Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-03-15
ERoM wAsHrNGroN.
Correspondence of The Chicago Times.I

Observation-Disclosures Thompson.
WASHINGTON, March, 1868.
The great Kansas debate has commenced in
the Senate in good earnest. Green, of Missouri,
opened it according to the programme on Mon
day. 1t is conceded on all hands that he made
a complete failure. By contrast with the
sneeches which have followed, Green is HoIehere.
He tn ust himself forward too soon and too
conspicuously. He may be nimble and adroit,
but he is not fitted to shine in war of giants,
such as this debate is to prove He belongs
down near the foot of the class. He mightpro-
fltably copy after the example Of Senator BrOd-
erick of California, who prefers to get warm in
his seat before making himself conspicuous on
the floor. Senator Bloderick is winning golden
opinions here by the modeSty and self-pOSSeS-
sion of his detneanor. Everybody understands
where he is politically. He makes no secret of
his whereabouts He is with Senator Douglas
heart and soul.
- Day before yesterday Senator Douglas took
the floor for brief season just before the arri-
val of the hour for the special assignment. He
spoke ON the subject of his resolutions, calling
upon the Executive for information respecting
the election frauds in Kansas which are now
known to all the world.
He had not spoken but few moments, when
he began to warm up and put on his "battle
face" 1t is q spectacle, which nobody can sur
when he is getting under weigh in a great and
exciting debate.
Yesterday, wednesday, was a most inter
esting day in the Senate, Governor Seward was
announced to speak, and the announcement
filed both floor and galleries Mt an early hour.
Many of the members of the other branch of
Congress were in attendance to hear the distin-
gnished New Yorker l noticed amongst others,
| Major Harris in the seat of his Senatorial col
league, Mr.. Douglas Mnay of the leading
Southern Senators had taken seats in the iInme-
date vicinity of the great free soil orator and
statesman, in order to hear him with more dis
tinctness. Amongst the rest, Gov. Hammond,
of South Carolina, who has the floor to-day
johnson, of Tennessee, listened with erect
during the delivery of the speech Old Gid
dings, of the Western Reserve, sat directly in
| front OF Seward, with his eyes rivited on the
speaker and drinking in every accent. His
white locks and strongly marked, enthusiastic
features would have formed study for pain
ter. Senator Stewards mode of delivering a
speech is exceedingly free and easy. Now he
leans both elbows on the railing, back of his
chair and talks away in the most leisurely
| style imaginable Anon, he straightens up to
the full height of his very brief stature and
raises his voice to loud pitch for few senten-
ces. Then he subsidies into conversational
tone and dallies with his spectacles Ever and
anon, he takes pinch of snuff. Altogether,
the great New York free soiler is the most free
and easy orator to whom | ever listened Once
| in while he wears grim sort of q smile in
the shadow of his huge nose which shows not
only good nature but has something of the grin
of the mastiff in it.
He welcomed the great leaders of Popular
Sovereignty, AeSSrS Douglas, Stuart and Brod-
erick, and was willing to follow their lead in
defence of that principle. At the close of his
speech there was that deep hush which is al
ways noticeable in an audience after it has been
held to the utmost tension of interest for a long
time. The hush was broken by the uprising of
Thompson, of New Jersey, who proceeded in
the coolest md most dslibs F',siIeIs
to plunge directly in the wake of the New York
Leviathan, and strike out with pro-Lecompton
speech about localizing slavery. The contrast
was too marked and raised laugh all round
The comparison was too invidious. Thompson
is not only the representative of one of the
smallest States in the Union, but he is also one
of the smallest men on the floor of the United
States Senate. Besides, he has been instructed
by his State Legislature to vote anti Lecompton,
but he is going to disregard the instructions.
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