The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-05-23

''noblest Roman of them ALL" Stephen A.
Douglas. He is about five feet seven,
stout built, and on the sunny side of fifty.
His copntenance betokens a genial dIspo-
sition, and seems to invite one to 60 up
to him and say, snow are you, Steve?"
Whatever Southern 6re-eaters may say Of
him in their speeches, whenever any ques-
tion of importance is before the Senate
they may be found with others around
Douglas seat making inquiries and listen
ing to his lightest word. We were not a
little surprised to see, on one of these
occasions, Mr.. JEFF. Davis, John P. Hale
and others, without regard to politics,
instead of listening to the member ad-
dressing the Senate, crowding around
Douglas and listening to what he, ia an
under.tone. was saying. No man can sit
in the gallery of that Senate half day
without seeing that Douglas is its master
spirit, and that all, however unconsciously y
to themselves, SO regard him.
Mr.. Seward sits in the back tier ol
seats alongside of his rival for the presi-
dency Mr.. Cameron. They resemble
each other very much when viewed from
a distance. Both are spare men, near the
same age, with hair turning to silver gray.
Seward seldom takes part in running de-
bates. He must have every word and
every sentence weighed in all it's bearings
before he trusts it to meet the eyes of the
presideEt.makers. s1st.s 4
We had the pleasure Of hearing Gen.
10. Lane deliver set speech The OBJ
ject was to vindicate himself from charges
made against him in connexion with the
Oregon war debt. The speech did not
have the effect Of impressing us very
strongly with his powers as logician or
an orator, but this was probably partly
owing to the dryness of the subject.
Our Senators, Mr.. Pugh and Mr..
Wade are the antipodes of each other.
Pugh is an active working man, courteous
and chivalric in his bearing, and pointed
and eloquent in debate. Wade is burly
bully. Sullen and unpleasant in his in.
tercourse, especially with political enc.
mics. In speaking he is rough and over
bearing, and impressess one with the ides
that he has missed his vocation-that in
stead of being in the intellectual walks O
/ life. his proper sphere would have beer
where brute force and insensibility to feel
ling we're demanded. We have on the oc
casion Of other visits to the Capitol Cit,
'fgiven rough sketch Of the other promi
ment Senators. We will walk over to tn
other wing. $ - lg.5
) Through the kindness of Mr. Theake
we were admitted to the floor of the House
Such noise, such, confusionl We, hav
several times seen the Ohio House o
1 Representatives on the last night of it
8 session, when the principal object seemel
to be to ascertain who could produce th
most discord; bnt we exaggerate not
whit when We say that these scenes wer
J, fer more orderly lthanthe lower House o
: Congress. Twenty men would be stand
) ling up at once, some Of them addressin
5 the Speaker, and others calling to seec
4 other across the house. Pennington we
lin. the chat: usually occupied by th
\ Speaker, but the Speaker in fast, We
f standing near him leaning on the desl
8 with his hand to his mouth to prever
}, members from seeing the motions of b
lips as he operated upon the nsachine
!, the Speakers chair. This ladis apag
: in the. house, and is said to be one of th
n best parliamentarians in it.. Penningto
s is constantly reaching his ear to this DO
and will scarcely put . simple motion
K adjourn until the boy has prompted hin
j. It is burlesque and satire upon 4
9 Office, This accounts for the want of o
It der. Little or no respect is felt for PEI
Il }ington, and his calls for order, are hesde
it no more than if they came from the ga
= lleries. .,s.... 3i.A = - :.
IS In the House here are none Of Il
f. frst men of our country. but q numb
iof second class men. On the Republics
d side Sherman and Grow seem to be stri
d ling for the leadership, and conseq uent
= talk as often as an opportunity Offers
y Cox aud Vallandingham seem to be Il
l. leaders on the Democratic side. Anon
le the Americans Henry Winter Davis
q clearly in the lead. It would require tc
e much space to particularise and descril
is individual members of the House,
yl On Tuesday morning the excursions
|. .|came to Washington. OmnibusSes to q