The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-12-15

| SentatlVeS, and fufnOr says Is 10 succeed
Secretary. Fessenden as Chairman of the
Senate Committee on Finance. He is an
| accomplished parliamentarian. and was,
| it will be remembered, the Republican
candidate for Speaker of the House du-
ring the great contest Of the Thirty sixth
Congress, which terminated in the elec-
ton of Mr. Pennington, Of New Jersey.
He is but thirty eight years of age, being
the youngest man in the Senate, except
Harding, of Oregon.
Henry Wilson keeps up continual
restless, unsettled sort of motion in and
| out Of his seat, to and from the House
chamber Since anti slavery sentiments
have become popular, and Wilson is re-
lieyed from the necessity of continual
| outcry and exertion against 1.-The pecu-
liar institution" he is becoming stout
and portly. This may be one Of the
benefits of "the anti slavery Legislation
of Congress" Talking to him just now
is his colleague in the lower House,
George S. Boutwell,, former Commits
sioner of Internal Revenue. He is tall,
thin, dark haired, dark skinned man, said
to be one of the hardest workers and
profOslndest thinkers in Congress -
There, too, is Hale, of New Hampshire,
one of the old original abolitionists, the
candidate OF that organization for the
Presidency in 1852. George w Julian,
who was then his associate on the ticket,
is now member of the lower House
General James Lane does not by any
means look like the ferocious ''iay-
hawker " he has been painted. He is
about the most quiet member of the
Senate. He sits at his desk reading or
writing, paying little attention to what
is going on around him. His colleague,
Mr.. PomerJy, is. the active man of the
Kansas delegation in Congress, and is
thorough going Union radical
In his seat is the Venerable Reverdy
johnson; his appearance well known. :
One of his eyes has been removed-a
painful operation necessitated by some
ocular disease from which he was suf-
terer. In politics, Mr.. johnson seems to
follow an. entirely original and indepen
dent course of action. He voted at the
last session for the amendment to the
Constitution abolishing slavery, and,
yet, returned to Maryland and used all
his influence to prevent Maryland from
becoming free State. He is vsyy old
man, however, and much allowance can
be made in his case for vacillation of
political purpose. He is one of the most
courteous and courtly Of our statesmen,
and belongs rather to a class departed
than to one in vigorous or hourishing ex-
istence.
Sitting next to Mr. johnson, and wear
ing hat, though the Senate is in session,
IS Mr.. Lazarus w. Powell, of Kentucky,
who is probably the least Senatorial in
mlen OF all the members Of the august
body of which he is member. He is a
conscientious defender of the institution
OF slavery and all its concomitant evils
He was formerly Governor of his State,
and has always been an unvarying De-
mocrat.
Engaged in earnest conversation with
some visitor is William Sprague, of Rhode
Island, famous as the son-in-law of that
distinguished statesman, Hon. Salmon P.
Chase. Mr.. Sprague is not at all striking
in appearance, but he must undoubtedly
~" =" A"'ii VI btiCtt, dS uc mas DSel lnTlCe
made Governor of Rhode Island before
reaching the age of thirty, and that, too,
by no-party movement, embracing alike |
Democrats and Americans.
This hasty record of the result of |
glancing around the aisles of the Senate
must be hastily brought to close, how
ever, for the hour for the reading of the |
message approaches. 1t will not do, |
however, not to notice Garrett Davis, the |
greatest talker of the Senate. He is a |
brisk little old man, reminding one, so far |
as face and form are concerned, of John /!
J. Crittenden He is bitter pro-slavery
man, having been continuously imbibing
resh prJudices in behalf of the "pecu- |
lar institution for the last sixty years
de is amost inveterate talker. He speaks
ID nearly every question brought before
he Senate, and that, too, at great length.
m this respect he can hardly be consi-
Tered an acquisition to the party to which
he belongs.