The Portland daily press., 1863-12-11

wAsHxeIcN, Dsc. 7th. 1859.

Is an event somewhat Inherent from the
ancient gathering Of the estates OF the realm,
whereof 1t Is a lneal descendant and offspring.
Instead of prelatcal magaates, with gorgeous
stoles and towering mitres; instead of lords,
counts, dukes and what-nots, In splendid suits
of emblazoned armor, with numerous and
snowy retinucs, naughty, Jealous, bali-hosule,
always ready to take or accept an appeal from
ayes and nays. to that more congena ard
satisfactory mode of augmentation, thrusts
and blows, our senatorial nobility, with no
other title than that already so common and
so likely to become universal as TO be hardly
worth retaining, arrayed in apparel not al
ways of the newest cut, nor invariably free
from secdiness Of aspect, armed mostly with
jack-knives, ride quietly into the capital, upon
the same seats perhaps with hackmen and
hod-carriers, and without so much as a clerk
for attendant, so quietly to their lodgings in
some quiet room of some upper story. Some,
indeed, own handsome residences, and occa-
sionally hold court after republican fashion;
but such displays of State are exceptional.
On their estate the commons are even more
democratic than our democratic peerage In
a more literal, than any constructive or legal
sense, they are the representatives Of the peo-
pie; the same tobacco-chewing, cigar-smok-
in, feet-hoisting race to be met with through
out the land. The Senate, however, Is not
more different from those arlstocratc bodies
OF which it is the shadow, than the House from
those representatives of counties and Dor
cughs, who in the evil days were sometimes
able to contend bravely and successfully for
the rights of the people, but who more COM
monty were helpless to institute policy of
their own, or to check the encroachments Of
the higher orders. In our system, indeed, so
mighty has been the advance Of popular liber-
ty since the young Duke of Burgundy star
tied the court of Louis XIV. with the delara-
ton that governments exist not for the ag-
gr,ndizement Of the rulers, but for the good
of the governed - in our system prince and
MOBILES find no place, and the humble "tiers
etat," the despised common people even, have
become all and in all.
The meeting Of new Congress gives US at
the Capitol busy day, full of hustle and ex-
element. The Houses sit at twelve, but long
b fore that time the Hobbies, staircase and gal
leries are alive with expectant people. As the
appointment of committees In the Senate,
2 though weighty and important in its nature,
is less SO than the organization of the new
House, the latter body becomes the principal
object OF interest.
AS the hour of noon approaches, the gale
ries become quietly expectant, but the hustle
aud confusion in the hall below grow apace.
There are many handshaking and pleasant
greetings Of old friends, while new acquain-
tances seem to be busily forming. The pro-
prieties of the place do not forbid a laugh to
arise now and then above the confused noise
of minglng voices, nor do they appear to suf-
fer much, though puff OF cigar smoke may
chance to issue from the open doors Of the
cloak rooms. At length the clock opposite
the Speakers chair indicates the hour OF
noon, the Clerk of the last House ascends the
desk, the gavel falls and all becomes still.
As the eye runs over the members while
now the rol-call commences, 1t misses many
with whom, during the eveEtful sessions Of
thO iaSt WV sNeNSI IL Aao pNSDiaC lNthiilai.
Crttenden, the white-haired patriarch of the
last House, almost the sole survivor Of a by
gone generation Of statesmen; his colleague
Wicklifie with ruffled shirt and visage not
over-amiable, too much the man OF the past TO
be OF use to the present. the too famous VAL
Iandgham, who, not fancying the sunny skies
of the Dry Tortugas, nor yet content with
the enjoyment OF constitutional freedom IN
der the benign sway Of Davis, Lee..& Co.,
has gone to cool his indignation against the
Lincoln despotism, and TO refresh his vexed
soul amid the bracing airs of Canadian win
ter; Conway, red-hesded, fiery and able;
Gurley. who always marched at the head of
the column towards the "all hail hereafter;
Bingham, gloriously eloquent - all these and
many Others are missing here to-day, and
some have ceased forever from among the liv-
ing.
New faces meet you in abundance. Some
are ''new men" who have yet their mark to
make, and some have made quite too many
marks already But in spite Of all the changes,
many familiar names fall from the Clerks lips.
and many old acquaintance appear in the
seats below. Stevens Of Pennsylvania, the
leader of the last House, sometimes known by
thedisrespectful sobriquet Of "Old Thad, keen,
cool and imperturbable, upright as II years
had not power to bend that slight, elastic
frame; Colfax, the selfmade, on whose come
ly and youthful face his years of editorial vex-
alton and public services have left few traces !;
Washburn, the terror Of swindling contract
ors; Sedgewick, fine looking and vehement;
Cox and Voorhees,; Yearman, tall and hand
some; Kellogg the war-like, and kellogg the
peaceful; Lovejoy, stalwsrt, open-iaced and
impetuous; Coyode, pursuer of knowledge
under difficulties, aud a great many more,
well or not so well known to the country, are
here.
As the roll call concludes, little squall that
has been threatening comes on. The Clerk has
omitted from the roll the names of a consider
able number of Representatives as not having
credentials In due form. This may materially
affect the organization. A motion to add the
arylanders to the roll is met by counter
motion to lay upon the table. The vote is a
test one, and the result is awaited anxiously
The motion to lay upon the table is lost, and
the one to admit the members In question rs
carried by decisive majorities. After some
discussion, during which Mr.. Stevens raised