Weekly Trinity journal., 1864-04-02
Eccentrtcities Of California's Drunken
Senator. stH

| senator ti 'H
Washington letter-writer sends the follow
ing picture of U. S. Senator McDougall to the
Cincinnati Commercial 1t must be disgusting
to Californians because it is true
A faithful narration of the eccentricties Of
great men always furnishes interesting reading
matter for the general public hence think the
following is worthy the dignity of print, mas
much as it relates to individual holding a
very high legislative position. McDougall, one
of the Senators from California, is small man,
about fifty years of age, with long gray hair and
short gray whiskers dreamy looking eyes and
rum looking countenanee. He formerly lived in
Chicago, where he is said to have been very
wealthy subsequently,, he moved to San Fran
cisco, or Whereabouts, where he is thought to
have been very poor but latterly he has lived
in Washington, where he is known to have been
very drunk.
The first time l had the honor of seeing the
distinguished member from the Golden State,
was the second or third day of the session, when
he tramped into the Senate chamber, his head
buried in fur cap, reaching down below his
ears, and his legs enveloped in a pair of boot
tops reaching up above his thighs, and absorb
ing the greater portion of his pantaloons-a
great, rough-looking, worse-of-the-wear overcoat
hanging on his shoulders, pair of bear-skin
gloves in one hand and riding whip In the
other, and two Mexican spurs attached to his
boots that were big enough for cart wheels and
made noise enough for sleigh-bclls, at least. He
came up to my idea of Moseby, and thought
perhaps the guerrilla chieftan had made a raid
into Washington and was about to demand of
Hamlin formal surrender of the Senatorial
body. Ny fears were alayed in few moments,
when he Invested himself of his coat and cap,
and took seat with an air that showed him to
feel himself at home. Soon afterwards he threw
his legs upon his desk with tremendous jingle
| &c 1.
and passed into the realms of Morpheus, where
he sojourned until recalled to the realities of
Washington and everyday life by one of the mes
sengers who told him the Senate had adjourned
more than hour before. A few days after
wards saw the Senator on horseback He
riding up Pennsylvania avenue, in semi-mlitary
attire, followed by the shoe-black brigade to the
number of about fifty. Either the horse the
rider was drunk couldn't tell which but be-
tween the two there was unsteadiness of gait
which greatly amused the small boys, and fire.
quently excited them to laughter and enthusiast
tic cries of :. Go it, old fellow - @ Hold on to
him p ''Why don't you spur him ?" 1t is due
to the cause Of truth to say that the youngsters
were impelled by another motive than the desire
for fun in following the equestrian Senator. Nc
Dougal enjoys enviable reputation among the
gamin of Washington man of generous i'm
pulse and largeness Of heart, and always pays
much more than market rates for holding his
his broadcloth the evidences of loss of his per-
pendcularity; which occurs very frequently in
the course of week. On the occasion | refer
to the honorable gentleman rode to Wizards
Hotel and dismounted The small boys had
miniature Waterloo among themselves before de-
termining which one was entitled to the office of
horse holder, which the Senator finally bestowed
upon the youth displaying the greatest amount
of muscular energy in the contest, and distribu-s
ting the largest number of black eyes among his
antagonists. A few minutes afterwards the
Senator himself got badly mixed up in row,
from which he emerged minus hat and plus
several pretty hard raps that seemed to have
taken effect in different parts OF his face ana
head.
If the reader will pardon me for OBTAINING him
still further on this topic, will state that have
seen the honorable gentleman from California in
a more interesting condition than either OF the
above narrated. 1t raining very hard-a
drenching, cold, Winter rain-as l passed the
White House one day, and saw solitary horse
man standing sentinel at one of the outer gates
1t was none other than McDougall. There was
! an air of chivalry on his countenance that seemed
to set the elements at defiance much more Ell
fectualy than his hat, which leaked badly. And
oh for the pen of ready writer to describe
that hat 1t was an article given him few days
BEFORE as am credibly informed, by the Next
can Consul. 1t remarkable for its mmensi-
ty of brim and its small, oval crown, altogether
lost to view in profusion of plated straw trim
mings. Of the materials which composed 1t
can give description, only that they seemed
to be of very fine texture. 1t was such hat as,
presume, gay Lotharo of two centuries back
would have delighted to wear during his cratic
campaign. But the hat was not the most re-
markable feature connected with the Senator's
appearance. The steed upon which he was
mounted was good one. Mexican saddle of
gigantic proportions was snugly girted on the,
animal. The rider was in good marching order,
and had evidently made preparations for a tour
nament A ponderous sword was attached to
belt buckled around his waist, and carpet sack,
full of something or other, was strapped on his
saddle. As looked at him patiently weather
ing the storm, until thought I would be as big
fool as he is if l didn't move on out OF the
rain it occurred to me that he might be attempt
ing to revive the age of chivalry and knight err
rant, that perhaps he was some modern Quixote
in search Of his Dulcinea, and impressed with
the idea that the White House was castle in
which she was incarcerated. At any rate every.
thing happened just as | have narrated, and
Senator McDougall still lives and gets drunk as
usual. vEazb