, 1864-02-09
NIr. Snla on Congress.

Hf. George Augustus sam, sent out 10 tal6
country MS the correspondent Of the London
Telegraph, (tle daily having the greatest cir
culation In that city, hns written three let
tiers which have come across the Atlantic. In
his last lie gives his observations on Con-
gress, which aro, on the whole, very favor-
able, Notwithstanding Mr.. sala's tendency to
caricature his subjects. He was present at
the organization Of the House Of representa-
tives, of which he says, having in his mind
the opening Of Parliament:
"This was Ill. The school was at work;
the machine WAS running There was no
blasting Of trnmIets, no bowing and scraping
Of great creatures, stuck al1 over with gold
lace; no dangling Of ribbons, no glittering Of
stars; nor WIS there any unscemly helter-
skclter rush Of members from one House to
the other to hear speech read. To me the
spectacle Was not tune. When the rowdy-
Ism is to bcgfr-if to begin 1t is destined
when tie EtA.ttEs nEe to set to abusing or
cowlidinc One another, or exchanging impu-
tatlons Of cowardice, 1ncndacity, fraud and
drunkenness, do not know. Everything
which beheld appeared to me thoroughly
modest, simple and noble-tle free citizens Of
o great Commonwealth setting about the
task Of governing themselves md doing it
sensibly md we'll"
The remembrance of the pecu1iaritfcs Of
the British House of Commons, which seems
to be present with Mr. Sala throughout his
description, brings ont many illusions that
cannot be very agreeable to his countrymen.
Tic finds the accommodations for spectators
at Washington vastly superior, the door
keepers more civil and obliging, and tho
bearing Of the members themselves more
gcntlemnnly. He did not even see SO much
lobbying and office seeking as is usually to
H,a ~ $En 1$ D,-1f
The following extract shows the tenor of A1r.
Sala's sketch:
~ There were, perhaps, score OF function
nficF posted ut tile points OF ingrcss to tho
two Houses; but they gave themselves no
airs; they returned no doggcd, surly oropeh-
" fmpcrtinent replies. missed again the
by constubles Of the A division. I missed
the men with projects, the men with compa-
nies, tie men with grievances, and who hare
gone lalf mad thereupon; the doleful crea-
lures with nouldy newspapers, piles Of
prcepectuscE, and rcams OF dogs-earcd cor
reerondcncc, following the u. P.'s about,
cars, and making their lives u torment to
them. missed even the pert, consequential,
and 1ussy demeanor Of the legislators them
selves, rs they passed to and from the House.
A British n. I. once within the great door Of
Westminster Hall, seldom fails to let you
hAQH lAaAl LIZ 10 VIC VI kiE 9ulltEkAfE NlSAVA
of the nation. Outside he has been squab-
bling in Old Palace yard with o cabman over
siapenpy fare; but get him into the lobby
and lie is superb. The police defer to him;
the ineolent CoOrkcepers arch their backs nnd
hinge their knees Ii he deign to speak to
them. Although he may say never d word
from Session to session, nn1 has been silent
member ever since he sat In tho unretormcd
Parliament for Old sarum, ho contrlvcs, some
how, to persuade you that lie is very great
parsonage; that the tesselatcd tiles, the fres-
Goes, the statues, the gothic carving andgild-
Ing, all belong to him; that he is one who has
stationery and smoking room found hitn
by grateful country. md who gets
any number of blue-books for nothing.
will not say word In respect Of his power to
obtain udeTaiterships, letter carriers situ1-
lions, or nominations for the inland revenue
for his friends, relatives or dependents. Such
a rover may be among the attributes of the
American Legislators, but they fail to show It
ut the Immediate entrance to the Hall Of De-
bate. Wherever the og-rolilng," the ten-
ginccring,'' the "wire-pnlling,h and the
''ripe-]aying'' arc done, q stranger sees
nothing OF those processes in the lobby.
When in England, you cannot be five min
utes in the Parliamentary corridor without
being aware that you are In the presence Of q
mob Of suitors and hangers-oa md genteel
teggars. The begging is done somewhere,
presume, at Washington, over the bar at
Wizards, perhaps, or In the barbe1's shop In
the hall, where the white -jcrkincd negroes
shave 60 deftly.