Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1867-01-29

AT twelve exactly the presiding officer and the
chaplain appear, neither having on any gown or
badge Of any kind, and the prayer begins. The
chapaln's prayer lie usually quite an earnest
and sometimes an ambitious performance. He :
generally alIudes to any remarkable event that
has taken place in the country; and one finds
no difhculty In gathering his sentiments with |
regard to measures before Congress. Congress,
however, will not stand long prayers. The chap
lain having ended, the list Of senators is called
by the Clerk Of the Senate, Colonel FOrney, who |
is remarkably handsome man, with clear and |
PLEASANT voice. Then petitions. private bills |
60, are named and laid on the table, until the
order Of the day is reached. The members OF
Congress are generally in their seats at noon,
and do not leave without excusing themselves,
regarding themselves as under business CON
tract for the services for which they are paid.
No member, however eminent, or under any
circumstances whatever, is applauded on enter
ing OF during the debate in either House; nor
does one ever hear "Hesr, hear" or other ex
olAmation; but senators sometimes utter aloud
. word Of approval or protest, whilst another is
addressing the Senate and this is not consider
cd disorderly until he who is speaking objects
to II. When the people In the galleries applaud,
as they sometimes do, they are always severely
reprimandod by the Speaker, and the galleries
sometimes cleared.
10 one Who has the Senate of the past in his
memory the present one seems like the repre-
sentative body Of g different country. With the
Southern secession particularly the faces which
had besn associated longest with the Senate dis
appeared. The Soutb was more than the North
| in the habit OF returning the same men. The
ever. varying Constituencies Of the North and its
rapid changes Of opinion rendered long tenures
Of Office more rare among them. 1t hardly
seems possible that this body in which one looks
il vain for the pale impassive face Of Jefferson
Davis, the bright eyes and bushy head of Mr..
siason, OF the Weather-beaten visage of Andrew
Johason, should be the Senate Of the United
States.
Amongst the few in the Senate who have an
immemoFisl association with that body is Benja-
min wade, OF Ohio. Mr.. Wade is a middle
sized nan, With uniform iron-gray look about
him, end face the general hardness Of which
is mitigated by remarkably soft aud intelligent
eye. He wes once judge of some eminenee
in Ohio, ead Was elected to the Senate for the
purpose Of political fighting. For about quar-
ter Of . century Mr.. Wade has done what be
vas sent for; he has fought all the Senatorial
gisnts,-Clsy, Webster, Calhoun, and the rest,
and uas not considered by any one au unim-
, portant antagonist For carefully watching and
mating any device for doubtful or interest
cd appropriations, he might almost be called
tha Joseph Hume Of Congress Jobbing enter.
: prisers knew that they muat steer by danger
Gus "0hio enss.' Mr.. Wade has long been the
most determined anti-slavery senator from th'
= uest; bat the prepcHderauce Of his party ii
|, the government had perhaps occasiOned som'
= decline in his powers, which had for so man!
. years been hsbituAted to the tone Of opposition
BE seemed somewhat sad whom removed from
his prison Of the minority, and made fewe
. apesehes until the recent attitude Of the Presi
: : dent enabled him to resume his armor. Il
- !, speaking, he is vigorous, humorous, and he i
- slmost pilitary in making an attack. He i
sometimes too fsBatical, ss when, in the case o
= two senators prevented by sickness from bein
II present to sustain the Presidents veto, he ear
u nestly pronounced their aiiction direct inter
Il seniion Of Heaven. He will probably be chose
Freaidspt Of the Senate at the next election, and
Il supposing Mr. johnson to be removed, woul
II thereby become pro tempore President Of th
! United States.
"a Not far from Mr.. Wade there sits another ma
- who has for a similar length of time been asst
ciAted with Congress, but who is Of very dif
!. ferent hue of politics. The hon. Reverdy Johr
~ son has subtlety, an adroitness and an i'm
!, pressivaness Of delivery almost amounting
genius. The great direction Of his life has bee
1, the lag. He at first ssrayed into politics IS
= kind Of pastme, and because ii Is the rule vii
~ all Southern gentlemen to engage at some tin
in political life, but his talents and his wondel
a. ful huency made him Invaluable TO his part
He belongs to an old, refined, and wealthy fami
"A Of Maryland; aud, though anything but han
some man, there is an air Of superiority abo
hin that at once attracts attention. One mi
almost say Of him, as De Retz Of De Bouillo
that "uith the phsiognomy Of an OF he has h
,n- perspicacity Of an eagle" His legal serVic
,ry ore sought in the most important cases, and
bic has thus acquired wealth, Few lawyers in I
Ids United States have been so successful in ell
in varieties Of practice. BE vas amember Of the {
10 whig party, but when it was dissolved and
ter larger portion OF it became the present Repub
lis eaa porty, Mr.. johnson, bsinga Southerner, c
operated 9Th the Democracy, though be decliI
&C. to be called Democrat, and regards himself
be the still surviving whig party. During the Il
use var and the events which led 20 it, Mr.. job
ted sOu's Sympathies we're With the South, but
asi- opinions with the Federal party. He then d
act- appeared from public life for few years;
rac. on the cessation Of the Rebellion he teappear
per- and hes since been the ablest supporter Of
at Presidents policy Of reconstruction. Thor
,ign an effective speaker, there is in his man
api- something that exsites distrust, AN over
Alla genuity, perhaps, ,-and he has become q lea
erto Of the minority in the Senate only beca
ell there is no one else to be its leader Sena
ms, Salisbury Of Delaware, besides being p
for speaker. is too extreme in bis pro-slavery VII
way to have influence at the present juncture;
r in the aged and garrulOus Mr.. Garret Davis
need Kentucky, can only rail at his opponents.
As No man in the Senate is observed with
de much curiosity and listened to with SO much
"a sention as the Hon. Charles Sumner Of MAJ
iish chusetts. This senator is the ct representa-
ID in Of New England, "a hard worker, man Of
tors. feet convictions, religious hater, and stu
ltch- speaker OF carefully prepared orAtions. 4