Newbern weekly progress., 1860-02-21

! AIemoef-' W ell sir, shall expect the House
| to give my committee clerk, and that an officer
| of this house be scnt out to collect the John
/ Brown pixies, which properly belong to my com
mittee and furthermore shall require a phono.
! graphic reporter With these modest requests
granted, our committee can set and hatch without
| impairing their self-respect.' The Speakers
| prompter, Ihad. Stevens, having been called Of
| no answer was returned by the august head o!
the House, who closed the interview with stare
! of astonishment and perplexity.
On FRIDAY afternoon a personal collision oc-
Cured betW cen Messrs Edmundson OF Va, and
Hickman Of Penn. About half past o'clock
Messrs. Ednlundson, Keitt, and the Vice Presi-
| dent, were returning from the Capitol to theil
| lodgings and when about half way down, Ed
mnndsun, who was in the centre, asked Keitt to
give him the outside without giving him any ex-
planaton In a minute two they overlook
Hickman, when Edmundson advanced close TO
him and said You took occasion, sir, in your
late speech at Wizards Hotel to insult my sta e,
and thus insult me one of her Representatives
For the foul mouthed ISLANDERS then uttered, you
deserve punishment, coward and paltroon and
intend to infct it." Immediately he struck
hickman across the face with switch cane when
both parties sought to clinch, but were prevented
| by Messrs. Breckinridge and Keitt who each
taking the becose members, bore them off to
their homes. There is some talk of the Republi-
can purposeto offer resolution for Edmunds IS
expulsion from the House for this attack but
do not think they seriously mediate such a step.
Mr.. Edmundson. it will be remembered, accom-
panied the lamented Brooks, of s. c., when he
made his assault upon Sumner and was arraigned
before the House with view to his expulsion
am no apologlst for or advocate of personal as
saults, but | should have been delighted had Ed
mundson been permitted to have ended a work
which he so we'll begun. This man Hickman
however, is sunk too low for gentleman to chas
tise; despised and Stunned by those whom he
has betrayed and sold, he is now only tolerated by
his new political associates because he never
shrnks from performing the dirty work of the ir
| Ip 4
to sell his services to the highest bidder
The house has not yet got fairly under way and
nothing Of great inerc st is doing in either branch
of Congress. The Post Office deficiency bill hangs
fire Ill conseQ uence Of the SenateS amendment to
abolish the ranking privilege. The guillotne is
still at work III the offices at the Capitol. Among
the recent appointments appears the name of Ben
Perey Poore, clerk to the committee For
eign Affairs. Ben Perley is character. He once
acquired notoriety by trundlng barrow Of
green pippins from some little town to Boston
city about the most useless and yet useful ORR.
he ever performed He then a Know Moth
ing of the Boston str pc. Later he is found in the
Office of the administration organ in this city wri-
ting for lis local columns, and dashing off in his
leisure moments those "Jenkin5" letters to the
New York Herald, batch of maudlin fustian
whose disgusting toadyism drew upon him the
severest cas- igation from the press. He now al'-
pears a clelfl to Black Republican committee.
Ben Perley is decided progressionist
In the theatrical line we have been amused by
the performances of the sprightly Maggie mitchell,
the protean delineator. " Ma gias' blue eyes
and pretty faxen ctrs have proven attractive
card, aud the mouse is nightly t.lei by the elite
of Washington AS tn parties the number in
creases the days of Lent draw nigh. all seem
ingly reso!l ed t. crowd much fun and trolic III
the few days left as well be done. Perhaps
one OF the most elegant affairs OF the was
given last week by Mrs Secretary Toucey. The
rooms crowded-unconItortably so-with
one of the most briian assemblayes OF the W hO e
season. Mad Bodisco, escorted by Capt Scott,
of the British Navy. attracted great deal OF no-
tice Her dress of the most magnificent l.. s.
cription. being pale yellow silk skirt, over
which was worn custly lace, one loop'd a; the
side with a. cluster OF diamonds Diamonds
cleaned upon her wrsts--her throat and wreath
ed her dark brown hair. AS the throng lasS
slowly along from the point where Mrs. Toucey
is receiving, Mrs. Senator Iuee is seen with her
pretty face and engaging manners. Then Mrs.
Gov. Fitzpatrick, a lady of fine personal appear
ance and thoroughly verSed iii politics the
Governor himself. At one erd of the room is seen
Mrs Lamar. of Miss, W hose rich but simple dress
is in such perfect keeping with her modest and
unassumng manners. The conversational pow
ers of this lady has attracted quite number OF
pleased listeners A little farther on Senator
Toonbs looms into notice with his beetiing brows
contracted as though looking Oh scene he DIES
pissed, while cnging to his arm is beautiful
lady from Georgia whose bright saies win sar
dOnic smile from this - 'lnipetuUuS thUnG3Eer.' -
Just over the way is Cngman who to be
thinking of everything but the bright little body
by his side who spears him with her keen irony.
A little farther on is Mrs. Roger 4. Pryor far
daughter of the Old Dominion and a few steps
moved is Pryor himself-straight, erect and bold
his long hair thrown behind his and the keen
blue eyes scintiIlating and flashing with fire as
he converses; the firm compressed lips indicate
the man of nerve and will, while the features as
entirety appear when in repose, like those OF a
woman in their 5oftness and decacy. Near Mrs.
Toucey is Secretary Cnbb with his broad, JoVial
face, one dimpled smile, doing the agreeable 10
Mrs. Secretary Thompson by their side is Lord
Lyons an unassuming thorough Britsher. looking
as though he thought the whole affair rery dmeri
and uery stupid. My limits will not permit a
more extended notice of the notabes present at
this reception and [ must close my letter with
this imperfect sketch SHIRLEY.