The Chattanooga Daily Rebel. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1862-1864, 1863-01-23
BY GRAPEVINE AND OTHERWISE.
on pIrs on rHE DAN.

L
| have letter from an unknown correspond
ent, which proposes a regular grape vine letter
from the capital Of the Confederate States. 81
am" says this individual person Of sniff
cieni consequence to be admitted into the
best societJ, and think that my services would
be worth paying loeH for, as a weekly or other
wise epistolarian." Modest certainly. But
don't think shall invest. However, as a
specimen of his style shall embody por
ton of hia first number" here. II is capped
glimpse Of Congress-" and begins with a
quotation from Byron. | clip the poetry, and
Introduce the prose:
A peep in upon The Congress new sitting
may be worth the attention Of moment.
They are rare set There is no doubt
think that the Lord made them different from
other men. You can tell Congress by the
cut Of his eye. He is a knowing mani he has
OILED tho people, as beau has the girls, and
there is peculiar expression in his face.
Though he makes laws he is not as severe as
a judge, nor as sober He lives well, like the
ut of the land, and never loses chance for
an oyster supper or champagne party, though
for the matter Of this last, we have few Of
them nowadays. Clearly he is a business
man, for he is constantly reading the newspa-
pers, and is highly pleased to see himself
noticed in them. 1t was always so it was SO
at Washington and is not much changed al
Richmond.
There are some fine fellows here truly Though
| shall not call names, for there are also some
sorry ones. A Congressman being of flesh and
blood and subject to tho same passions as
common folk, is to be presumed that they do
now and then what is not Of much credit to
them For example, they play at cards fire.
quently, aud generally lose, they drink poor
liquor, and always get drunk. But these
short comings are easily forgiven because
they lead n hard life, a hard life and dull
enc
The Congress at Richmond has some FIRST
rate orators among IFS members but speech
eagIeism is not as popular now as it used to
be, and they do not speak with such pertina-
cious frequency Fighting is also out o fash
ion, Except at the old cock pit across tho Pa
tomac, where they sill take bout occasion.
ally to remind them Of " better days and to
illustrate one of the beauties and blessings Of
the best government the world ever sawr:)
fighting, say, has gone up" and the modern
Congressman is polite and ever courteous.
lie does not throw inkstands. call nicknames
nor swear, I'm public,) but he bows and is as
graceful as parlor boarder in public school.
My friend Smith is at present the leader of
the House. Hsrepressnts the swamp district
Smith is my pattern Of man, and attach my
faith to his carer. lie talks well, speaks well,
and is a gay and festive suss9 at all games,
from draw poker" TO swapping horses He
will be one day Senator. Smith is no half.
man, hc goes 'ihe whole hog" always, and is
the author Of more motions to 20 into rom.
mittec Of the whole, than any man in Congress.
He is great on cofrnittse. doubt whether
he is creator anywhere else. unless ona "bust'
There he is a FbulIy boy His great speech
(laut Tuesday, on "iRtervention" com.Ictely
absorbed that new and vitality important quss-
ton. II | had room sh ,uld present few
elegant extracts"
learn that the Senate viii hereafter inform
The crowd outside, that it is going into secret
session for tho future. to prevent mistakes
My correspondent is rather severe on
Congress, rotiical too That body should at
once pass resclutm Of inquiry discover the
attending party, and bring him to condign
punishment
--------s-.- &C., -----