Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-03-17
From Life Illustrated.
a GLANCE INTO THE SENATE
CHAMBER.

Did it ever occur to those wiseacres
at home. who nod approvingly over
Congressiona! speeches, and cast in their
votes for thepatriosic "Smith" or Jones,
at election time, how easy it was to be a
Senator? Why. who couldn't assume an
air of diplomatic dignity if he were COM
fortably seated in big arm chair, with
a pile of document" under his nose, a
pen behind his ear, and big ink-stand
yawning at his elbow?
Don't L wish grateful public would
elect me to the Senste! Wouldn't l as
tonish the Speaker. and horrify the Ser
geant- Wouldn't throw all
the musty old papers under the table,
establishing vase of roses on the desk,
among the ponderous State records, and
sketch the bald pates in my immediate
vicinity all over the blank margin of the
Globe, when some prosy old orator was
talking everybody else to sleep!
And then, nothing's easier than to
make "star" of yourself in the national
hall. Bring in a glaringly impossible
bill. say something personal, wear your
hair on your shoulders, and turn down
your shirt-collar Ia Byron, and you'll
be sure to succeed
As for the speech making. that's sim.
pie enough. Stare through an eye-glass
at the Ladies' Gallery" until some girl
comes in, lovely enough to inspire a
hickory log. then jump up and rattle off
something spirited, no matter what, so
that the "great American nation,"
"giant of the West" march of civiliza.
lion" and patriotic spirit" come in often
enough. Shades of Cicero! we already
hear the applause that would be sure 10
ensuel
Good gracious! what pity it is we
belong to the crinoline department, in
stead of being privileged to wear whis.
kers and patent leatherl Does the Un-
ion know what loss it has sustained?
However, we came here for the pur-
pose of commenting. not upon what
might have been, but what is. And it is
a fact that the Senate gallery is crowded
to suffocation this morning. We look
disparingly at the densely packed mas
ses of humanity, and are about hopeless
ly to retreat, when the polite usher darts
forward with
81 can get the lady place, sir, in a
minute. This way, pleasel"
How he does it we haven't the least |
idea, but in moment We are engineered |
into the front ranks, and a six footed |
Vermonteriis ousted from his seat to make
room for our multifarious skirts. Poor
fellow! how vexed and disappointed he
looks! but, then, isn't it his bounden du-
ty TO make way for the ladies?
Well, upon our word, this same SEN
ate is cosy, comfortable place. How
handsome that row of variegated marble
pillars is, and how benignantly that full
length portrait of Washington gazes
down ON the scene below. What pref
ty carpet the nation hasa ground Of
vivid crimson, dotted with shower of
golden stars-and what a graceful fes-
.oon that would would be above the
chair, if somebody would only dust the
huge gilt eagle at the terminus of folds!
That is Vice-President Breckenridge
the Speakers chair. He
scarcely looks old enough to be the Sec
,nd officer Of the Republic; there is hard
y q silver thread in his dark, luxuriant
hair, and the burrows have not yet begun
o plow his massive forehead, and fine,
quars face. j