The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-01-27
to have any bacehanahan in the cap

to have any bacchanahan in the cap
itol.
Mr.. Ferry thought it very meet to
have q merry-making at the Inaugurae
ton, and saw no objection to the cere
monies taking placehere. The whole
building would be under the control
of the sergeants-at arms of the two
houses, who had a most efficient pol
ice under their charges.
Mr.. Summers said the question was
not whether to have a ball, but wheth-
er the ball should be held in this Cap.
itol. This resolution was essentially
bad in itself, and would set a bad
precedent. People would want to
dance at other times than the inaugu
ration, and there would be no end to
the applications that would be made
for the use of the Capitol for a dance.
Mr. Patterson, of New Hampshire,
believed it would offend the prejudi-
ces of a large portion of the American
people to give up this building to such
a purpose. He would sooner dance
in a tent.
MI. F. ssenden.- Can't get one big
enough.
Mi. Patterson.-Well, then let
them dance under the tent Of Heaven.
Mr.. Hendricks asked whether the
Capitol had ever been used for a
dance house?
Mr. Nye was sorry that the religi-
Gus prejudices of the Senator from New
Hampshire had been aroused, but
they ha' scriptural authority for
dancing. There had been dancing be-
fore the ark, dancing after. coming
out Of the Red Sea, and various other
times when dancing was permitted.
MI. Doolittle asked if there had
ever been dancing pursuits to act OF
Congress? Laughter.
Mr. Patterson, Of New Hampshire,
asked if it would not be proper TO
have an amendment. providing for q
show in connection with the other
ceremonies ; the Black Crook for in
stance.
MI. Nye.-There have been many
worse shows here than the Black
Crook
Nj. Do little ss,Sed il the Senator
did not know that a large proportion
of the people of the United States.
who owned the Capitol Us much as We
were opposed to dancing the Pre-, :
byterians, Baptists and Methodists
particularly.
MI. Nye was born a Presbyterian.
was judieially a Baptist, by habit al.
Episcopolian, and by inclination o
Methodist, (great laughter y but de
spite all this, and old as he was. he
felt like dancing himself. daughter.
He imagined that the great troubl.
with his friend (Mr. Doolittle) wa.
that the dance was for General Grant
Laughter.1
MIR. Cameron thought it would be
much better for all concerned to have
the ball somewhere else. Nc liquor:
were to be had here it is said, and thi.
would make it very dull /; for a dr.!
dance is no dance at all. Laugh
ter.
Mr.. Conkling remarked that un
doubtedly a large part of the Ameri-
can people would regard the givin.
up OF this Capitol t a ball as a mos
inappropriate. The ball would b.
held of course, whether it was helt
here or 1ot, and Gen. Grant, coulc
certainly be inaugurated in pursuance
of the constitution and laws, even i
no ball was held.
MI. Fessenden could see no harm
at all in letting the parties have the
Capitol. His moral and religious sens.
1bIf1t1es might be very pbtuse /; but h.
could see no danger in it, and thos,
who thought the Capitol would be
desecrated could stay away.
Mr.. Wilson did not think it propel
TO Give up the ro:unda, where JOIN
Quincy Adams fell and our martyreG
President lay to the dance.
MIR. Yates would welcome tie il
auguration of General Grant witt
bontires, and bells, and cannon, bu
he did want to give up the rotund
Tor a ball.
MI. Morton believed it would b.
Just as appropriate for the gentlemen
having this ball in charge to apply t
the vestry of any church in this cit.
for the use OF their church buildin:
for a ball as to ask for the rotunda
He had no objection to a ball wha :
ever, but there was propriety in a !
things.
And then by a vote of 81 yeas o 8,
nays, the Senate decided not to turn
the Capitol into O ball room, drinkiD,