Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-02-16
!. A Night "soenep in the Senate.

A Night "Soenep in the Senate. :;
The Senate remained in session all night
on Monday night, discussing the proposed
amendment, and up tp 10 o'clock Tuesday
morning. The following is q "scene" de.
scribed: -
y Mr.. Norton replied at length to the argu-
ments used by Mr.. Sumner the other day.
and continually addressed himself to that
Senator, who sat fast asleep in his arm chair.
At O'Clock MIR. Norton was still on the Hoor,
and the snoring of Mr. Morgan, who lay ON
q chair proped up against the wall, produced
a not inharmonious accompaniment to the
voice OF the speaker.
Senators generally lay scattered at full
length on the sofas, and Mr.. Stewart, still at
his post, had succumbed to sleep, and, with
placid expression on his features, reclined at
his ease, his feet on his desk, totally uncon-
scious Of the blows Mr.. Norton was dealing
at his bnntling
Finally, as Mr.. Norton progressed in his
argument, the snoring of Mr.. Morgan .gradu-
ally assumed dissenting tone and increased
so much in volume that it became necessary
for one of the messengers to call the New
York Senator back from the land of dreams.
At 5.45 a. M, Mr.. n. advanced toward
Mr.. Stewart and Numbered in his ear that he
thought it would be fair for the Senator who
had the measure in charge to wake up;
whereat Mr. S. reused himself with start
from his peaceful slumber.
At 6 o'clock Mr.. N. concluded his remarks.
After speech by Mr.. Wilson, the Sleep
ing Senators were awakened, and the amend
ment of Mr.. Williams was rejected-yeas 3 !;
nays So.
Here is another little "scene:"
Mr.. Dooittle undertook to say that every
decision of the Supreme Court, aud every
writer on the subject, had invariably main
tanned the sovereignty of the States.
The conversation among the Senators,
which had continued without interruption
during the whole evening, became at this
so loud that MIR. Doolittle refused to pro-
coed until the Chair enforced order. '
Mr.. d. would tell the Senator from Indi-
ana that his doctrine of Capitalization was
lust as dangerous as that of secession.
Mr.. Doolittle in the course Of his remarks
referred to the reconstruction acts OF Con-
gress aud expressed the opinion that had
Chief Justice Chase joined with the rest of
the Supreme Court, and decided those acts
unconstitutional, he would have been noni-
mated at New York and more than that, would
have been elected but he he hestated, and
suffered Congress to steal his jurisdiction from
him.
Mr. Drake was one Senator who denied the
right of the Supreme Court or of any other
tribunal to declare an act of Congress uncon-
stitutional No power could revise their acts
"a body containing 800 men, many of them
picked men and illustrious, and many Of them
much better lawyers than any who sit on the
bench of the Supreme Court.
Mr. Whyte would ask the Senator whether
if the lcgal-tender act, the consttutionaity
of which was now pending in the Supreme
Court was declared to be uuconstitual whether
that decision should be respected
Mr.. Drake. Not at all, sir. Not for
minute and Congress would have to come
to his position or else it would have to sweep
among the men who assume to override its
decisions.
Mr.. Patterson, of New Hampshire, asked
Mr.. Drake to yield for motion to adjourn.
Mr. Drake said he was waiting for that
cock to crow Of which the Senator from Ken
lucky spoke.
MIR: Davis. You are the game-cock of Mis-
souri,.
Mr.. Drake. No; I am only a drake
TLaughter1 But when attain to the years
of my venerable friend from Kentucky, if 1
am as game a cock as he, l can cry cock
doodle do !
Mr.. Patterson, of New Hampshire, con-
trasted the manner in which the trainers of
the Constitution debated the various PROPOSE
sitions before them with the spirit in which
this proposition, which was equally as impor-
tant as any before them, was now debated =
They were not doing themselves any good be-
fore the country by the exhibition which they
were making, and the best thing they could
do was to go home.