Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-04-04
IHE UNITED STATES SENATE.
ITS HISTORY AND MEMBERS.
From an Occasional Correspondent
MAsu1neroN. March, 1866.

WASHINGTON, March, 1856.
The Senate is n of the coordinate
branches of Congress, and is considered
the most dignifed legislative body in the
country. 1t is composed of two members
from each state, chosen by the Legislature
for a term of six years-one-third of the
members vacating their seats every two
years. A Senator must be at least thirty
years Of age, and have been nine years a
citizen of the United States. The first
Senate held its sessions at New York, in
Federal Hall" OF the present site Of the
Z. S. Treasury Building in Wall street,
beginning March 4th, 1883. The seat of
Congress was removed December 9th, l79e,
to Philadelphia, where it remained until
November 18th, 1900, when it was finally
removed to this city. On the 9th of De-
cember, 1919, the Senate entered its old
Chamber in the present capitol, since
made famous as the scene of mighty inte,-
lectual combats. During its foriyyears of
Senatorial occupancy, its walls echoed the
tones of the greatest of American states
men. Its Chair was occupied seven years
by Calhoun and four by Van Buren,, and
afterwards by R. NJ. johnson, Dallas, Fill
more and B~reckinridge. Henry Clay
was fourteen years on its floor, Calhoun
fifteen, Webster nineteen, and Benton
thirty while among their eompatriots for
shorter terms were Rufus King, Lowndes,
Pinkney, Randolph and Livingston, of the
earlier days, and Silas Wright, Buchanan,
Preston, Ewing, Cass, Choate and Corwin
of later times. The new hall was entered
January 4th, 1859, and for nearly two
years was occupied by Senators from
every State in the Union. There were
johnson and Davis, Seward and Slidell.
Hale and Hunter, Douglas and Critten-
den, Collamer and Toombs. Since 1861
the places of Senators from the seeded
states have been vacant, there being al
present but fifty members.
The Senate chamber is in the center of
the north wing of the capitol. 1t is a rec
tangular room, ll2 feet long, 50 feet wide
and 80 feet high. Around the entire hall
are galleries with seats for a thousand
persons, and under the galleries-which
are reached by magnificent marble stair
cases from the corridors surrounding the
hall-are tn. splendid lobby-rooms of the
Senate. On the North arethe Presidents, /
the Vice Presidents, reception. retir-
ing and other ante-rooms-all magnificent
apartments. The ceiling of the hall is
made of cast iron with stained glass sky
lights, and is richly ornamented. The
entire chamber is fitted up in a style of
great architectural beauty, and is quite rs
gorgeous as consistent with Republican
The chair of the presiding officer is
the middle of the north wall and
just in front are the desks of the Secretary
and clerks. The seats of Senators r ar
ranged IN a semi-circle. There are
seventy in all, eighteen in the inner row.
twenty-four IN the middle, and twenty
eight in the outer, each SO placed that its
occupant faces the Presidents chair.
The President of the Senate is Hon.
La Fayette S. Foster, of Connecticut. who
IS also Vice President, pro ten1Dore. Of the
United States. After graduating from
Brown University, MI. Foster studied
and practlsed law, served often in the
Legislature-three terms as Speaker of the
House, was Mayor of Norwich, and be-
came a Senator in 1855, at the age of
forty-nine. Though now almost sixty, he
looks adozen years younger. He is about
medium height, slim and erect, has a rood
-orm and face, a clear aye, light hair and
hort full beard; wears a neat, grew suit
ana has the air of a quiet, cultivated gen
gleman. With fine address, a thorough
egal education and extensive practice.
.ong experience in legislation and as a
presiding officer, he ranks among the
lawyers, most candid thinkers
best parliamentarians in Congress.
de Is naturally conservative, has been
Moderate in politics, but now votes with
he majority against the Presidents policy.
Generally, l think, the Senator first no.
iced by a stranger, and who almost strikes
me at q glance as THE SENATOR,
5 Charles Sumner. He sits in tn,
utter circle on the left of the
hair, in the fifth seat from the main
isle, and is always at his desk. He is of
more than ordinary height, slightly stoop-
ng, with the corpulence healthy cheeks
nd small side whiskers of an English
Gentleman, whom he also resembles in
expression and courtly demeanor.
lis head is large and covered with long.
urling hair, whose handsome auburn is
lost in iron-gray, and whose heavy
oeks ;~overhsng his forehead, and cover
luch of it from view. He has an excellent {
ye, wears glasses when reading, which {
hang at his vest; his broad, open t
0untenance shows a buoyant spirit and
email fellowship, yet is written all over l
18th study and thought. He dresses plain e
!, and moves about with an air of unwa- a
ering purpose and conscious strength. d
.e looks highly intellectual, and is evil Il
emily a man of independent ideas, of n
fly dignity and noble character. He f
'eaks earnestly, and his remarkably deep d
ned, sonorous voice, faultless e~locution C
I'd impressive manner, make him as IN e
vailed in oratory as he is conceded to be il
learning and culture. He was born in "
0ston, and is ffty-fve years old. With
ople fortune and the purest social inlu- n
ce in early life, his splendid opportuni- Il
s were improved to the utmost. He 81
aduated from Harvard at nineteen, and n
rs afterwards the favorite pupil and friend 70
Judge Story. A successful lawyer fr
still young, he became distin- in
ished as an editor, reporter, lecturer and
thor. After extensive foreign travel to
d winning the brightest laurels of pro- BY
sional and literary fame at home, he OF
tered, in ls45, upon his brilliant career
a popular orator and reform advocate. m
1850, at the age OF 80, he succeeded pr
:. Webster in the Senate, where his til
lolarship, eloquence and virtue have or
him a name which is honored alike
two hemispheres. m
Another man of mark, as well in person iii
reputation, is Reverdy johnson, of of
who sits in front at the right of
chair. He is short and thick, his hair tn
! side whiskers are white, face 10.
lad and convex, nose promi-
and mouth drawn down
the corners with a lock of Websterian
Though his seventy years are, ad
'wn by furrowed cheeks and deliberate
his eye and voice and language in Se
ate the vigor of maturity. He was born
/ educated at Annapolis, but removed
in 1917, where he has prac-
ID law for half a century without inter IN
He was for several years q Judi A
reporter and state legislator, and en- =
ed the Senate in ls45. In 1919 he be- 81
ne Attorney General, but resigned on das
" a -