The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-12-09
Letter from the Federal Capital.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 1856
THE MEETING OF CONGRESS-.

{iculties. and beset with chances for lrretrieva-
BILE miscarriage, and failure most miserable
IJpon none was ever laid heavier burden Of
hardly npon any were ever the
ewes OF our own people, and indeed of all Chris
tendon, fastened with more anxious expec-
fancy. Its work for good or evil will be scan-
ned, not by the eyes of the living only, but
not less through coming time, by those OF
countless generations. Time with calm, stern
patience will examine and try it ON every
side; change will test it with remorseless Sc
verify. Good or bad it will remain, and upon
it the calm. terrible light of history will fall
forever. ..,.. y4. Atns- ..t.t.t..
To-day assemblies the Thirty Ninth Con-
gress. For it the history ofits thirty and eight
predecessors is full of admonition and warn
ing. No one of them tailed to do many good
things, but not few of them are remembered
rather by the evil they compassed, than by
any worthy object sought, or noble end attain
ed. Not a few of them were distinguished
and signalized less, far less, by devotion to
truth, and fidelity to freedom, than by their
love ofjunggggling falsehoods, and their shame
less apostacy from liberty. How often did
they magnanimously adjust their differences,
and compose their quarreis, after the prece-
dent of PLATE and Herod, by uniting in heap
ing new wrongs and outrages upon Gods de-
fenceless and unresisting poorl How often
was justice Knocked and scourged, and freedom
bufeted and spit upon in the very Capitol! but
enough. The olden times have passed away,
thank God, and it is the solemn trust, the mo-
mentous duty of this Congress-nay of us all
to see to it that they never return again.
During the closing days of last week the
Capitol began to assume that busting appear
ance, which it is accustomed to present in ses-
sion time. At an early hour this morning the
staircases and halls began to echo the clinking
tread of visitors, and the galleries began to ELL
with spectators eager to obtain favorable seats
from which to witness the opening of the new
Congress. Although this event is sufficiently
simple, and free from all state parade, and lof.
ty ceremony, it never fails to attract multi
tude of eager beholders. Nor, since the real
dignity of any event consists, not in the glare
and glitter Of mere tinselry, but in its bearing
on the veal of man, can the assembling ola
parliamentary body, representing and WELD
ing more power than any other of its kind in
the world-more perhaps, one excepted, than
all others-ever be other than an an event of
high moment, and profound interest.
1t is now nearly twelve, In the galleries of
the Senate sit large though not densely
crowded assemblage of spectators, while upon
the floor Senators are exchanging greetings
with each other and their friends. Sumner is
busting about, now here and now yonder
Harris of New York, and Guthrie of KY. are
are holding a quiet confab, Morrill, of Me-, is
sitting solus at his desk, busy with some pa
pers, Gratz Brown Of Mo-, and Stewart of Ne
vada, are chatting together, Wilson of Mass.
is rapidly breaking the seals of some letters,
and having glanced at the contents, is thrust
ing them successfully into his desk, and
throughout the stately Chamber prevails
quiet and decorous confusion. 31s 1
The House is ofcourse the principal center
of interest to-day. So strong is the Union
majority in that branch, and so unanimous
were the nominations made in the Union eau
Gus, that the issue of the days proceedings is
hardly in doubt; yet there is scarcely less Gu
riosity on that account to witness them. The
galleries are closely packed; the aisles being
filed, the doors completely choked, and the
stairways and passages outside, swarmmg with
a crowd quite unable to get admittance. The
floor is popu,ous with throng Of lockers on,
Members of the House, and some gentlemen
tom the sunny South who would very much
like TO become Members, but whose prospect of
being so at present is not the most fattering.
Of the Maine delegation we notice Perham,
Blaine and Rice, shaking hands with friends
and exchanging the congratulations of the
day. Colfax stands yonder in the aisle, with
q pleasant smile and warm grasp for all;
Schenck, of Ohio, is edging his way into his
seat, looking as full of intense energy as ever;
Banks, the little "iron nam" of Waltham, sits
chatting with friend, his hair scarcely gray
or, and his face hardly more scanned than
when first saw him nine years ago; Roscoe
Concklin stands there gossipping ON the DEM
ocratic side, looking as he is a gentleman OF
ripe and scholarly culture; Hooper the "mer-
chant prince" of Boston walks yonder, with
sound head on his shoulders, good heart in
his bosom, and manners SO courteous and af-
fable as would become him were he prince
Of the blood; Washburn of Illinois, who
having served consecutively twelve years, a
longer period than any other member of this,
or the last House, is entitled to the venerable
appellation of the "Father" of the body, is
exchanging greetings many and hearty with
his associates in Congressional toll; Stevens of
Penn. the Patriarch" of the House, now
verging upon four-score, but still erect and
vigorous, picks his way through the jostling
crowd; Maynard stands there, looking with
his tall, slight figure, straight as an arrow, his
sallow complexion, his ccal black hair and
piercing eyes like veritable sachem,-May-
nard true as steel, whose misfortune not fault,
it is to come from disloyal Tennessee; and a
crowd Of others, old members and new men,
bers, some long known TO the country, and
some eager to prove their lances for the first
time in the parliamentary tourney, work their
way this way and that, joining with almost
boyish relish in the general confusion.
Upon the stroke of twelve, the clerk of the
last House, Mr.. Mcpherson, a gentleman of
slight stature, fair light complexion, sandy
bar and a pleasant face, ascends his desk, the
gavel falls, conversation ceases, the hustle sub
sides, and the great hall is very still and quiet.
The roll-call begins, each member present an
;wering as his name is reached. From Mary
land the Clerk proceeds to call Ohio, emitting
Virginia, N. and S. Carolina, Georgia, Alaba-
ma, Mississippi, and Louisiana Tennessee is
reached and passed over in silence. his
"NIr. Clerkw II is the voice of Horace May
aard. a+ .t3t
The Clerk does, not wish to be interrupted.