New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-03-07
A NIGHT IN THE SENATE.

Fror, o. Own Correspondent
WAsHNGToN. Saturday March {, 1854
IS entered the Senate Chamber about ID o'clock
last night found the new Senator from Ma,ae Mr.
Fesscnden making most gallant Onslaught upon tbs
Nebraska conspra,ors. Iswss speech that they will
remember--maDly caustic and defiant. IL was glorl-
Gus to zee the little band OF faithful men in tas Senate
made larger and stronger by such an addition. aud
deeply sensible. | know, are his compeers OF the
strength AID encouragement thus brought to their
ranks. All around him were the bullying. briegirt
majority flushed with anticipated victory and some OF
them, | am mortified to say, beastly dru0k lie
nevertheless with undauutel courage held them all az
bay. Twice Senator Butler of South Carolina al.
vanced ivard the Senator from Maine with clenchei
es.s .,1 ersbea ne, rs il to commit personal
saut, but this only brought icr,- removed ana 10
doubled blows of eloquence aud logic lrom the noT
Senator lie told the South, what they should have
been told in 1850 that they desire TO leave the Union
they need not delay their departure an hour on account
of tie North. They have frightened US one too many
times with that bugaboo 20 succeed this time. Weller
too attemed to reply TO Of the home tbrusts OF
Senator Fessenden His usual bombastc fOurthsf
July style of Oratoy was heightened probably by too
frequent visits 10 one Of the ane-chambers Of hs SEN
ate rcom. Even Douglas could not endure the eIo-
querce of the California Senator aud at las. compelled
him TO give way and yield the fo)r. Dougascon-
menoed Lis speech about midnight and spoke til nearly
three in the morning the reports Of speech which
will reach you VIII convey but faint idea of its vic.
croe end yulgarity. Il was made up of personal At
tacks mainly, which gave it all tle piquancy il pos
sessed. Only those who know Douglas, or those who
heard him. can be aware Of his low Short Boy sge
Of speaking His sneering tone and vulgar grmacn
must be heard and seen rather than described. To
Senator Seward he said in return to q courteous ex-
plsnstCn" AL you can't crawl behind that free niger
dodge" He always the word niger" and not
negro as it appears in his printed speeches. To
Senator Weller he said, in BOwery style, Sit down.
:" this is my fight don't nix in His whole haraDgfe
sbOunded with such specimens and wti frequent col
loquies with different Senator's.
Among The Senators who particularly et:ratcd,
were Messrs Builder ard Gwin. When D-uglas arose
to speak, Mr Butler went to him and put bis arm
around bis neck aud said: All, don't speak Douglas,
tonight, it is too late you can't do justice to your
"self' His Cd 3-ns and by G-ds were heard
quite distinctly in the gallery, amid bis loud converse
ton.
Gwil insisted upon Welers going ouwith hi speech
against tie enreaties and rem0n-UaIces OF Douglas,
exclamirg: "My colleague shall speak. don't caro-
If the debate lasts thousand years" There's
Seward said Gwin, at another time, he's got the
worst principles Of any in the Senate, but he Is
"the best friend to California know" at the sana
time slspping Seward on his back.
Sam Houston, q true Temperance man believe, e.
cited some merriment by having cups of tea brought
to him while he was speaking The laughter among
the ladies was caused, believe, by his manner OF
pouring the tea from tie cup into the and by
bis selling the opportunity of occasional interruptions
in his speech to quietly enjoy bis beverage. lie made
an eloquent speech, widely in contrast with tia. Of
Douglas
Tie Last lady left the galleries about O'Clock in tho
morDipg at which time the male por Ion of the audi
ence also, had become somewhat thin. The Senators
provided with eatables and drinkables 10 one OF
the adjoining Of the Senate Chamber, which they
frequently visited. believe such a scene as was
acted in the Senate last night is almost Unprecedented.
and every person who has the least respect for his
country will pray that such scenes may never occlr
again. The horrible death Of Gardiner the midnight
orgies of the Senate, and the repeal Of the Missouri
Compromise on the part of that body, will together
I'll a dark psge in ouI history. W.
NIGHT SCENES IN THE P1SS1GE OF THE