Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1858-02-02
from he Boston, oaiier
Massashustttkon the Floor Of C0nssesss

WAsrIsaroNs Jan. 18th 1883.
Iii a stray copy of q Boston paper
which fell under my observation in one of
The hotels here, lately, noticed an editot1
rial, which started off with the asseryationa
that s'the present Massachusetts, delega
ton III Congress was up 10 the average
or delegations representing the various.
States, n here, and that visitors to Wash
ingtonso affirmed Now even ifthisas
sertion were true ii would be but . poor
compliment 10 i Commonwealth Ike Mas
sachusetts, whose antecedants Id the Fed II
eral Congress are Of 50 distinguished q
character but the assertion IF the paper
in question il not true; Massachusetts,
as At present represented on the floor Of
the House, and for that matter in the Sem
ate likewise, has really and truly less
voice in the affairs Of the nation than
most, even Of the youngest members Of
the Confederacy. AS 4 Massachusetts,
man. and a spectator here, I am cpn-3
strained to make this assnission. Conn
pare her3with Virginia, her old revolution
ary conipeer and coequal in historic and
Legislative renown. and how does she
stand id the present Congress? III
Far in the back ground, Senator Will
son. who is alone at his post in the SEN
ate. is surely no match for Hunter of
Virginia. either in reputation. capacilty,
experience, on iuhueuce. / say this
without reference to politics. Senator
wilson 1oes not feel easy in lis seat. ~
He Is inferior, both in intellect and edu-
cation, to a majority Of his brother SEN
ators, and he behaves as though he was
thoroughly conscious Of i. The. Senate
Of the United States, as at present com
posed, is an able body. Senator Wilson
belongs to the haif-do9en least efticient
Of its members. He takes rank with
|-Broderick Of California, Evans of South
Carolina, and others, who are merely
| Of respectable capacity. Messrs. Sew
ard, Hunter, Toombs, Douglas. Fesssn-
den, Crittenden, and Hale, lead Oh, and
when they have the floor most powerfully
arrest the attention of the audience. r.
Turn we to the House, and how is it
there? Here, again, how does MasSa-
chuseits compare with her old coequaI
Virginia? 10 poor advantage That
bald-pated, most energetic and prompt
Virginian, Letcher, who riyets the eye
Of the visitor to the House almost as soPn
Al he enters thetgallery, has got more
life and ability in him than the whole
Massachusetts delegation together. Il
This shall be the yerdictof any unbiased
spectator who attends the session of the
House from day 70 day / regret to say
il, but let the truth be spoken, though
tile Heavens fall. I should judge Robert
B. Hallto be the ablest member from
Your State. Such is the present Con
gressional rank Of the old Bay State I'M
Washington, where she once stood pre-
eminent among her peers. Surely no
State in this Union has the same number
oftrained and powerful intellectsas' Mas
sachusetts /? Cam she not spare few Of
them, to keep up her reputation here Il
If she IS chiefly anxious TO maintain Fl
strong arti.slavery front, why does she
not send Philips Parker, Bird, PhillsF
bury q Co., in place of the very respect !
table but utterly inefficient gentlemen,
who are now here s3