Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-06-02
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

resPouueut VI tue sIsHSytrGnsdn OCCASIONALLY
furnishes charcoal sketch" of some one of
the many distinguished members of the pres
ent Congress. After illustrating the old say
ing that appearances are often deceptive, he
thus sketches the we'll known Alexander IL.
Stephens, Of Georgia:
And yet this ungainly looking individual
with head and face constructed contrary to
all rules of physiognomy and phrenology-is
considered by many the abest member of the
House. AID of House, too, that can boast of
same of the best minds Of the country Mr.
stephens is slightly above the medium hei ght
and painfully thin in appearance His head
is small and fiat; his forehead low and par
TALLY covered with straight black. iustre lack
ing hair; and his cheeks thin, wrinkled, and
of parchment texture. His walk, his features
his figure. bespeak great physical ENACT alton
GU look In vain for some outward manifesto
lion Of that towering, commanding inteiect
which has held the congregated talent Of the
whole country spell bound for hours. 1t is
not in the eye, fer it is dull and heavy 1t IS
not In the face, for it is meaningless. It is
not In the voice. for it is shrilf and sharp; but
still you feel convinced that the feeble, toiter-
ing being before you is all brain-brain in the
head, brain in the arms, brain in tho legs
brain in the body-that the whole man is
charged and sur-charged with the electricity
of intellect-that a touch would bring forth
the divine spark !" -v -faL - -a's-.-.
Gerrit Smith is sketched and framed after
tais fashion: ...- i...,.
" Mr.. Smith is generally admitted to be the
most attractive speaker in the House. As you
look upon his tall, commanding form-his
broad, expansive forehead-his open, honest
countenance; as You watch his soft, winning
smile. and see bis mild eye kindle with emo
tim hrrfn rlv nfsa &c
kind and as you listen to the full. round
tones of matchless voice, swelling and swell
ing with the tide of feeling from an overfiowing
heart, you feel assured that the man before
you can have no lot nor part with such mis-
creaDts as Sumner, Giddings, Phillips, and
Parker. He may be the unWavering opponent
of slavery; but you know that he belongs not
to the numbering abolition mob of Boston
While the Summers. Stewards, and Giddingses
of Congress- are Stunned by their fellow mem
bers, as being utterly unworthy of pei sonal as
| ISOLATION, Gerrit Smith enjoys the respect and
even good will of ALL a ,..--..
Many other sketches might be taken Of char
acters equally marked for physical and intel
lectual pecularities- Some are noted for
longitude, and others for latitude of person
Some for rotundity, and some for leanness of
| form. Some for comeliness, and some for
plainness of looks Some are great original
| thinkers, and some ultra in their unitarian
views. Some are vehement even to boisterous-
| ness in their forensic displays, and others are
| as smooth and placid rs a summer stream
Many of the ablest members of the House sci.
! dom appear on the floor as speakers. They
are the real workingmen Of Congress without
whose Judieious and enlightened labors the
| wheels of legislation would soon stop. They
provide the material for most of the speeches
| which are delivered; not unfrequently the
| ideas, sentiments. and even the very language
| itself. A speech which has electrified tie
| whole nation for its nervous eloquence, its
| depth of thought and argument and its won.
derful research, may, occasionally, be traced
to the patient, persevering labors Of the com
| mitteeroom
The present House Of Representatives is moi
only remarkable for its aggregate of pre-
eminent ability, but it is likewise remarkable
for the impressive personal appearance of the
members-of men with that dignity of mier
and flowing courtesy of manners which we are
| too apt to associate with even the name O.
| Statesman. 1t is true that there are some
black sheep in the flock; but only black sheer
so far as the she'll and covering are concerned
And yet how often is our judgment deceived
and subjected by looks; nay, blinded. be
wildered, and bedevilled, by the arts Of thc
tailor, the liberality Of the barber, or the not
to-be-questioned taste of the ready made liner
man. "What common looking man he is fo
member Of Congress- is remark which WI
| often hear. -.--- t...
He may be a common man in looks ant
dress but he ia no common man in the or6i
nary acceptation of the term. Take the leas
gifted member of the House or senate-on
who owes nothing to social position who ha
not been blessed with the advantages Of lib
eral education-who never was aud never ca,
be afflicted with the eacoethes ioguendi or tn,
eae0ethes Seribendi-and yet he is remarka
bic man. If he was not able to leave BIZ
foot prints on the sand of his time, he woule
not now be sitting in we'll cushioned arm
chair, Thanking documents and letters, ant
receiving with becoming dignity his eight dol
lars per diem from the hands of our worth,
| friend. Mr.. Glossbrenner. His district has
population of SOM 20, 900. Among that popu
lation there are lawyers, physicians, divines
and gentlemen Of fortune, leisure an d educa
ton. There are orators, logieians, Swans
philosophers, and men deeply learned in the
abstract and exact sciences There are q
least score Of these men who are anxious fo
the seat he occupies-who have worked for il
| who have toiled for it, who have talked for i,
who have written for it, who have made thei
money flow for it, who have BAN boozl ed, b urn
plugged, and lied for it--and yet we're heater
by this common looking man
| The next time you sec a conmon looking
member of Congress, take the trouble to az.
certain how it really came to pass that he wa.
| chosen the representative of seventy thousand
people, and, our word for it, in the end
you will become satisfied that he is remark.
able understandable for natural or ACQUIRED
ability, or remarkable for the possession o.
those qualities which beautify and ennoble the
human character.
Payment Of Salvage to ssamen.-In pa wing
an amount of salvage to the captain and crew
| of merchant vessel, it was held that thoue b
salvage is due, individually, to all who assist
1 in securipO fbe proDa,<, IS A.