The Portland daily press., 1867-03-07
THE PR ESS.
Thursday Morning, March Z, 1867.
Letter from the Natio nal Capital.
Correspondence of the Press.l
WASHINGTON, March 4, 1867.
EXIT THIRTY NINTH CONGRESS-.

Letter from the Natio nal Capital.
Correspondence of the Press,l
WASHINGTON, March 4, 1867.
EXIT THIRTY NINTH CONGRESS-.
No one of the thousands assembled WITHIN
the American Capitol to-day, will forge' .no
magnificent spectacle it has presence
better proof of the deep seated regard '",s sio"'
body of men had upon the people couiu nave
been presented, than of the throhsins speo'"
tors and the thronged halls, whch were hter-
allv hacked on the floor in lobby and corridor
and to the utmost extent of the great galleries.
There has been continuous session since
eleven on Saturday morning. At eight o'clock
Sunday recess was taken till seven in the
evening. / have witnessed several night SEES
sions but not one so decorous as this. When
the last call was made at the early dawn, there
were ITO men present to answer to their names,
and all seemed alert and anxious to proceed
with business.
Last night the session lasted till one, and
commenced again at nine a. IN. When it be-
gan two-thirds of the seats were occupied, ana
before ten, the galleries were crammed
Going to the House, near the Capitol gates
fingered for few moments a group OF mem
bers, which included Ashley, Boutwell,, Butter,
bingham and several other radicals. Az sn"'
moment passing close carriage was hai'eu W
crossing vehicle and the occupant iooAeu
from the door. 1t was passlona'e' "orh'
SCARED, powerful visage, scanned all over with
strife. turmoil ambition and disappointment
1t was quickly withdrawn as the eyes fell on
the group have mentioned, but not before
recognition; and keen eyes had noted the ex-
preston. 1t was that of an anguish-wrung man,
bafied in the great game, but ready, if he only
saw the way, to risk all again on another
throw. The hunted beast at bay, might be a
fair figure to express the look. The carriage
whirled onward, and the face of Andrew
johnson disappeared. He was on his way to
the Chamber wherein the President usually
remains during the closing hours of Congress.
One wondered if he would not much rather
have signed an order to drive them out, than
to complete the full round of their august pow
er. s .aHa1
shall not attempt to describe the scenes,
events and incidents which were crowded I'm
too rapidly for pencil pen to tell them.
The announcement that the wool tariff had
passed made by the Speaker,was greeted by APP
plause from Western men. This act it is be-
ieved by many will close all attempts at OBJ
tanning more of protective tariff than now ex-
lists.
The Bankrupt Bill and the Army Appro-
priation, it was also stated had been signed In
the latter a last kick was administered by An
dy against the expiring giant who had SO far
thwarted him. This appropriation bill con-
tanned two obnoxious provisions-one fixing
the Headquarters ofGeneral Grant at this place
and rendering the President incompetent TO
order him elsewhere without consent of the
Senate, and the other disbanding the rebel mil
tia organizations of the South. Mr.. johnson
signed the bill under protest, which however
was not read until the 10th Congress was in
session, a last but impotent piece of malice
The inevitable is resisted till the last The
pluck of Mr.. johnson is worthy better
cause.
About eleven, on motion of Mr., Stevens, a
permitted invasion of the House floor was
made. The ladies poured in several hundred
strong and made the sombre coated legislative
gentlemen brilliant by their gay contrasting |
raiment. |
AT twelve, (some handy wight having put |
the clock back, the Thirty-ninth Congress gain
ed ten minutes of surreptitious life) the Speak
|
was made. The fluent and full tones Of the
orator lent force to the graceful words and as
he closed, heartiest applause greeted the most
universally popular gentleman who has ever
occupied his higlrposition.
House of Representatives of the Thirty |
ninth Congress thus terminated its existence. |
Fifty it closed with the cheer and hope, the |
plaudits and the gratitude of thousands. l
should like to photograph the scene, but my
pencil cannot and the sunlight is not at my |
command. 1t was great body, full of heroic /
impulses and with history crowded with
deeds of high emprize.
NEW LIFE.
The ancient rites of regal succession. pro-
scribe the formula The dying eyes of the de-
parted monarch do scarcely cease to culver, ere
from palace steps to market place brays forth
the pursuivant's trumpet and the Heralds pro-
claim 1.-THE King is dead; long live the King"
The last lingering cadence of the speakers |
words have hardly died away, and the cheers |
with which they were greeted still echoed |
through the great Hall when an alert figure |
stepped forward, and announced that by au-
thority of law the clerk of the House of the |
Thirty ninth Congress called the House of |
Representatives in the Fortieth Congress to /
order. ..t.....
"rhe King is dead; long live the King"
l shall tell but briefly of the following
two hours and half. The telegraph has
brought you the outlines. As Mcpherson read
thr roll, well known names created a sensa-
ton. Buffers was greeted with applause; as |
also was Logans When Morssey's name was
no 1
faro banker sat on the Democratic side near
the lobby door, He looked well-that must be
confessed, was handsomely attired, and ex-
cept for q redeemed visage and slight air of
feeling himself stared at, looked no more nm /
comfortable than the majority. Wood ex-
cited some notice. Brooks took the lead of |
the Democracy, and as you know commenced
their game by protest against further pro-
ceedings.
Kelley gave him good shot when he asked
in reply to a statement OF Brooks that Con-
gress has never been so convened, by asking
il the time he mentioned was in the age Of tel
egraphs and railroads. Dawes of Massachus-
etts, further confessed him by reminder that |
Pierce had called an extra session at three |
days notice, and Wilson of Iowa in a brief re-
ply knocked the argument to pieces by re- |
minding Brooks that this Congress was con-
vened according 30 law and he was recognize
ing the fact by appearing in his seat.
The election ola Speaker proceeded and re-
suited as known. When Marshall was nomi-
mated by the Democrats il was asked where
he was from, so utterly non-entity was he
The vote was very full, only four absentees,
and was more than four times greater than the
opposition.
The only marring of the perfect harmony
which had hitherto accompanied was in the
bad taste of Mr.. CoIfax a. he assumed his seat
reading from prepared Mss. his speech of ac- |
eeptance. 1t was inexcusabe i'm a man of such |
fine tact as is the Speaker .4!.
But must close. The whole scene was |
grand and terminated iittingly, as it opened |
also.-the two greatest Legislative bodies of |
this century.
C.. p. Kimball has been rejected for Survey |
or of your port 1t is understood that Mr.. Nc |
Culloch will nominate Oliver b. Dorrance, ESQ, |
now an appraiser in the Boston Custom House. |
An attempt to use the Kittery Navy Yard |
against your member has been killed by an |
adroit movement. The positions of naval
storekeeper and chief engineer were declared
Presidential appointments. The nominees
there to have been rejected by the Senate.
SPECTATOR.