Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-12-23
Drawing for Seats in the House of Repre-
sentatives.

A Washington dispatch, of the 10th
inst, to the New York Herald says:
Drawing for seats in the House is
always attended with good deal of con-
fusion and mere or less merriment. 1t is
not usually done except at the beginning
of new Congress; but there has been
no drawing since the carpet-baggers
came in, aud many of them vera dissat-
isfied with being compelled to take
back their seats" They, together with
few old members not well located, sue
ceeded in getting a resolution through
to-ds for new dra wing for seats. The
members who had good seats, of course,
fought against the re solution to the last.
Considerable time w,,s spent In tilibus-
ter ing, and at one time the resolution
WAS actually laid on the table. The
:" carpet-baggers," no vever, went to
work among themselves, and with
the aid of the dissatisfied among
the old members, were allie to
move q reconsideration and to psss the
resolution. The first name drawn out
of the box by the little blindfolded l'sge
was Bromwell, of Illinois, who had the
choice of seats. Shake up the bt'z
more, Mcpherson r. was called to the
clerk from dozen members, who feared
some foul play. Sypher, of Louisiana,
was the second name called. With
modesty well becoming carpet bagger,
the representative of the New Orleans
District walked directly to the seat for
merly occupied by the old Thad. Stevens,
and sat himself down with an air Of
assura'nce which seemed to say: i am
the T.an to step into old Thad's shoes
1t was noised that csrpet-bsggers and
several members who are of little &C.
cou,lt in the House had their names
caD ed first, and, of course, got the choice
of the best seats. Schenck, Boutwell,,
Bi ughsm. Butler, Kelly, Wilson of Iowa,
E. B. Washburn, and other leading
N embers, were kept out in the cold until
sll the best seats were taken.
The irrepressible Mullins, of Tennes-
see, who is q character in the House,
and has heretofore occupied seat on
the first row, directly in front of the
Speaker, ran down the main aisle when
his name was called at rate of speed
remarkable for an old man. amid a roar
of laughter from all parts of the House.
When he reached his old seat and found
it still vacant he kicked mp his heels
after the manner Of q young colt, to the
infinite amusement of all present, and
then took his seal. When Dicky, of
Pennsylvania, was called he walked over
to the seat next the one formerly occu-
pied by his predecessor, old Stevens. |
The modest Sypher, to show his generos- |
ity, arose and rendered him the old msu's |
seat, which he accepted and will here
after occupy. Washburn, of Massschu- |
sets, the brother of E. B. Washburn, |
was called before z. B., and in order |
to secure the latter his old seat, occu-
pied it until Z. B. could get q
chance. By this means the Father
of the House" was enabled to get his old |
seat again, and bis generous brother got |
one Just behind him. Garfield, Of Ohio, |
took Schenck's old seat, and the "leader
of the House was forced to take back
seat Quite an amusing scene was race
between Gloosbrenner, of Pennsylvania,
and Plantz, of Ohio, for q seat formerly
occupied by Gloosbrenner. Both ef them
are fat men, and the manner in which
they tumbled over chairs and desks in
their effort to reach the seat afforded
great merriment Plsutz was the sue
cessful man. When Ben. Buffers turn
came nearly all the good seats on the
Republican side Of the House we're oseu-
pied. After surveying the feld, Butler
walked deliberately over to the Demo-
cratic side of the House and took q
seat on the same row with Brooks,
Of New York, amid general ap-
plause from the floor and gal
ieries. Some one cried out, That
is where be belongs; and another:
THAT is where be come from originally"
Hooper, Of Massachusetts,, Farnsworth,
Of Illinois, and several Radicals, were
forced to take seats on the Democrats
side, where the carpei-baggers used to
sit. Ross, Of Illinois, the author Of ths
resolution for = new deal. was among the ,
last called; but he got front seat to the |
right Of the Speaker. The utmost con-
fusion aud disorder followed the drawing ]
for seats. Members began TO move their I
napers from their old seats 10 their nev .
Snes, and though the Speaker kept his !