Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-04-22
Corresp pondsnce Of tho NJ uscatine Daily Journal.
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Debate In the House Of Representatives
on the Expulsion Of Lomg-A Word
about Udrries- Grinnell-etc., etc.

The Debate IN the House Of Representative
on the Expulsion Of Long-A Wor
about Harries- -Grinnell-etc., etc.
>.e. i'' WARRINGTON, April l2.
By all odds the most exciting period o
this session of Congress, thus far, is tina
which has interviewed between last Saturda,
shortly after noon, and late last evening. o.
Friday, Representative Long, of one Of tn
Cincinnati districts, (the successor, by tn
way, Of John A. Gurley, deceased,) took tn
g sition absolutely, that the war ought to b
stopped and the Southern Confederacy recog
nized. Up to that time Long had kept abou
as quiet as the Army of the Potomac unde
poor Little Mac. He had voted steadily will
the Copporheads, ard was understood TO be
long to that wing of the opposition which il
led by the virtuous Fernando Wood, of New
York. But he had not been demonstrativ
in his treason. 1t now appears that he hat
been brooding over the wrongs of his "South
ern BRETHREN" and the patent destruction o
his party, till his heart had become morose
his feelings soured, his head made sore, ant
his whole nature wrought up into morblt
sensitiveness for treason and an unmixet
hatred of the cause of freedom. Before
Friday, Mr.. Lcng, so to say, had been in I
profound calm. On that day he burst fortf
in terrific Copperhead storm, which devel
oped, not unnaturally, some may think, into
a regular tornado of treason. And SO tht
House was taken little by surprise, and was
thrown on its beam ends for time. L
hardly knew what to do about it.
On Saturday morning, soon after the read
ing of the minutes, Mr.. Speaker Colfax lef
the Chair and offered resolution of expul
sion against Mr.. Long, and supported it by .
short speech. From that time till nearly
dark, there was the most animated discussion
l had ever witnessed in the House of Repre-
sentatives, or anywhere else for that matter
And it was continued yesterday with even
more interest. The debate of Saturday had
not been at all anticipated by the public, and
the galleries were only about half filed
about as they are when nothing specially
spicy Is on the taps. On yesterday it was
different. Senators crowded the Representa-.
tives out of the seats, all the galleries fol
spectators were packed full, whilst we busy
reporters were annoyed and pestered by .
crowd of both men and women, who thrus,
themselves upon our privacy, as though We
could write in the midst of strangers, ol
beauty, of crinoline, and little uglness.
In the Saturdays debate Messrs. Cox
Julian, Dawson, Kelley, Miller, Garfield, Har.
ris, Washburne aud Fernando Wood were
the principal participants. Cox seemed to
take the lead on the side of the opposition
He is little, wiry, black-haired, be whisker.
ed chap, sharp as tacks, ready as two-sec.
ond fuse, mighty handy in expedients, au
fat IN the tIickery of debate, and utterly
Inscriptions. He interrupted here and in
terrupted there; interrogated every now and
then the speakers on our side, and made, in
short, a very good bushwhacking fight all
around. Julian made a tip top short speech
as he always does, being one of the ablest
men and most agreeable speakers in the
House Kelly spoke finely and somewhat
ornately, as usual. Dawson and Miller ran
in like couple of small dogs at the big,
strange dog undrr wagon, and got mangled
under the wheels and somewhat throttled for
their pains. Garfield, who in looks not a
little resembles our excellent Senator Harlan,
made strong, argumentative speech, and
was followed by the bald-headed Harris, who
spouted treason and broke tumblers' for an
hour This stormy afternoon ended in vote
of strong censuse against Mr.. Harris, and
the postponement of Mr.. Longs case till
yesterday at 2 o'clock.
At the appointed time the debate was COM
menced by Mr.. Bliss, of Ohio, gentleman
of the old school, who wears wig, shaves
daily, has fair, round belly with good capon
lined, and seems not to be in other respects
remarkable. Mr.. Bliss was little dry. Old
Ihad. Stevens next took the floor and made
shot, excellent speech, notwithstanding
the Interruptions on the part of Mr.. Cox
Fernando Wood followed, in speech advo-
eating peace. One expression particularly
noted. "There was no such thing as War
Democrat or conservative Republican,
Fernando is not bad speaker, and man ot
remarkable piety l never heard a man
"pray God" as much as he does. Ashley
and Spaulding poured couple of hot shot
into him, and Cox ran to the rescue, and he
finally wound himself up by hypocritical
peroraton about the Union. Schenck, oil
Ohio, then got the floor. Bob. Schenck is,
to use common expression, "pumpkins on
speech. He made number one effort yes
terday, and was several times greeted with
the hearty applause Of the galleries, which,
however, was suppressed as soon as possible.
The General is sandy haired, medium sized
m N, his right arm useless on account of the
wound he received in the service, but alto
gether he makes an appearance which COM
mands respect. He skinned Fernando alive.
Voorhees, came next, and made the best
speech which has come from that side of the
House. lie is a man of fine talents, with as
ready command of language, perhaps, and
as good speaking powers generally, as any
member Of his party in the country. Voor-
hees, on this particular occasion, was like
Fernando Wood, excruciatingly pious. There
was little difference, however, between the
piety of these Copperhead saints, for whereas
Fernando did up his in the phrase sprayed
God" Voorhees, did did nn his in that of he
thanked God" The piety of Tic Tic one was
invocatory, that of the other grateful, and
Dan." did seem to be in earnest when
thanking heaven that his constituency stood
by him. Still, think it was lie that
" Dan." told heaven. His speech yesterday
was not so good as have heard him make
Godlove Orth, of Indiana, followed Voorhees,,
and made one of the best speeches of the
session. Godlove is tip top orator, full of
vim, fire, force. He calls thief thief, and
a traitor traitor. He is one Of your regular
western, out-spoken, ingenious speakers,
who discard forms and mere technicalitles,
and the old common law" absurdities, and
come out bluntly and square-footed on the
merits. He made what you might call a
" "rip-rousing speech as different from the
studied periods of Fernando Wood, or the
forced utterances of Voorhees,, as the yellow
glare Of the Honse by night is different from
the sunlight of MONDAY on the rock of Ply
mouth. He made prodigieus effect, espe.
cial1v ,1non tha galleries Kernan of Naw