The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-03-24
A sensation In the u. s. senate.

The Washington correspondent Of the New
York Rorld, under date of March 10th,
writes as follows:
To-day's session of the Senate was signal
lied, according to theory less ultra than
Darwin's, by the first speech ever delivered
by the lineal descendant Of an orang-outang
in Congress. As it was well understood
that the Mississippi mulatto was to make
his debut, an African thunder-cloud gather
ed in the galleries, and multitude Of Curl
Gus Congr essmeD, government officials, COM
mittee clerks, and other privileged persons
occupied the rear of the Senate toor. One
or two members Of the Cabinet were present
Butler and Garfield were among the specta-
tors, who strutted over from the other House.
Two lean and very black negroes stood just
within one of the doorways, holding their
overcoats and hats dangling ready to fall
before them while they bent open nouthed
regards upon the speaking and the scene
During the morning hour, while all these and
more theatrical adjuncts were preparing,
Revels sat at his desk TRANQUILITY paving his
lower visage and beard with hands resent
bling claws. and eyeing the assemblage aloft
" ith a greasy and complacent smile. The
dark skinned danes and damsels, intermin-
gled with women of a fai-er hue on the one
side, and rows of male heads strung like
ebony beads along the other, lavished down
encouraging grins. In the diplomatic gal
lery were hudded a crowd of superdstin-
guished people, among them Bullock. carpet
bag Governor of Georgia, and asserted au-
thor of the forthcoming speech. In port
folio on the mulatto's desk lay the copy that
he was to read from. Another copy had
been sent to the reporters gallery. where
newspaper men Of all politics cluster to wit
ness and describe this singular event. Nor
ton, of Indiana, being entitled to speak upon
the Georgia bill when the morning hour ex-
pired. Welded to the Senator from Mssissip-
pi. The Senator from Mssissippi-Revels
10 wit-now rose. His seat happens to be
on the extreme left of the Republican side OF
the semi-circle, out OF range Of part OF the
Democratic side /; SO with clumsy suavty he
bent over toward ds Senator Fenton, two seats
distant, requesting permission to occupy his
place. Mr.. Fenton politely assented, and in
moment more the African lion OF to-day
was fairly en- his feet in the presence of the
attentive Senate, and overlooking the spec
tators. He was clad in black from head to
foot, which set off his saffron complexion to
the best advantage. Black trimmed eye
glasses glimmered on either side Of his nose.
His dun, crimpy haiI and beard were closely
trimmed. so as to distinctly reveal his phre-
nological and physiognomical outlines
Bowing, and scraping, and smiling his
unpleasant smile as if to depreciate the crit
icism Of his peers-he lifted the first page Of
the manuscript before him, and st once
demcnst rated his ability to read. This vas
great point gained, and served to moder-
ate the nervous apprehcnsions OF some Re-
publican Senators, who had been twitching
in their chairs. Accommodating more conf
dence and voice, but, utterly failing as to
appropriateness of emphasis and accent, he
proceeded with the delivery, page after page,
of the speech, which is sent to you to night.
HaG what he said been spoken with any in
flcction of tone or manner, GenOting that it
was evolved from his own inner consciousness
and brain, part Of it--thOse devoted to vim
dication of the good nature and good be-
havor of his slave brethren in the South
during the war-might have provoked some
plauditory movement. at least from the gall
lery negroes. Nothing of the kind There
was not, in fact, thrilling syllable in the
discourse, save in that part of it which, re-
ferred to the dark and drunken days of the
French revolution, suggested a present par
ae for him. In the United States Senate
sat to-day Sumner. Wilson, and the other
Radicals who helped to bring on a 6loodier
revolution than the French, still so drunk
with the vindictive spirit of the conflict and
its issues, that it seems fine thing to foist
this African into false equality with them
selves aud their betters among American
statesmen to raise this mulatto idol stuffed
with vapid augmentation and sentimental
logic, up before the Senate and the people
as an exponent of the "intelligence" of his
race. To gay that every one did not fully
comprehend the quality of the worn-out friter
that he uttered, and did not supect that even
il was not the product of his own persona.
talents, would be to impeach their common
sense Yet they sat there, grimly countenan-
cling the IMPOSITION, and seeming to initiate
after the manner Of the most degraded of
the whole African brother hood to adulatiun
of fetish. While yet the farce continued,
Bullock, decending from the diplomatic gal
lery, heightened the effect by striding in and
posting himself behind his mouth piece,
against the wall. At one juncture the latter
was interrupted by message from the House
Of Represen tatives. when old Simon Cameron
sitting near by, rose, went over and propped
him up, Gf he needed propping) with some
words of cheer. At the conclusion strag-
Cling procession of Senators. including Sum-
ner, Chandler, Carpenter, Wilson, Cameron,
Upton, Fenton, and Drake. approached and
for minutes kept ringing the mulattc Sen
ator's hand, causing by their cungratula-
tiouS bis face to distort itself with harrow
ing smile. This nauseous homage reached
its climax rs Mr.. Morton. resuming the floor,
said : Il congratulate the Senate that the
Seuator from Mississippi, in his remarks.
has so we'll vindcated the intelligence of his
race, and in the Senate that in exchanging
jefferson Davis for this Senator, it has lost
nothing of ability. and gained vastly in pa
triotism and loyalty"
The many Baltimore friends of the new
.,E Cl.icnczo DE- Rnr-