The Petroleum Centre daily record. [volume] (Petroleum Center, Pa.) 1868-1873, 1870-05-17

Times published speech made in the
House OF Representatives, by Hon. Gill
iillsn, member from ,hs District, and
editorially spoke Of it as being one Of the
most brilliant efforts of oratory on record.
and the constituents of Hon. G. clapped
their hands and echoed the chorus long and
loud, to the immense satisfaction of those
who know about how the little speech was
made how much was paid for the writing
ard who wrote it, and all about Mr.. Gillil-
lans reading is TO 'scrowd. d( Dhouses. -
Some friend has sent us q copy of the Chris.
tian Union, Henry Ward Beecher's paper,
containing ans interesting account OF the
manner in which ''live gentleman held
session OF Congress (Hou. G. was one)
and show the people are humbugged," q
portion OF which we publish for the bene-
fit of MIR. Giif!an's constituents in this
vicinity. II was truly "a small play In q
great theatre and reflects great credit on
him. Alter reading the description no one
for moment can doubt his abilities, or
deny that he is great statesman:
Catering from the cars, say at eigb:
o'clock, he would have found the corridors
about the Senate oil empty, except as tae
! watchman paced slowly around; the long
! pa sage to the rotunda deserted also; the
rotunda empty, and lonely enough IN the
| magniiied proportions 1t assumes at night;
the old Hall both lonely and gloomy from
tie effect of the dark columns set SO thick
around it; and the first sigus of lie would
| not appear till he reached the entrance TO
the Hall Of Representatives where single
door-keep was noddng. Circling around
to the gallery stairs and gaining the gallery
he would have been at o loss 10 explain the
scene. The Hall baZed with lieh,s. There
was one man in the speakers chair, one
near the center Of the room rapidly aud
rnonotonously reading, and three others not
listening, but apparently in waiting. There
weie o half dozen boys at the desk. door,
keeper at each entrance above and below,
o clerk who was ready for any unexpected
call, the official reports of The Globe, and
the poor victim who was obliged to endure
all for the sake OF the Associated Press -
The galleries were empty. TIE Reporter S
gallery was as silent as if the art OF printing
WAS dead. And yet this was Session oi
the House OF Representatives, OF the United
States. Mr.. W.aon, of Minnesota, had the
chair, Lawrence, Of Ohio, was reading 10
him on that worn SUBJECT. the finances; and
Bennett, OF New York, Gilfiilan, of Penn
syivania, and enc other disconsoate indi-
vdual we're waiting impaiently for Law
renee TO finish that they in tHrn might do a
lHuire or SO of reading. The whole aiiair
was ludcrous in the ex,reme.' If played as
o farce on the stage, it could not fail 10
ka hnt,s .uw !,
desk is half way back on the main aisle
From that point be could only see Mr.. Ben-
nett, as Mr.. Gililan and the otheI gentle
man in waiting sat behind. Round in on
all sides. front, right, left aud rear, were
circles of empty desks, mud above were the
vacant galleries. Door.keepers slept at the
unsougbt doors, pages nodded aoont the
steps Of the desk, the speaker made pain
tut effort to appear interested, or 1t tnuy be
to keep awake, and the silence on all hands
was oppressive. Mr.. Lawrence read an
hour. and then Mr.. Bennet. read nine
columns of The Globe on the vital import
ancs of the Erie canal. He did not euci-
date the question OF its source, though such
an inquiry would have supplied an Interest
which was lacking. Next came Mr. Gil
fllan with an essay, which the Speaker and
bis two predecessors heard with commenda-
Bile patience. and when he had finished the
House adjolrn-d.
Could a more sckening farce be enacted
by men who pas, for Legislators: Think Of
o meeting of five men in Cooper Institute,
or any.of the large balls OF the country, and
three Of them speak for an hour each TO tne
surrounding emptiness! Ii those who were
Obliged to be at their posts because these
gen ntlemen chose to come mp TO the Capitol
and read their essays, had taken seats in
the Hall, he audience wonld have been a
large one. AS the building must be open
9 at such sessions above and below. the force
e of watchmeu and messengers must be pre-
I sent, and the small army OF doorkeepers al
well. The officers of the House must come
the clerks office must Le open, and The
| files OF the dOcpment-room made accessible
8 lest the honorable orators should desire IL
incorporate few public documents in thei
speeches, 10 make them stretch out well il
u print. II costs about three huDdred dollar
to light up the building, and the speeehe
cost about one hundred dollas each by th
> | time they are eiubalmed in thu congression
el Globe. What an imposition upon th
9 public! What cheating Of constituents
But when the cheat is cOnsrmmated, AM
the essay is at last in PRINT, in nine case
ont of ten the productions are never reat
in Washington, xcept by the authors. al
, no live newspaper would think OF reproduc
B ing them except at advanced rates. Con
steering the magnificent building iurnlshe
81, for such uses, and the further fact that th
~ | a t, 4 t,r tff.h c inY