Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-01-02

II |. n nopulsr belief with most OF the free and
;,a.r~ndcnt ci.issus Of this great and glorious
R.nshl,op, dat car national lawmakers At Wash
inrton city are . sst Of ''most grave and reverend
ss;saeure." who stalk about the avenues with
stern oountsaances, who lock III the majesty Of
the Repoblic rested upon their individual shout
dsrs, who rarely give way 10 the weakness Of
smile. and Who hold joke or . bon mot in great
or shhcrrsnes than Aminidab Sleek, or that para
rou Of = s.shepherd" delineated BY Dickens the
Rev. Mr.. Ssiseins. This b the popular belief;
lint like many other popular beliefs. il is popu-
lar fallacy, zs~f az cssiratre. Our Federal leg
.l.tor, are, most Of them. veritable Yosit ks-fei
lows Of infinite jest of most excellent fancy They
will crack you joke with decided gu'to. They
will laugh with you rconsumedly' over racy in
cdent or . witty retort. Nay, there is reason to
believe that some Of them are not superior TO the
weakness Of pan |; and have been known, at rare
intervals, to make them almost good enough 70
appease the hostility Of that greatest Of oil pun
haters, DR.. johnson himself.
We have been led into this train Of thought BY
reading the proceedings Of the House of Repre-
sentatives on last Monday the day that was OBJ
served A. Christmaa The House refused to ad-
journ on that day-as 10 its usual custom. The
Puritanical element Of Congress, which comes
from New England. does no. much affect Christ
mas day. Thanksgiving 10 their great HOLIDAY;
and they have little liberation for the observance
ofChristmas. Accordingly the House was in "es'
sion, and Ex-Governor Smith Of this State was en-
titled to the floor. During apause in his speech.
caused by the reading Of some paper a, the Clerks
desk, says the Globe.
"Mr. Smith availed himself of the opportunity
70 drink glass Of egg -nog which some one sent
HIM from without the Hall"
This 10 the ojScial account of the proceeding
but the unofficial report, which we take from an
other paper. describes the scene as follows;
During the speech. come one sent Mr.. smith
a tumbler Of egg noeg which he drank. saying. |
merry Christmas to eli Of you" Great laugh
ter.
Mr. Kilgore inquired whether it in order
for the gentleman to monopose the drinking Of
egg-nogg while the rest were doing without III
Mr.. Smith said that was one of the constitn-
ticnal privileges Of his side Of tie House Laugh
A Voice--Pd like to have some I'm dry as
thunder. Loud ha ! hasi all over the House.
Alter further remarks, Mr.. Smith received |
another tumhler Of egg-nogg. which he drank,
bowling to the ladies in the galleries. creating
much merrimcnt
Mr.. Burnett rose to inqsire whether this was
private treat. Renewed laughter
The Clerk SAID he would not undertake to de-
eide that point, bpt would, If desired put the
question IL the House. Laughter
Mr.. Moore tKy.)-l move that we all adjourn,
30 that all Of Us may take some Of the kind.
Now. who shall say. after reading the above.
that our national Law -makers not a set Of mer-
ry fellows-mnd wags who are disposed to have
their fun and frolic just like common folk Oh
that the joke was not confined to one side
OF the House. Although the Governor claimed
drinking Of egg.nogg to be one of the Constitu'
tiona privileges Of his side lstrnnge doctrine FOR
a strict constrnctionist) yet the Honorable Kill
gore-a leading Black Republican, whos- name,
in respect Of both syllables, 10 50 suggestive Of
blood and murder calamity engaged the Cover
nor in his sales Of wit and enjoyed the joke per-
haps with ms jolly a satisfaction as the funniest
dog among them. Duioe est des'pere IN loco.
From all of which it appears that while the
great body of the people are under the impression
that Congress is in daily peril " viocn, disruption
that the fate Of the Union hangs by the slender
est of thrcads-that train has been laid which
only spark may ignite, and blow the Confedcra-
CIV to understand that the opposing parties in
Congress are ready. upon the slightcs, provocaon.
to jump upon each othor, and cut each others
throats with sanguinary volence-we Say. while
the uasuspecting public believes oil this. the real
truth s that with exceptions. the best sort of
personal feeling exists amongst the members OF
Congress, and in many cases very sincere and cor
dial friendships They may jower and quarrel in
the House-but ipprivate society they crack their
jokes cut wit at each other tell funny stories, aud
have good time generally. And ifsuch Of them as
feel disposed, join each other in egg-nogs. lager
beer Schiedam Schnapps, or whatever other pota-
ton they may most affect, we may argue equally
as much, from tho circumstance, in favor of the
preservation Of the Union, as we do against the
onward march Of the cause Of teeto.alism.
In giving publicity to this little harmless cpl
sode in the House Of Representatives il is proper
to say, to avoid Misrepresentation, that Governor
Smith lie gentleman by no means addicted to the
use Of stimulating beverages. lie rarely drinks
at all. IT, upon the occasion alluded TO- he cele-
brated Christmas, Is we'll IS improved his powers
Of articulation. with glass Of that beverage pc
culiar ~ the season, We must allow that his COM
plments to the House. and to the ladies in the gal
lery were most gracefully and calamity rendered
And we augur well for the harmony and good
feeling Of the House from the oviality and hilar-
ity so conspicuously displayed on the occasion.
Let the uneasy public. therefore, dismiss its ap-
prehensions respecting the daily explosion of the
Union. Our Representatives are only having a
little preliminary fan before the transition to the
graver duties Of legislation. II the pipe Of peace
has not been smoked in the House of Representa-
tves the glass of egg-nog has been drunk-which
is much the same. The country is safe.