Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-12-23
WAsuINnrox. December 8.


liar prominence. One is the Congress that
first met at the birth and sought to shape
the growth of the infant nation. Another
is the Congress that found the same nation
now grown to stand among the first in the
world, attacked 10y II rebellion formidable
| beyond precedent; and was compelled ON
| the instant 10 improvise means Tor iis
preservation, by inaugurating the great
est civil war of modern times. And the
third Congress. Just assembled, whose high
/ privilege and responsibility II will be L"
! bring back the rebellious portions "f the
nation. after these fierce cOnyul>iuus, I"
settled and orderly Government
The organization of this last Congress
will he sn event in History: perhaps We
may find il interesting 10 watch II ~ II
progresses.
There has been much talk ot plot Ia
/ cheat the Administration majority out of
the organization. and At an early hour,
crowds begin to flock toward the Capitol
10 see how this bold attempt is met.
They throng the stair. cases; swarm iii
the great rotunda, beneath the dome.
speculate about its height and gossip Of
the colossal statue lately raised 10 crown
it; gather in little eddies about the pie
lures, facetiously termed "Nationsl." that
1 line the walls; criticise the statues; block
up the way at the huge bronze doors from
! Munich, and curiously study their elabo-
rate details, permeate passages, halls and
committee rooms, and even make their
way in spite of doorkeepeIs, into the Hall
of the House itself; while pictures and
doors and desks are all scanned with thai
wonderfully at home air that says so plain
| ly, These are all my property, and /
choose, for the sake of convenience, 10
| let your doorkeepers and policemen lake
care of them for me while | am away; but
you mustn't mistake your business and
/ imagine you can give me any orders where
not TO 90 and what not 10 do"
The stream OF visitors grows larger ns
I the hour of meeting approaches 1t pours
( up the main entrance TO the Hall, but the
watchful guardians sturdily project the
passage; it spreads out 10 each side ot the
I grand stair-cases, stops 10 gaze at Lentze'-
/ picture, and finally floods the eall-ri-s
and submerges the dooIkeepers.
/ Beneath is the old, familiar scene-
members clustering IN groups among the
! desks and ST the cloak-roons. shaking
hands with faryor that is sometimes sus
! piclous and an JUNCTION that is always edi-
| Fall, and the approaching contests; and
good humoredly rallying one another on
Reputation by infatuated constituents. or
added babies. or prosrering schemes. Be
meath it all is a watchtul eaInestness.-
the touch is velvet bur there are claws
beneath, and manY believe they will soon
be needed.
Over on the lt-ft-of the Speakers chair.
ont ~ "A
rallying grounds thoughtful group
One man, grim in feature, with wrinkles
that tell of many years, and half bitter,
half kindly smile that has alternately
chilled and warmed generation of public
men. is, as he always is, the central tig-
ure When the rebels made good their
boasts of invading the North, this man
was the especial victim of their hate
They gathered their troops about his pos
sessions, sent for their leading Generals,
to give dignity and character to the pro-
ceedings, and then, by official order and
under official inspection, they paid their
debt of hate for his lifelong services for
freedom by-burning his iron mills, and
reducing the wealthy old man OF seventy
to dependence again upon his daily earn
ings for his daily bread. Around him
cluster others-a major general, fresh from
the fields of our glory in the Southwest;
shrewd sharp son of Massachusetts,,
+ hitherto chairman of the Committee on
Elections, and one or two more.
The crowd in the galleries know moth
| ing of it; even the wary Opposition are
! ignorant of il; butthese men hold in their
hands the organization of the House
/ They have been chosen to lead the Ad-
/ IL. full
ranged their programme oi parliamentary
resistance to the anticipated attempts OF
the Clerk, and come what may, they are
prepared for any resistance that may be
made to securing for the acknowledged
majority their just rights.
The hands on the clock facing the
Speakers chair gradually approach the
hour or twelve. The crowded galleries
| become silent; elective affinities begin 10
work on the Floor, and Administration
and Opposition crystalline to their respec-
tive sides; the army of clerks and official
reporters fill the space beneath the Speak
er's chair, and arrange their lists of mem
bers for the call.
A sharp rap sounds from the Clerk Ia
bic, and a sudden hush comes over the
scene.
This being the hour fixed by law for
the first meeting OF the Thirty Eighth
Congress Of the United States the Clerk
of the last House of Representatives will
now, if it be the pleasure of the members
| present, proceed to call the roll of the
members elect thereto, calling the names
of such persons, and such persons only,
whose credentials show that they have
been regularly elected in accordance with
the laws of the States respectively, and
with the laws of the United States.
1t is not bad face.-that of the man
who stands in the center of the group oi
clerks, and thus calls the inchoate House
to order; and yet he is about to attempt q
scheme that only falls short of being mon
strous because he is a moral coward. The
roll is called, and il IS seen that this Bor-
der State man. who has been lavishly re-
warded with the favors of the Govern
ment for his supposed fidelity among the
faithless, has undertaken TO disfranchise
FIVE States of the Union rightfully repre-
sented here, and to foist upon Congress 8
set of rebels who have scarcely yet forgot
ten 10 speak of Richmond as their capi'
tai, as representatives from another.
Members exchange angry glances; few
suppressed expressions of disgust at the
paltry trlckery are heard-not alone OF
the Administration side of the House,
the galleries lean over in intent watch
fulness. There is a moments whispering
in the group near the center of the Ad
ministration side; and grim old Thad
Stevens, in the quietest of his quiet way:
rises TO say that ''if the Clerk has conclu
ded the reading of the list which he pro
poses to read, he asks that. for the infor
nation of the House, he will now reac
the names which he has omitted to call >
The Clerk blandly suggests that ht
would ike to read the list of territoria
delegates first, and Stevens courteouslI
bows assent. Manifestly both sides are t
be on their most gracious BEHAVIOR
long as possible.
Then follows little by-play about con
t tested seats and territorial delegates; ant
7 the Clerk seizes the opportunity to edg
, in the hasty law of last session, on atech
5 nically literal construction of which b.