The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1867-01-17

z Washington cOrssspea-ot Boss~ Rossl
Three consregsioI III Pen fictures.
III % s1BvEss.
! You that con Me sins ing sentences a
Stevens speeches at distance from thu
lscene of their delivery have an idea. I
suppose. that when the Radical chief
"opens his mouth no Congressional dog
IS permitted TO bark. and that the affi-
tude OF the floor is one 0. profound
gravity and attention No fancy more
erroneons Stevens lis The i rosiest.
most insuppoytahle speaker on his side
of the temple. Not agreeable to con-
template, because the wan, de.orrn ed I
frame bends forward and back. as if in
quest Of a@fosE equilibrium. The voice
Is even more indicative or weakness and
inGrlnity than the tremors or the flesh,
and IN its hollow, alf-sInothered utter ]
ances there is scarce force enough TO
ATTAIN foE. it hearing Ut the Speakers
desk, let alone the opposite side of the
house. where they oppose Mr.. Stevens
in all things and only pretend TO keep
track ofhis speeches through .he medium
of the Globe Even on Stevens own
side of the aisle and sitting at his very
feet, the attitude. Of his fellow par,isans
is notthat of children about the foot
stool of wisdom, and even his best points
would often slip by. unnoticed.. were it
not that those seat ed in close proximity
20 old. Thad's desk, have learned the
cue which betokens the coming cynicism,
sand 50. suspend rrfor- the moment to
chuckfe and cheer in the old mans ear,
only TO. leave him with the resumption
of the smonotony OF the story Thad,
has a high appreciation of his extra
efforts in the way of oratory. and this is
the way in which he invites, during the
progress Of 3 speech, that realization in
others. The dismal theme of freedmen's
sorrows and commonplace 1anathemas
applied to their oppressors, mavhap has
progressed uneventually for q half hour
in q voice tremulous and nearly inaudi-'
bic, when Mr. Stevens pauses, as If to
bait his oratoricals Pegasus, carefully
notes the manuscript next in hand, and
then drawing down the corners Of his
mouth until the entire facial expression
is one of painful and 4ngly rigidity, the
point is given to an attentive asfditory,
called into expectancy by th e thofou ghiy
understood lnaneuver of the speaker.
4 .%Tox WsL 5s DSJsSffz efTSCos3 JcS is
- .abaaa0 al bsAsHLkYa ssr4oo 3asdsii-s
Iteis4 assiD gnlar fact, oftentimes illns-1
,trated, that those characters in daily life
which are of the highest .cahberA and
most insufficient capacity, will nearly
invariably affect the acts and declarations
that belong of right only to the deep
sig lted and strong nerved. We have
an exemplification of this in the House,
in the person of Ashley, member from
Ohio, in whose grasp is supposed to rest
the propositio on for impeacsing the Presi-t
dent, and who, under the pressure of
affairs, looks fearful and mysterious
things. Now. Ashley is nonentity in
his party, and clown among men. A
veritable Falstaff in physique. and
modern Brummell. as to pride of person.
To lead in the line of impeachment, is
an er-thought, gath cred. heaven knows
where, but which is ecstatically chung to,
because it promises notoriety to the name
Of Ashley. According to Lanman's
Dictionary of Congress, Ashley was an
adventurer at the early age of fifteen,
was boat hand on the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi, and was subsequently, discharg-
ed from u printing office. After which
he tried the study of law, only to turn
his attention at alater day, to the trade
of bodybuilding. Mr.. Ashley's diver
sity of temper soon led him to attempt
in Toledo. Ohio, the business of selling
drugs and putting up prescriptions sat
all hours of the night" How long he
would have remained constant to his i,
mortar and ,pestle, it is impossible to
say, for sympathetic public elected him
to Congress while he was yet serving
novitiate in the art of making pills. In
personnel. Ashley would be an inotfensive e.
fellow, il it were not for his inord:nate
vanity He is loosely built can, with !
tremendous shock of bushy hair, which
it is his utmost pride to keep. unkempt
and so depending over the forehead, that
it looks like a frowzy avalanche threat
ening to engulf the eyes. For the
ladies' galleries he has even more of
.ssheep's chances" than Mr., Sumner, and
his attitudes and affected playfulness, his
artless .mannerisms, that would disgrace.
q boarding scho miss, and his constant
ogling of ladies' who sit Immediately,
above him, are too old for remark among
those who do the House every day,
and haze studied Ashley in season and
out of season, but they come. patent. to
the great outside world, which is to
wonder and speculate upon what manner
q man is this, who precipitates the ques-
ton of Impeachment and demands an
inquisition. -s re- ~ =
z fsssss sRkvkRDf 1onssos,uDa hoasr ID
. Happening into the Senate this after
noon, 1 stumbled upon q little bout in
debate between Reverdy johnson and
Senator Howe, of Wisconsin The ques.
htion under consideration was the repeal
of that section Of the amnesty law Civ
ing power of pardoning rebels to the
President! There was a tolerably full
attendance OF strangers in the gallery,
2 and the occupancy of the floor by Sena-
tor johnson, raised, and his rising never
4 o,ls to do Gonna 1iffra