Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-08-22
THE UNITED STATES SENATE.

went to the Capitol to hear the Presidents
nc sage read, and through the courtesy of the
Hon. Charles Sumner, Chairman of the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations and Senator, and
of the Hon. H. Wilson, Chairman of the Com
mittee on Military Affairs and Senator, was
introduced on the floor of the Senate The
halls and passages in the vast building, which
will, wnen completed, f,ly oooupy oornnand-
ing site, and present externally grand aspect,
not altogether sustained by the interior, were
tolerably well filed with people, but there was
no crowd, no eageiness, no eXcitement--scarce-
lv even the noise of conversation. The heavy
iil-ventiated chamber in which the Senate sits
was by no means crowded, although free ingress
was permitted till the Vice President took the
chair, and sitting commenced; nor were the
commodious-at least very spacious--galleres
open to the public, at all throngcd, even in the
| ladies' seats. But many citizens, and among
them number Of private soldiers, seemed to
take pleasure in sitting down in the chairs as
signed to individual Senators, and just before
the Senate proceeded TO business, n fine snoie,
proceeding from bearded and beltcd man in
a scarlet shirt, showed that one Of the Garibal-
din a corps of whom are Quartered here, had
sought oblivion in the very centre OF debate.
Few of the Senators are men of advanced
years, and Mr.. Critienden is pointed out as a
kind of obsolete semi-fossilized politician, as
much out of place as Nestor would be in a rev.
| el with Achilles and Patroclus. In another
phase they are not so dignilied. They do not
consider it unbecoming TO write at their desks
in the midst of debate. Writing is base me-
chanical process after all, and no man looks
well while he is engaged IN it. Senators are
like other men. Perhaps they are a little fond
er of stationery. When the last Congress was
coming to a close | saw a large man, covered
with perspiration, dragging huge box after
him into the railway station. He was followed
by two other men with similar boxes. This
was Senator who was taking home by mail
his supply Of public tationery contained in
these boxes. Then it must be conceded" that
dress has something 10 do with the aspect of Il
deberatiye body, anI that Jim Crow hats and
linen blouses would detrpct from the appear
ance of the most aristocratic mob in the world
Pre,ermiting these things in the United States
Senate, there are noble heads, commanding
forms, and high intelligences, nearly equal to
the greatest issues before them. Business is
transacted colloquially and easily, but there is,
| am told, a practice of making set orations
wlich at one time threatened the House Of
Commons.
Mr.. IIamln Vice President, who is popular
y believed in the South to be gentleman of
color sits in his chair above the cl 'rk, who
, reads it very much as a Commissioner in Bank
ruptcy may be seen i'll Bassinghall street listen
ing to the pcrusal of document from an as
, signee. The message is written on separate
sheets; it has been brought in by the Presi-
denL's secretaries, believe, who appear on the
floor and simply announce their object, and the
clerk then by order of the Vice President, reads
it sheet by sheet at the desk outstanding. The
Senators sit and listen. Now and then one
hears a whisper "lt's too long" "Whnts the
use of going into thatP' "lhat point is not
badly put" The demand for men and money
produced no sensation. They would have
swallowed twice the tota,s readily and silently.
MILITARY TROUBLES.
But the mischief which threatens the United
States forces arises cut of the jealouses which
E exist between the regular army and the volun.
/ tecrs. The civilian Generals. or political
chiefs, are obnoxious to the regulars, and Gen
i eral Scott has a battle to fight very much like
in which Lord Clyde contcnded so vigorously
T. and successfully against his "politcals" and
r "ciyilians" in India. There are men high in in
$ fuence and actual capacity for good or evil who
declare that the United States army is Il nuis
ance and that il would be much better to en-
= ploy good stump orators, or men who know tn,
j. wants Of the "people," to conduct the UNITED
States armies, than men who have studied, a
: least theoretically, the art of making war al
|, their lives. 1t may be readily imagined how
General Scott deals with such opinions anC
their organs. All these gentlemen are for push
;, ing on ahead and making general onset OF
the enemy. They think an army is like a rounC