The Portland daily press., 1869-02-12

--.o.E w ASHINGTON, req. y, 1867
To the Editor Of the Press; sAta9a 1881 sn94
90" A9q "A MIGHT SESSION. 5sGiaq Ti9Giod
Our sConscript Fathers INDUCED last
might in the luxury of continued session, the
major portion of which was occupied by a very
spirited debate. 70 The pending constitutional
amendment was the question: se,rt s,sg ,.-l
4 In the afternoon Frelnghuysen of New
Jersey spoke with considerable force, but after
all he is but a @9rhetor" asI the late Count Ga.
rowski, would say. Early in the evening the
inevitable Garrett Davis got the floor ana
droned away for nearly two hours If the
Kentuckian would only make short speeches
and continue to do that when interlooutory
debate was possible, he would, on the whole,
be one of the most attractive speakers in the
chamber. He is as pugnacious as the proverb-
ial man who, carrying chip on his shoulder,
wants some one to knock it off, and Is always
ready for a Legislative mill" But then, when
he gets the sluices alfopen, woe betide the I'M
lucky wight who has to stand under it, n-a
But it was midnight before the fun began.
The other hours were filed with theicracking
of the pop guns of debate. AT the mid hour
the heavy guns opened briskly. hssu3gAl aoa
Your correspondent found his way again to
the Capitol about that time. The great white
beauty of "a building shone resplendent
through the night. I never weary Of admir-
ing it, especially when lighted, as it then as
sumes an aerial aspect and lightness which al
most makes us regard itas unreal--one of those
rare creations of the imagination, we fear may
vanish as the baseless fabric of a vision. The
dome at night is sight once seen, never to be
forgotten a picture once looked on always to
be recalled in wondering admi. alton. 1t rests
like a beatitudel over the city's slumbering
shabbiness; breaks on the mind and dwells on
toe memory like a strain Of music that seems
to have sunk down in perfect harmony
from the spheres, and in the wendrous beat of
It's rhythmic march, caught and lifted the hui
man soul up to its own high level, If. as Mad
anne de Stael asserts isarchiteeture is frozen
music. what fair anthem was it that awoke
in the artists soul in, which this w.-ite glory
was conceived and wrought here-hung as it
were between the heavens2 oi17s
There IS another picture, too, that always
accompanies memory of the capitol at night.
1t is of those radiant. brilliant flags, in whose !
=, 'o~ing tfi,eolors, all the white glow of the
"su' sns. streams up through the glass roofs
oset ,wnicn they float, has been caught and
'rahsnxea untll they seem to have become
sen''ep.' pying' breathing things Of beauty
sure TO De JOY forever" In sober words II
is difficult to describe any thing more attract.
i've than the flags tellingot the presence of al.
Their or both Houses in their respective cham
bers assembled. There is a double roof ~
glass, or rather an outer one, and an emblazon.
ed ceiling which roofs the chambers in. They
are lighted through this, by, rows of gas lets
So atnight the light streams up and into the
Dir, and as1 have said catches the flag that
aoats above and transfgures it. ~. ~.
But must hasten on, Senator Howard of
Michigan was speaking to his amendment
He objects to the one presented by the House,
Y in effect granting dangerous power to Con- |
gress and States, to limit and make restrie-, |