New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-01-20
WASHINGTON SKETCHES.
CONGRESS AFTER THE HOLIDAYS.

lied aud refreshed by family reunions and Christmas
cheer-by unbending at the festal board and under
the mistletoe
Promptly at his post as usual, was Senator Sum-
ncr sedate and stately, with his broad chest well
packed with positive and sonorous yeas and nays.
Senator Cameron came in quietly, softly, almost
with aboriginal stealthiness; man of absolutely no
pretenSon, who keeps his own shrewd counsels. No
Simon Stytes is he, perched on pillar of lofty alb
stract ideas but a patient, mastery worker among
men, in the ways of men.
1t was pleasant to see there Henry Wilson's kindly,
rudy face unaterably genial and honest. Sena-
tor of fifteen years standing-a Massachusetts Sena-
tor. he is yet a and brother Indeed, he
abounds in manhood and Drotherhood-a manhood
with all natural healhfu powers. passions, and en-
erges kept well in banda brotherhood to which the
poor and unfortunate may confidently appeal
There were the Connecticut Senators, noble
cousin Buckingham" and the thoughtful, scholarly
Ferry. Near them the bearer of another honored
Connecticut name, Trumbull of Illinois, with his
pale and sagacous, somewhat cynical face. And
there were the New-York Senators, good Master
Fcnton," the urbane, and Conkling the debonair.
There was sherman of Ohio, tall and spare. with
deepset earnest eyes, and his colleague, Thurman
the noblcst Democrat of them all.
Everybody was glad TO see Richard Yates of Hi
nos, man Of singularly generous and atlectionate
nature. with the frank manner of boy and the
smile of "a woman. During the war, l was a witness
10 what NE did for the soldiers of his great StaetO
what he felt for the widows and orphans of soldiers
ii remember these things well, how must they
whom he helped and comforted remember them. 1t
is impossible for him to pass beyond the atmosphere
Of their blessings, the reach of their prayers.
Mr.. Carpenter and Mr. salisbury, bothlarge, strong
men. have both peculiarly restless manner, aud
walk pertinacIously and semi-circularly with their
hands in their pockets. Mr. Carpenter with his coat
buttoned tightly about him, though holding him
self in with considerable dificulty-Mr. Salisbury
occasionally growing ont scornful or humorous re-
marks on Republican legislation. The power both
these gentlemen seems in active state of fermen
taton. Indeed. there is in these three Senators,
Yates, Carpenter, and Salisbury, ability energy. aud
eloquenco enough unused and unhusbanded-nOt
tied up in bundles but lying about loOSe-to run
respectable legislature,
In strong contrast to Mr.. Carpenter is Wsconsin's
other Senator, quiet and easy untimely Winter on
his head, but perpetual Summer in his face. Always
faithful and tireless in duty is Mr Howe but talking
little and that temporarily and to the point, as
though the charge of his noble State had been, o,
Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust,
avoiding vain and profane babblings"
There were Indiana's great Senators Morton and
Pratt, and those grave and reverend signiors,"
Harlan and Brownlow.
Wood. with his foreign air and general aristocratc
get up looking as though he belonged Of right to the
French Chamber Of Deputies 1t is easy to point him
ont by the snowy ledge of his muStaChe, and Gen.
FanswOrth by the frOthy cataract of his beard and
Gen Banks by his tall head, crowned by uch masses
of brown hair, and Gen. Butler by his without
the hair and Mr. Maynard by his tall slender figure
and the orignal-not to say aboriginal character of
ms head, Gen. Garfield by fair, genial face, of the
open Teutonic type and Gen. Logan by his dark
sombre face by something picturesque, gloomy
and peculiar about him.
The Hon. John MorTissey can be known by his
stout yet compact figure the perfect propriety of his
appearance, and his decorous silence. He has evil
IDENTIFY baG his fill of mills" and bouts and is
willing to rest on his laurels, his green baze The
election of more men of his calling and would
scarcely frighten us now. If the prize-ring can
stand the association, Congress can.
Mr.. Binghams keen, sharply cut. Roman face is
easily recognized and Mr. Julian's, that shows marks
of the anxious thought and conscientious hard work
of many years of faithful public service
What we often hear remarked is true, think
there never has been a Congress of these United
States numbering so few brilliant men After count
ing off few names, the representative body seems
10 lie at a democratic dead level of respectable
ability. In the Senate the moral tone is undOubt-
edly higher than of old-it contains some noble
workers and clear thinkers but no one among them
all has built up the rival of Mr.. Cays fame for i'm
passioncd eloquence though may perhaps look TO
Mr. Carpenter to do IT, What presence is there in
that chamber ike to Websters9 Not even that of
his successor unquestOnaby, in spite of dissent and
revolt the greatest name and the supTemest will
there. Mr. Sumner is imposing, physically, intel
lcctually and morally-Mr Webster was both impos-
ing and maryelOusy magnetic. His championship
and leadership were at time, il seems TO me,
sertive and apparently irresponsible as Mr. Summers
He solemny proclaimed his devotion to the Union.
Mr. Sumner challenges the devotion of others. Mr..
Webster expoHnded. Mr. Sumner amends Consttu-
tutions Mr.. Webster spoke for Massachusetts,, Mr..
Sumner speaks as Massachusetts,.
Great as he was, Mr. Webster stood on a low plane
of human interests and passions, entangled and OBJ
structed though there about him even in his
ouietest times certain air of great elemental pow
crs in repose an atmosphere thunderous even in
sunshine. and vital with latent lightnngs. Mr.. Sum-
ner has stood from the first craggy moral hight
where the air is pure, though somewhat frosty and
gusty and the view is broad; and must not forget
that this has endured through tempest and deluge,
while the pleasant ground of compromise, on which
Webster took his stand, washed quite away,
when the rains descended and the floods came"
The Virginia debates in the Senate have been. as
YOU have seen, uncOmmonly lively and spicy. The
able Senators from Nevada attacked Mr.. Summers
positions and were almost pathetically eloquent in
defense of Gov. Walker They said some saucy
things though their censures were not unmixed with
praise. Indeed, have noticed that when gentlemen
burn gunpowder under the of the distinguished
Senator from Massachusetts, they generally care
fuIt IN rniv with fraukinceuse.