The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-16

Their votes had disposed OF the question Of adjournment
He had an excuse for leaving and was quite
cusable but whether 1t excusable in those who
remained, time must determine representative
from the far South whose wit is keen said he
had listened with satisfaction, and sympathized with
the prisoner in the various ndigniiies which had
been put upon him. when he related the story of his
wrongs" He fancied he him engaged in that
trenoher service enjoying all that satisfaction which
wise man knew well how TO enjoy where the viands
good and the wine delicious He sympahized with
that gentlemen when he remembered that after all these
enjoyments and when the probability that his mind
full of the glorious images excited by the action of the
rosy godtha he should then whilst in that glorious
when he felt oer all the ills of life victorious
that he should have been gasped the rude hands of the
officer of the House that these day dreams should have
been dspelled and he himself compelled TO descend from
that elevation to this lower world The prisoner, with
anxiety admirably fegned inquired whether his
sympathizng friend presumed to insnuse that he
"high.' discharged prisoner reminded the southern
representative that it not in order to impute wrong
motives to gentlemen, and the Speaker admonshed him
that he should avoid personalities Thus cautioned the
witty member, with glowing face, and in humble
spirit, apoogized to the House for having unwittingy
INDUCED in allusion to the gentemans condition He
did not for moment believe that his friend lo,
but he did him the honor to believe that he was high,
somewhat elevated in Pickwickian sense And in con-
sideraton of the gentleman suffering, he most cordial
y entreated the House to extend to him the favor
mercully extended to his many unfortunate predeces
sors and therefore moved that he be dschargedon the
payment of fees The prisoner Immediately to per-
sonal explanation and informed the House that he
not present in his body-his body not his own but
in the possession of the Sergeant whom he
called upon to that member not treated with
dsrespect whilst in his keeping He also inquired wheth
the question divsibe adding that he wanted the
first proposition put first The Speaker said it
divsble, and the gentleman discharged, but only
upon condition that he paid tho usual fees.
At times debate sprang up, in which those who had
procured the call by their votes justified themselves by
saying that they desired the country be informed
through the journal and the official reports of the
why the absenees derelict in their duty These
gentlemen would declare that there could be sufficient
reason except sickness at this stage of the session. when
it already determined that they should adjourn
the h of June for such neglect of the business of the
country Other members who present. in defence
of those who unfortunately absent and for whom
the Sergeant Arms with order for their in
his hand looking in the odds and ends of the Capitol
at their private residences the street. at the theatre
and even at places where they banquetng and
enjoying the good things Of life, boldly asserted that
they had always been industrious and faithful representa-
tves of the people, and absent under misnppre
henson supposng that the House had adjourned These
latter gentlemen expressed surprise at the found zeal
of some of the former and hoped their commendable
energy would find vent in deeds Whilst of the for
mer gentlemen speaking friend asked him whether
he had not been sleeping of the sofas during the
session of Congress- The energetic declamer inquired
whether his friend had not been with him to which that
gentleman replied that he had aroused his interrogation
81,
on the sofa.
So passed the time until ten o'clock the prs
and the fees steadily increasing when the Sergeant
alarms ushercd in additional number of the absenees
There glosslness and freshness about these latter
that not observed in any of the others, and they
received with buzz ofadmiration u satisfaction %
ascending from all parts of the House. Some of them
white vests and white kid gloves and had the air
of gentlemen returning from wedding festival, so
quietly happy they On being Intercepted by the
Speaker of them said he represented the Wild Cat
district of the Keystone State and it not to be
pected that he should be familiar with the parliamentary
rules which govern dsorderly body, it to be
anticipated that perfectly acquainted with the Ell
qhette that has obtained in the city of magnificent dis
tances He had been invited to dine with the Pres
ident and as he understood it, such invitation was
imperative He had dined with the President and had
eaten good dinner and was willing to pay for it. When
the messenger came for him he had fled for refuge not
to the horns of the altar but to the horns of Od Buck
where he had remained until the danger passed
After he had enjoyed the dinner and the good company
he had returned to the House. and had further apol
ogy to make With great delight, the House released
the satisfied prisoner upon payment OF fees upon which,
the non-repentant cuprit thanked the House, and said
he was ready to pay for his dinner Another Of these
sleek gentlemen said he had paid for many
dinner
Time wore on, and still excuses were given and fees
had left under the impression that the House had ad
ourned and being unwel had retired to his bed When
awakened by tho messenger of the Sergeant he
requested that fnctonay to ask his principal to tell the
House that he i'll in bed Still another came and
he gave the reply but when the third made his APP
pearance concluded that his presence needed upon
some great emergency and he prepared to obey the
mons so pertinaciously served upon him. He believed
that If the Sergeant at had told the House of his
condition. he would have been excused and for that
son he thought the House owed him apology. The
burly figure of gallant representative lowered above
the quantity desks and the red cushions of the
chairs and the gentleman himself concurred in the
sertion that the House owed this prisoner apology
and upon his motion he excused. Another Of the
absences said he Ind remained in his place until
the only private bill from his State had been objected to-
and then he left in disgust to attend to business the
departments.
II ia impossible TO describe the effect which these ex
planatons produced upon the House We doubt whether