The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-02-14
Ripples at the Capital.

WAsmSeToN, Feb 81, 1862.
JEFF. DIN Let Us take our seat Ia the
Ladies Gallery of thu House, just at the
left of tho Reporters and the Speaker
whom wo can't SEQ, and face tho tribunes oi
tho people, whom We can, and look down
into tho buzziug, humming nroa below.
."Hcavons and Garth ls this the Hall Of
l Representatives /? And are those noisy,
testlcss, uneasy, undignified chaps-talk-
ing laughing, reading, writing skipping,
Ioaiing, 1ounging, undignifed chaps--the
Representatives of tho great American
poopio: How noisy thcy are What On
dor tho sun are they doing What can
they do in this ex'ricable confusion /?
"lIuw iittio they look away down there,
with us looking down onto their (s0ft p
hcads Thoro afe!low is up, saying some.
thing. or trying to. See how he exerts him
solf TO overtop tho noiso about him, and
can't--not a word of which reaches us,
away off up hore." 80. .
There, JcG. that will do for you let me
have the tinor. Never you mind, JcG.:
those that you call chaps and fellows,
down there, know pretty we'll what they are
about, and what other mon arc at, too
There is not q single great man among
them, no Great Commoner" to croate and
load; but tho average of ability was never
better, and ihcre are many cool, shrewd.
Ear socing men; something. too. of what
boys call gonius, aud great deal of talent.
Courage there is. and pluck. and sell. devo-
tion. as we'll as meekness, timidity and dom.
agogueism. . .......... ......... s....'
Look littlo olosor st individuals. Take
the third alley 20 tho left of tho main one run
your eye up TO the fourth or fifth desk,
aud, at tho right, observe that large. strongly
cut face, with oyorhanging brows and
bloodloss lips. with something dropping
about tho mouth.--in ovory line of which
are ambushed the sharp-shooters of sar-
casm and pitiloss wit. That is old Thad
Stevens, tho Chairman Of tho "Ways and
Means" and l6ador Of tho House--a man oi
great power, with n tongue as rough as
that Of an old lion; but his temper and
careless habits render him rs unsafe a man
to lead Rs could be named. uc seldom
knows what is in his bills, and answers q
call for information with quart o: aqua.
.Joriis. .... ....... .. - .....-'
i At his left sits Morrill,, of Vermont, a
fno-loOkiDg. woll-dresscd man, with intel
lcctual head and face, but with !ittio cspa:
city to express himself; and he generally
sits down without tutoring tho thing be
arose to say. He 10 tho Tariff Morrill,. and
now second on tho -Wsys and Moans."
That small, hoavy haired, wol-.ooking,
clear Dyed man, right forward OF Stevens
and Morrill,, 10 Mr.. Ely, recently of Rich
mond, and quite u lion. He is IN active,
generous, hearted, lively, good fellow, rs the
world holds. r. ... ,...
At Morrill's left sits John .Covode, heavy,
genial, true, and with m eye as to how his
constituents will take il. Al his left sits
when he sits ut ALL Abraham, B. Oiin, Oi
New York, he with tho heavy. black beard
moustache, hair, and dark face generally
He wrote the Covode Report, and. though q
rasping, man, he is ono Of tho bost in the
House. .... s.t .....' ,1..a....
Immediately back OF Olin, passing ono
desk, sits So uyier .Colfax --Athat slight
light'complcxioned, smooth. faced man. al
ways smiling and always busy. He 10 ono
OF tho lucky men In Congress, with ar
active, usoful mind, of not great powers
and. by his pleasant address, no has made
himself foremost man in tho louise, and
many eyes aro on him from tho outside
world. Ho. too. watches the homo chance
Il Still back OF CoIfax, and ~ut.. tho Outer
row Of dcaks, is Roscoe Conkling, who did
Dalrs Bluff, some woeks hgo. You soc hi
is large. fnsly.moulded figure, in early
!, manhood. with sanguine hair and beard -
The upper part of his fneo and head indi
, Gates intellect and ability the lower, will
and--something else. His drawback 10 sale
to DO vanity ] like him. 't.-'.y.a I'D.
Let me SEQ, Lift your eye, md Let Il
fall to tho first ally, TO the right of tho mair
entrance, and second desk from the oute
circlo, and, for o moment, observe thu
: slight, red,hairod. smooth. shaved, broad
E brOwed. youngish faco. with tho opon
, steady gazing eye with his slight. fsultlossIy
dressed, well.made person. harmonizinl
. with the face and hoad. That is Martin T.
I Conway, Of Kansas. that Col. Fouke. of Ill.
did not challenge. Ho made that thought
ful speech. ii - ,-'' .t- '-.r
In the row next forward of him, and tc
bis left, sits Frank Blair with his square
forehead overbnng with "a mass Of auburI
hair His eyes, though deep set, are open
and his pretty, wsll.cut mouth is Overhunp
with heavy nOustache, and the rest of hil
face smooth. In repose be looks storm, bu,
he is really'On of tho most genial, approach.
able, laughing. good follows in the House
of fair talents and great force of character
which you SEQ In his face.
To the right Of Fouke, across the aisle
in the body of tie Hail, sta John Jay Crit
tobtOus Wssb uio Wheo thtuk ucBH
gently over his pallid face, which has shrunl
away from the manly fuilness of earlier
ycars. Deeply furrowed il 10, too. with
wrinkles and stamped all over with a pro
vailing character of sadness, detection and
sorrow. The doop, burning eye, at times
sends forth CLEANS of tho old fire, and
!, |, tho voice has not wholly iost its old por
!. suasive power and modulaiion; the foru
can still riso erect. or sway with this finishe,
grace OF tho orator he once was. He is
: star that still fingers upon tho horizon, af
tor much of it's glory is shorn away--a hori
a zon, TOO, clouded with national aud indiyld
! uai woe. A mist gathers over our eyes, a
, wo gazo and reflect. I.es us not look q
: tho herd Of common men that group anG
jostle so unthinkingly about tho Isolated OLE
. man. You remember. In the glum days o
1918, he. and Wiekliife. and Grider, all nov
in the House, were part OF that. gallant hos
that camo TO our assistance--then all noble
!. high-spirited boys, now old, broken down
D sorro~ihg men. 1s.N4-s f-'
, Some time you and will pursue thes,
: pen sketches further, u you like them.
Ia the House, men cannot now make
reputation in single speech, as they usoc
to. Tho inoxorable one hour puts talen
and genius on level with common plac,
} and nediocrity. Still every man soon get
to be known among his fellows, and eati