY and shining expanse Of whose
Uranium adventurous flies vainly attempt to cross
on foot. And many more there are of whom il
might be said, that were the growth of hair the
measure Of intellectual and political abilities, as
according e the Samsonian theory it is of phys-
- NJ 1scrss ~ - IsSe-ss11
great strength at the polls.
Visiters are also apt TO notice some peculiarities
o., Senat>fiAf; sISSNNeiaiiOn. Yhioa ryn ya,bea
odd. For instance, Mr.. Clay, and indeed many
of the Southern members, say "wharn and " thar
Mr. Webster says "udi-pid-oo-ap and nGiur,n y
and one of the Texas Senators says bustn for
burst All can say is, hope such pronuncs.
tions may continue TO be exclusively and purely
parliamentary. Another thing we notice is the
extreme humility Of all that honorable body
Each modestly styles himself the "humblest mem.
Der" and there seems quite an amiable strife for
the occupancy of the lowest seat in the synagogue
But again it is said by the irreverent, that the
distinguished gentlemen, like the Uriah Hepp Of
Dickens, carry humility in their t0lk, to suspi-
cious and fanatical extreme-in other words
rather run that commendable AMI pious virtue
into the ground.
And now have spicy little bit of scandal for
your ear alone. Mind, don't endorse it--so il
must 60 no farther Some of the honorable Sena-
tors, while making speeches of unusual length
are observed TO drink frequently, quite fire.
quently, should say Well, there are those
who declare that the draught provided for the
speakers, which looks so limpid and innocent to
the unsophistcated and uninitiated is not alas of
that primitive fluid which was Adams early drink
end Ewes first looking glass-they say that the
fights Of such orators should be poetic, even By
ronic, inasmuch as they drink from what was too
often the fount of Byron's inspiration--that, in
short, the natfr is only swallowed by the audi
ence, the speaker swallowing an equally colorless
fluid, which isl really don't believe the story
myself-which is-your ear little closer--which
is-gini Shocking, is 1t not But, as | said, |
cannot credit 1t altogether, for a while since,
when an honorable Senator, who had been ac-
cused of thus infusipg spirit into his oratory was
served him narrowly, and saw brought to him a
reviving beverage which mas somewhat colored--
say about the hue of Monongahela or champagne
IL certainly was not gin, so the SANDER falls to
the ground ---------------
have been in the House but little during the
past week. Mr.. Root of Ohio spoke yesterday
very finely and effectively. Mr., Root is person
of much character, manly, strong, and natural,
with wit and drollery enough to make him great
favorite with all frequenters Of the House.
They promise us that early next week, the
Omnibus bill shgii be disposed Of However the
actors may feel, we lookers.on are about In the
state Of the affectionate husband whose wife lin
gered long in a decline and who having often
been called from his work ON false alarms of her
approaching dissolution, finally expressed the
meek wish that Betsey might get well or
sOmdhmgD Adieu. GRACE GREENwooD.