The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-19
WAS HE DRUNK ?


There is all this time different stamp OF man
living back with frebrand in his hand--a man
who might propose more prepos5erous resolu-
ton than Mullins could conceive, and who c0ulo
vet get respectful, attention to it from mean aud
parasite order Of hansn nature. This man had
made ready the Implements OF mntiny, papers
prepared 10 inject into the proceedings, per.
sonal motive 70 buck them, and an audacity which
snone the more lurid and vehement as the period
of positive ANARCHY might approach. scarcely
need name the man to whom this description
answerE-the raven OF riot. the owl OF omen
whose career has been. in all It's human heroisms-
n failure--ip itr cunning and mercllessness re-
sembling en- emiae3ry of the enemy OF man.
The State OF Georgia was called. BENJAMIN r
Butler arose with paper in his hand, deiloerate:
as one expected ind felt by the lurking mscniei
in bis eye that was TO begin part well conned-
II 9 voice was ft.l Of assumed ca!mness. HIS lace
wss pale not !. benignant line IN II from crown
to chin. | wondered at the exceeolng ana rs we
palIor of it, contt9Iy TO the general rule OF ms
comeIexion, end j. had no difficulty soon after
ward IN sscribiqg .the same partly to the spirit
which bided In toe man, and psruy tn the WINE
feeitug of f5ordinasion to this mans evil
cenius determia9d the complexio OF the House.
| The Senate rel ICED TO consider his objections,
| the House sustB,ts his points
Now, for the frat time, some Of as began to feel
| that mischief vss abroad. sagacious Official
| of Congress tursad TO me and said:
O. There is me sng in this"
alt is B,nesF great movement to seize the
House and LEAD It. He has the devil IN nm
| The war upon GgRnt has begun"
The Senate W.T. gone long time. nervous
| ness seized the spectators. Whispers ran round
| broken with las:hter without heartiness. He.
the architect @ this fear, sat while in dramatic
satisfaction. 1ptp, to highten his importance,
| he ran bA4ehea tsd over TO the Senate. IL seemed
1 lobg, long tiTrs Grant and Colfsx, the elected
of the people, sere not yet so declared, and It
| was vergihg uSa,a twilight. The ladies, hungry
with waiting. 6SAwed also the growing psnic Of
| the hour. Mr., Mathews and Mr. Dent, with
| those who hasft.Dme 10 enjoy the celebration Of
| their blood kim 1850 and lett the House.
t.Y THE RIOT.
Atlsst EutIe% Fwiid-hsired, returned and took
his seat. Che camp of feet passed the door. The
| senate was ans0,nced. Mr.. Wade climbed 10 the
chair The sessiors seated themselves. In an
| ofhand. iIforFSS way, Wade said
''The Senate sias considered the objections OF
! the qensleman.from Massachusetts, and decide
that the vote essgsorgs shall be counted !"
"AnS becaSSA your pardon. the House of Re-
personalities Tss decided that it shall not be
! counted ~ .,
roar of usassy laughter, g bit of local sp-
plause and a sstses of cries introduced the tumult.
| In MOMENT - place was O Bediam with revo-
| LUTON beneatlIa he character u Butler as a
| leader and lovsgso Of revolt was now most hdeously
| apparent. Wiaisimulsted excitement. In affected
| tremble OF the.Aps. nervous gestures, personal
| appeais 20 wesS ST nerves near by, aud the gen
| ersI manner Oi volunteer fireman IN the days
gone past, Appealing for riot, he kept on, despite
i
| horrifed and Wpndering look OF two Thousand Ia
dies, genilemsSsand foreign diplOmatists. IL was
| a French revc Htonary scene 10 It's lawlessness.
and probably she most disgraceful episode ever
| marked in tfx history of an American Legisls-
. ture. In q se'r.e. the House was exercising the
rite of hospitality 70 the Senate; but Butter
gorged with tlspernicious hospitality OF MA pri-
! vate house thsa night before, made light Of his
hostshp aow. SS1is evil. twinklng eye was leer-
ing glsr1g eif6tring Ut the Senate. Partly, per-
hsps thst elder hate Of the Senate for dissppoint
| ing him on impsachment: partly the deslre to be
| large and onsa,cuous anywhere; chiefly the wish
! | 10 usurp the leadership of the House, and With
; | some IlsrplOt scunning belief that the present
I, | noht be th euspicious iime-those were the IN
stincts OF nature syerHe to order and ever ready
| for turbuIencessud insolence.
