The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-01-27
EXCITING SCENE IN THE U. S. SENATE.
SUMNER TAKEN DOWN A PEG

The Washington correspondent Of the Bos-
ton Post, in his dispatch of the 2lst gives a
graphic picture Of the passage at arms be-
tween Sumner of Massachusetts and Trum-
bull. of Illinois. The Virginia bill being under
discussion, these Senators INDUCED in some
amusing personal "reminiscences, which the
correspondent puts down as follows
Since the days of the Impeachment of
Andrew johnson no such packing of the Sen
ate galleries has been witnessed as that of
this afternoon, gathered in great crowds to
hear the discussion upon the Virginia bill.
Every nook and corner was occupied, and
hundreds We're unable to obtain entrance. A
| large portion of the audience was elegantly
dressed ladies. The floor of the Senate was
again crowded with members of the House
and persons OF note among the latter Gen.
Rosccrans. Nearly three out of the three
and n half hours devoted to Virginia affairs
were taken up by Senators Trumbull and
ISumner in continuation of there controversy
about several political acts, and in crimina-
ton and recrlmination, in the course of which
those gentlemen dealt each other their hardest
blows. Intense interest, bordering on cx-
ctcment, was kept up until the vote was
taken, andthe manifestation OF feeling among
-
murs, and now and then in open applause
The vote upon the various amendments OF
Messrs. Drake and Wilson, and the final
vote upon the passage Of the BILL was taken
| amid almost breathless silence broken only
as the result upon each was announced by
the Nice-President. Such raking down
las Sumner suffered at the hands of Trlmbul]
has not been heard in the Senate Chamber
for many day. The gross misrcpresenta-
|tions made by Sumner, and repeated from
lday to day, relative to the action Of the .Jll-
ldiciary Committee whilst considering the
Virginia bill, and the falsehoods repeated by
ISumner as to the position of Gov Walker
had SO outraged the sense of fairness and
Iiustice and truth, that Mr.. Trumbull could nc
longer refrain from exposing them and cas-
|hgating the offender. Mr. Trumbull proved
beyond a possible doubt that Summers asser-
ton that the so-called loyalists had sought a
hearing before the Committee was a false
hood out of whole cloth; and he turned to
Sumner with scorn and contempt depicted in
his face and asked sc Could anp2u}eucc "a
Jmiher?" Sumner felt this rebuke sensibly
ana moved about uneasily in his chair, and
there came from the audience a general
utter OF delight. The Senator from illinois
exclaimed mercilessly, "And now propose
TO strip from him this assumed iataNibilu,
and superiority" Here was another stir il,
the audience. Mr.. Trumbull proceeded in
invectives to describe the Massachusetts Sen
lator's "practised ialsehood under SANITY
show" and the deep malice couched under
holy garb He reproduced the occurrences
in the Senate few days ago, when garbled
extracts of Gov. Walkers speech were read
and most admirably reproduced Summers
shout of ORATOR" and here again the audi
ence fairly roared with laughter. Mr.. Trunl-
bull then unearthed the loyal Porter's record
and had read the proceedings of the court.
martial which tried. convicted and sentenced
him to six months imprisonment for treason.
able language. Mr.. Trumbull exclaimed !:
IAN this is the kind of loyal people for whom
the Massachusetts Senator has become cham
!pion,?' He recited the various sections of the
Virginia Constitution, showing that Walker