The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-14
THE CLOSE OF CONGRESS.
EXCITING SCENES AMONG THE MODEL LEGIs
LATORS.

EXCITING SCENES AMONG THE MODEL LEa1s
LATORS.
Fierce Talk Between Eutler Logan
and Schemck.
The Washington correspondent of the New
York Herald, describing the lass hours OF the
Forty-frst Congress on Saturday morning,
says:
The closing scenes in the House we're botl,
exciting and ludlcrous. After midnight, when
the galleries began to thin out. members throw
aside the little restraint and reserve which the
presence of persons in the galleries seems to
impose. Their conduct was; if possible, less
dienified, and their general bearing and de-
meanor seemed to say, "Well, we are alone
now, and we will do just as we please" BY one
O'Clock, everybody had left except a few 4,egroes
clock and q man scattered here and there, bs-
sides few reporters who seemed datermine
to see the thing out. It was noticeable about
this time, that many members were absent
from their seats sometimes it was difficult
when the House was dividing toget quorum.
The explanation was to be found IN The fact
that up in the law library Of the House Sam
Ward, Buffers Bismarck, Jr.," of fimpeach-
ment notoriety, had set out an elegant lunch
with plenty OF champagne to wash il down, to
which he invlteh all the members. without dis
tlnctlon Of party. Just back OF the lobby ls the
room of the Sergeant-at-arms, Colonel Ordway.
Here, too. waS a lunch, s.riotly temperance,
though; only coffee to be had III the way Of
beverages. 1t was of o more public natur Q
than Sam Wards, for Ordway's invitation ex-
tended to all the members and employees of
the House, even down to the little pages.
hall, and that Of Sam Ward at the other,
MIR. Speaker Blaine was forced to order
"tellers, @ on On every demand for dlv,-
the hall Of the House resembled o huge smok-
ing room; nearly everybody had a cigar in his
mouth and was pusiug away vigorously, as if
Legislative inspiration and wisdom was to be
gathered from the weed. Some members were
sitting with their feet upon the desks; others
walked nervously around the hall. casting
sharp gances towards the speakers desk, no v
and again, as il watching when tho little
st, bli would would De reached On the speakers table,
sofas and went to sleep. One bill after after
another was taken up and disposed Of. But
few measures got through without resistance.
The Democrats. maddened by the success OF
themajority in ousting their poll tlcal colleagues
and ch.grlned at the passage Of the Virginia,
Mississippi and Texae Reconstruction bill with
the hated Morton amendment to it, were in no
humor to facilitate the passage Of other meas
Motions for q recess. followed by demands for
division, tellers and the yeas and nays, were
OF frequent occurrence. SO often was the roll
called That both the regular reading clerks be-
"
recruits. When Schenck arose to make his
report from the Conference Committee on the
Supplementary Wh,skey and Tobacco Tax bill
the members were generally IN their seats; the
respective luDches OF Sam. Ward and Colonel
Ordway had gwen out; members who had laid
down early III the evening to take n nap woke
up and resumed their cigars; everything as
sumed an cir Of business, and there was
manifest intention to do some work, though it
Was then close on to three O'Clock in the morn
ing, Schenck proceeded to explain and ;dvo-
cate the committees report and man.
festly anticipated but little opposition.
He Was suddenly set upon, however. by
Generals Logan and Butler, whaaleot only
sinuated rather broadly that the SfgM V0mnis.
sioner Of Internal Revenue, the Conference
Committee and the chairman Of the Ways and
aeans Committee himself, were not above sus-
picon nor by any means as honest as they
should be. This aroused Schencks slugg sh
Dutch blood, and rising, with his fists clenched
and his square jaws set like those of a bull
dog, he commenced in o sarcastic vein to por-
tlay the immaculate honesty OF his assai1ants.
Towards the close of his speech he lost his
temper o little and became somewhat personal
in his remarks. speaking of some men who ad-
ded cowardice to falsehood." General Logan
was sitting few feet behind schenok with his
feet upon the desk, half asleep. Sohenck's
sharp tones awakene 4 him--and jumping hast
lily to his feet, he exclaimed: 's want to know
if the gentleman from OHIO .alludes to. me-,
hooa2" schenck, at the beginning of
his speech, had given notice that he did not
want to be interrupted, but the defiant tone of
Logan's lnterrogatory brought schenck to q
tine to allow Logan to get his question in, he
answered, mo, s.r, I do not" General But
ler was smoking cigar and hobnobbing with
his former brethren on the Democratic side of
hun.or. cried out, ''Rutler. he means you.''
Butler turned suddenly and walked at rapid
stride towards his own seat on the Republican
side of the House. He reached it just in time
to start off again on the rampage. He was
less direct than Logan, who went to the chair
man Of the Ways AID Means IN true soldlerllke
style. Instead of saving t.Does the gentle
cowardice aud falsehood 2" he merely said,
in q good humored way, docs the gentleman
not know that the Pharisee once said: Il thank
God that 1 am not as other men?'" Had Butler
would, 1T is said. have been told, "Thou art
the man." AS it was, Schenck retorted upon
him more iercely than ever, and added the
word hypocrisy to the words "cowardice and
falsehood." Butler made no response, but
went away smoking his cigar as complacently
as If nothing had happened. asif no lnsuit had
been put upon him. This served to encourage
Sohenck, and he went on talking. as everybody
knew, at Butler in the most cutting style.
At twenty-five minutes past three, when the
members we're literally worn out with the
labors and excitement OF the day, the House
took recess until ten O'Clock this morning.
At that hour there was nothing like quorum
III the hall, and those who were present gave
marked tokens of having been out late the pre-
vlous night Some. it was thought. showed
signs of having been more than once at Sam.
Wards lunch room. The whole crowd looked
rather .'hard," and evidently not In the best OF
hnmor. Many OF them had their c,rpet-baga
on their desks, 80 as 10 be ready to leave on
the no0a train for their homes. 1t was an uu-
fortunate time for offioe-seeklng constituents
to ask members to ''sign" for them, and man
= poor fellow Of this class going up
to his member. whom he hai lett il
good temper the day before, was searRully
snubbed with the reply, Il have been u, all
night and am in no hnmor to look after your
case now" rhesnajority were in as little hu-
NOR for Legislative business as they were for
signing petlons TOR ace-seekers, Fortunately.
all tho lm portaut business had been transact.
ed the night before. Iha galleries wsTs as
crowded as 1t At was the opening instead Of the
closing day Of the sesaloL. General Banks
Cuban admirers male and female, were in the
diplomatic boz. just where they sat last nlght,
ar Tit seemed az. II they had not stirred from
tnat spct through the long night. The bril-
liant black eyes Of the ladies'. Who seemed more
enthusiast. 9 thar the men IN this busine- 9,
were ike upon Banks, and every movement
of his seemed OF INT lest o hem. Z asy we,
..nt 1n.,k tn ~.