The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-01-23
Editorial correspondence.
WASHINGTON

~ ASHlNGIOAs
Tuesday morning, Jan. 3.
AS intimated in my letter Of last even
ing, visited both the Senate and the House
of Representatives yesterday, and was in
Either the Statesmen Of the present day lack
something of the awe-inspiring appearance
of the great men who have passed from the
stage Of action, or else | have lost something
upon men in high station. ! remember some
years ago ! was in the presence Of Daniel
Webster an hour or more, and stood the
whole time gazing with open mouthed and
speeches. admiration and wonder upon his
majestic form, his massive brow, bis large
and deep-set eyes over hung by dark and
heavy brows. | could not have spoken a
word to him had the fate Of empires depend
ed upon the speaking Of that word. / think
am quite as modest now as then, but it
seemed quite as easy to talk 10 Senators and
Representatives here as it does in our own
State where great men have not yet made
their appearance. AS general rule, and
one almost without exception, find that my
preconceived notions of the appearance and
manner of distinguished men here, derived
from descriptions or picture prints, were not
at all realized.
john VI. Clayton, for instance, is quite
large and portly old gentleman, with large
al Iar,cy foaa ~nn f,F IA
chin, and has very kind and pleasant ex
preston Of countenance. He talks like a
genial hearted old man right aloag upon
whatever comes uppermost, with an evident
interest in the matter, and not for the pur-
pose Of saying something. Crittenden is
growing old, and although he has the APP
| pearance Of man Of talent as clearly
marked as any member Of the Senate, he
does not I'll the idea had formed Of his ap-
| pearance from prints and descriptions. His
manner is that Of sensible gentleman OF
the old school, just sufficiently cordial and
| polite to be agreeable, with plain straight
| Senator Seward is the only man here whose
| appearance and manner entirely surpassed
| my previous conceptions, and there might be
danger, therefore, of OVERRIDING the matter
should attempt to give my ideas Of him at
any length. He seems a rather spare man,
of medium height, and, while there is moth
ing particularly grand or noble in his appear
anee, you feel that he is man Of mark, and
~. a Il. l. j
Textures, and US il were, in the entire make
and movement Of the man. Sumner is
ra.her tall, Scoteh-lrish looking New Eng
lander, plain and naturally communicative
and agreeable in his manners, and seems
to feel q decided interest in Iowa matter
Gen. Cass, Gov. Dodge, and our own Senator
Jones had seen before, and therefore had
no need to correct previous Impressions
Senator Jones, by the way, is in much better
repute here and has more influence in the
Senate than many Of us in Iowa have been
| accustomed to give him credit for. Mr..
| Clayton, in speaking TO me Of some Of his
own efforts in behalf of Iowa, took occasion
TO express a very decided esteem and warm
appreciation Of Jones, and as far rs can
learn he i regarded with much favor by
! Senators generally. You knowI am in the
habit Of Giving she d his due and as
! expect e have ample occasion hereafter to
sg lard things Of Jones, take the present
opportunity TO make public the good that
learn in hs fayor.
| There i 10 striking difference in the com
position Of he senate Of this day and the
same body few years ago. Had | entered
the Senate Chamber then, M eyes would
have been directed ii search 81 the forms Of
great men whose names bad become histori-
cal, and whose fame as statesmen and great
political leaders had filed tho country and