Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-29

The Congressional Tourists su Mem
phfs-"PincI Vs. PiekeriuS''-A FL
aseO.
The Congressional party which passed
through this city Oh Monday reached
Memphis al seven o'clock, and after a few
hours fsasling went on their way rejoicing
to New Orleans We conclude from the
accounts in our Memphis exchanges that
there was a mus in regard to their recep-
ton, occasioned by rivalry among the no
tells. The Gayoso or Pickering party car
ried off the Donors, having lunched and
lodged the party on Tuesday night, and
bsnqueted them on Wednesday at 2
O'Clock The Bulletin thus describes the
affair
The Congressional excursionists, who are
now on a visit 10 the South, arrived in the
city last evening, and took up their quar-
tiers at the Gayoso House. There has been
a good deal of rivalry between the proprie-
tors Of the GayosO and Oyerton, as to who
would haVesthe glorious pleasure Of feed
ing and lodging the excursionists When
il was first learned that the Congressman
would visit Memphis, Mr.. R. G. Brinkley
made arrangements with the proprietor of
the Gayoso TO furnish accommodations for
the entire party. The Board of Aid 9rmen
next entered the field and appointed a COM
mittee, made arrangements for grand BAN
uuet at the OvertOn Hotel, and selected
several subcommittee 10 carry out the
necessary arrangements. Under such cir
cumstanees the question naturally arose,
What was 10 be done with the guests, and
which Of the houses should be selected for
their headquarters Both hotels had thsir
friends, and a war of words was the result.
At last a compromise was arranged, the
visitors were TO take up their residence at
the Gayoso, and banquet at the Overton.
There have been some curious incidents
connected with this visitation Of law
makers. That readers abroad may under
stand how properly inequalities of Mem
phis are extended 10 distinguished visitors,
il may be well to state that there is a deal
Of jealousy between Pinch and Pickering, |
North and South Memphis. This feeling |
is centralized about the two magnificent |
hotels, the Gayoso and OYerton. A citi- |
zen, distinguished for his muniicence in |
all tasks designed for the promotion of |
public good, dreming it proper that repre- |
sentatives Of Federal power, in an ext |
gency like this, when the impoverished |
South so much needs kindness and liber-
atty, should be welcomed and hospita bly, |
entertained - this gentleman engaged |
apartments and ordered an entertainment |
at his own cost. This festival was to occur
at the Gayoso. When the news went |
abroad, and denizens and Aldermen repre-
senting North Memphis learned these |
startling facts, there was a movement in
augurated TO have the illustrious visitors |
Hotel. Then the war began in earnest. |
Some Henry Clay came into the arena of |
strife. A compromise was proposed and |
accepted. The city government agreed to
discharge duties assumed by the private |
citizen, and it was arranged that the |
mighty men Of words and patent nostrums /
for political diseases should be doubly |
feted. Dinner and champagne was to be |
served, first, at the Gayoso, and then |
speeches, champagne and coffee, at later
hour, at the Overton Things moved on
swimmingly till the train came. Then
Alderman Smith, the eloquent member
the seventh ward, took charge Of the
mighty dignitaries, and had them hauled
off to the Gayoso.
In the meantime there was a crowd
gathered at the OyertOn. There was I'M
overwhelmingly see the Congressman.
Some people supposed that Thad. Stevens
was of the party. People here would give
more to behold his face and hear him talk,
than to enter the opera house when the
Hanlons play the part Of CREASED lightning
As the crowd grew the excitement became
intense. All the Fenians in Pinch were
about the Overton. "An'
where is Thad., to be shure ~ "An' yes
haven't let Cockrell stale him ?" "Whar's
them Radikils" and an infinite varietJ of
other EXPLANATIONS made the air and hea-
vens resonant with demands for the appa.
rition ofCongressional majesty. Mr.. Wad-
dell did not think that the affair had been
managed In this his auditors
concurred. Col John Donovan rose above
the troubled sea Of human heads like a
Neptune above the pillows. With the
lungs of Stentor be expectorated a volume
of sound that awakened the echoes from
Chelsea to the Mounds. There was diff
ference between this speech and others |
to il in noise-it was sensible
TO the last. He proposed that everybody |
should cool of by heating their internal
organs. The process was effected with an |
ease and ingenuity that was marvellous
Instead Of Thad. Stevens, the crowd took |
chained lightning, and to the hour "Of 60
ing to press" nobJdy, in all the domains of
Pinch, has discovered the difference.
When last heard from the distinguished |
visitors had been trotted through all the /
forms of courtly etiquette by Alderman
Smith and others at the Gsyoso. Weary, |
burdened with proper concep- |
tions of the moral and political condition
of the South, which they gather on railway |
trains and derive from admirably managed |
aldermanic entertainments, the Congress
men slept, radically, profoundly.