|, People whispered, :" Is he drunk~
An under word went round the House Of
MAJ leaned toward me, standing on the floor
: | near the speaker, and said:
. {" His party kept up all right. The guests stayed
y | TIL daylight This morning they had n champagne
= breakfast. He is drunk and 50 are several around
! | him"
Indeed Il eeemed so. Ingersoll, OF Illinois. with
!, flushed face livd purple in It's color. was snap
= ping his thumbs at the presidest, lighting ms ire
= | 81 BuIler's torch, swayng IN his place, calling
aloud in inebfiste iterations. Bis place was close
= by Butler, right under the influence Of the raging
,, | dog-star; aud Horace Maynard, John Coyode, a
/, | dozen others kept the air full Of yels OF mo.
a | no,- aud sirnllar intimidatons Of SIR. Wade and
the Senate. The people put IN the frightened
:. shiver o. doubtful laugh now and then Farms
!. | worth drew near his colleague lDgersoL, and en-.
!. treated him TO be decent. lnserson took counsel
= !, OF Butler's eye, and refused, crying;
= "MI. Presidentl shall my colleague be saying
q AZ this iuneture the Congress OF the United
= States showed the frequent faces OF little, dema-
y | gogueltd men, seen peertng up at Butler IN fear
| and faith together--such faces cried to Plate
= Away with him and the House Of Repre-
sentatiyes went down in the estimation OF history
"a and the people farther than ever before IN IL
:. history.
~ fine, manly be sring had the effect OF manhood on
y goose HOcf. Wade ruled him down. but on thu
shoulders OF Banks sppariton, recovered his owl
s Banks nay be in the field,v said grave member
70 near by le is the best presiding officer in Anne
Y rics" stood on the hoor all this while, between
- the two pTisidiug officers and the House. and
q shared 10 SOME part the excitement, though feel
:. ing nope The stigma the popular body was earn
:, ing for ITSELF saw Colfax sitting beneath Wade
3 reading pepper Gctitiously, with his teeth Ia hi
- lips, paitDg his foot, distress and anger togethe
a | upon him, Ike the look OF man troubled by
10 virago. Now no whispered stealthfy TO Wade
~ | now accepted some suggestion from Sch6nck
~ Mcpherson. Dr.. MehsGey or stray clerk. FINALLY
"a he aross, with positive face and strack the deal
~ with the gsVel 10 that key and measure that tn
q, | House understood. 1t was delicate place fOF
"a | him, being the vice president Ia abeSsrce; bu
~ anarchy seemed impending, and he took the re
sponsibiity.
+. RE sesseant-at-arms win arrest members VIII
| refuse 20 obey the president. "
IngersOl continued TO cry. Butler sneerngil
cried to the Senate 70 retire and welcome.
lookeclfor moment Ikea deliberate attempt to re
! VolutinnZe the republic, stand between the peopa
and Gen. Grent, and insuguEaie huge nationa
10 | caroufal.
We OrdWay, TIE sergeant, conmonlooking pei
al. ! sou. Weat up 10 Ingersol and whispered in hi
Sc | ear. IDgerso refused 70 be silent. People o
ne | timid nerve began 20 quit the House. Ben Wad
Of | showed logged obtusenesa, bat Colfax was
"a bis ear The architect Of this revolt sank 10 hi
~ | seat. Grant ana Colfsx were declared electe
Of amidst painful silence, and the people felt tha
70. America had been dshonored by the America
~ | House OF Representatives.
ia viii dwell no further on this subject. Tn
scene will never be forgotten by those who wi
| messed it. u the actor OF il ever RECEIVERS Oh
No confidence Of any great part Of our people, the
MI | 10 danger ever present amongst "a.
lie -
ed | Drx aVD TIP CsRrNRT