The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-09-25

! as soon have thought of touching an
electric battery. Boy, as I was, /
felt as in the presence of divinity.
As he turned to cntsr the Hall, the
gentlemen with the white wands, pre-
ceded him, and with still greater diff
Guilty than before, repressed the peo.
pie, and cleared way to the great
staircase. AS he ascendcd ( ascend.
cd with him, step by step, creeping
close to the wall, and almost hidden
by the skirts of his coat. Nobody
looked at me: everybody was looking
at him; and thus I was permitted,
unnoticcd, to glide along, and happi-
ly to make my way (where so many
were vainly longing and struggling
to enter into the lobby Of the cham
Der of the House of Representatives.
Once in, l was safe; for had l even
been secnby the officers in attend
ance, it would have been impossible
to get me out again. l saw near me
q large pyramidal stove, which, for
tunatcly, had but little fire in it, and
on which, I forthwith cIambcrcd, un-
til I-had attained secure perch, !,
from which every part of the Hail
could be deliberately and distinctly
surveyed. Depend upon it, made
use of my eyes.
On either side of the broad aisle
that was left vacant in the centre,
were assembled the two Houses of
Congress. AS the President enter
ed, all rose, and remained standing
till he had assembled the steps at the
upper end Of the chamber, and taken
his seat in the Speakers chair. 1t
was an impressive moment. Not
withstanding that the spacious apart
mcnt, floor, lobby, galleries and all
approaches, were crowded to thcir
utmost capacity, not a sound was
heard; the silence of expectation was
unbroken and profound; every breath
seemed suspended. He was dressed
in a full suit of the richest black
velvet; his lower limbs in shest
clothes with diamond knee. buckles,
and black silk stockings. His shoes,
which were brightly japanncd, we're
surmounted with large square silver
buckles. His hair carefully display.
cd in the manner of the day, was
richly powdered, and gathered behind
into q black silk bag, on which was
a bow of black ribbon. In his hand
he carried plain cooked hat, deco
rated with the American cockadc.
lie wore by his side light, slender
dress sword, in green sha-grccn
scabbard, with a richly ornamcntcd
hilt. His gait was deliberate, his
manner solemn but sclfpossessed,
aud he presented, altogether, the
most august human figure I had then,
or have since bchcld.
At the head of the Senate stood
Thomas Jefferson, in a blue coat,
single breasted, with large bright
basket buttons, his vest and small
clothes Of crimson. | remember be-
ing struck with his animated countcn-
ancc, ola brick-rcd hue, his bright
eye and foxy hair, rs well as by his
! tall, gaunt, ungainly form and square
shoulders. A perfect contrast was
presented by the pale, reflective face
and delicate figure of James Madi
son; and above all, by the short, bur-
ly, bustlns form of Gen. Knox,
with rnddy check, prominent eye,
and still more prominent proportions
of another kind. In the scmi.circlc
which was formed behind the chair,
and on either hand of the President,
my boyish gaze was attracted BY the
splendid attire Of the Cheva!cr D'Y-
rujo, the Spanish ambassador, then
the only foreign minister near our
infant government. His glittcring
star, his silk chapeau bras, edged
with ostrich feathers, his foreign air
and courtly bearing contrasted
strongly with those nobility of ma
turc's forming who stood around
him. 1t was very fair representa-
ton of the old world and the new
How often has the same reflection
occurred to me since, on witnessing
the glittcring, and now numerous,
company of foreign digntarics col
lcctcd round our Presidents by an
inauguration day, or the recurrence
of our national anniversary. True,
the individuals who form that brilliant
cotcrie are, for the most part, men
eminent for general intelligence, as
we'll rs the virtues of private life,
men who meet, and we'll deserve
cordial welcome on our shores, and
often carry from it the sinccrcst re-
grcts. But how do the personal at.
tainmcnts and characters Of the men
themselves put out the blaze Of the
gold and diamonds with which their
governments had covered them ?
Il It