Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-04-27
Our Washington Letter.


" AsuiNuTON, ". T., April %, ls1O
Mssrs. Editors Might sessions of Conprc..
which are generally devoted to the discussion a.
the dry details of tariff or appropriation bills No..
usually regarded as dull and unintcrestnp enter
tainmonts. Upon these occasions the gnlcro,
arc usually deserted, and most Of tho seats un,,
the floor are vacant. It is asking too much cyo,
Of the most punctual and conscientious member.
who have spent the entire day in laborious ca,
vice upon committees, or in their seats upon tbo
floor Of Congress, to remain late into the nigl,
listening to buncombc speeches. or lending tl,o
dignity OF their sleepy presence to tho uninteros,
ing occasion Accordingly it is not difficult for
member 10 find some good excuse for absent;,.
! himself especially when it j. understood TINT dis
cussons alone are 10 be the order Of the eyenin,
On Monday last the Goorgia bill was under AZ
cussion in the Senate, and Garrett Davis 6a,
waited long and patiently for Mr.. Sumner To- vciJ
the floor. The sound OF Summers voice alJyoy'
excitcs the irritable Senator from Kentucky. NH
% three hours reply becomes physical neccssi,y
As this last act Of reconstruction would nn,si
one Of the last chances for q wall over the l..,
days Of the good old pro-slaycry democracy. The
venerable Senator could not let the occasion mas
without opening the few remaining bottles of M
wrath, and hurting his anathemas once more I'M,
the teeth of the Republican party. Before Le
/ could obtain the floor, however, the day ,t,s
SPENT and an adjournment ordered. Il was ar.
ranged, however, Tint nn evening session of m.
senate should be held. and that Mr. Davis sbo,,I
| have the floor Promptly at the time he appeared
/ 40 his desk, which was hanked by piles vi nan
derous volumes, and spread before him n yoluto.
/ nous mass Of manuscript Iuking q survey or
/ the immense hall, he discovered that three Sena
tors were occupying their seats with the air Of
martyrs. The galleries were vacant. Not even
L. Moo. N..t. q q. asa q
/ indccorous conduct In hnli an hour two otb,t
Senators presented themselves as involuntary We
Tins, and slid quietly into their SEATS. The doors
Of the galleries turned not upon their hinges ana
| no other shadow WIS east upon the floor Ihc..
| five then. were % be- bis audience. for the po,c
| in waiting testified hy the assiluiy with which
/ he cssaycd Go hit one paper ball with another at
/ long range, that be was not 10 PC counted anon,
[ the listeners W hat was the use of opening M
\ batteries when no enemy was in sight, and vast
/ ing his ammunition upon the empty air2 lln
would not do 10 and gathering zap bis mass of
manuscript, he strobe from the forum ia disgust
cheerlully followed by his five grateful friends
/ TIN ended the last night session Of the senate
] The House however does NOT always allow it.
night sessions 90 be- treated with contempt Mn
expects 90 get through with half OF the most Inn
/ portnnt measures pending, 10 must work nieht
and dag. The tariff BILL which is dragging H.
slow length along crowding everything else oh
iNt llN'h OF NlflNlA &C lEiNlt w. NNcfS line tuIN
Tor night work. Accordingly night sessions aro
being held Tor is consideration in " Committee
/ Of the Whole
On Friday evening, upon the assembling of the
House, It was evident alta glance that no quorum
was present whorcupou The roll of members wa,
called and the names OF the ahsentces wcrereplrt-
/ ed % the House a " call Of the House VA.
{ then ordered. When thi. is done, the door. an
closed aud the ah-entces appear they are re-
quircd g. appear before the speakers desk and
oder their excuses. n these are satisfactory il il
within the province OF the House % excuse them
/ IT not, they are fined ten dollars for being absent
| without leave. Meanwhile, the Scrgeant-at- Arms
had been directed % takc the absent members III
70 Custody wherever found, aud n bring them
before che hlr of the House. In few minutes
bee Appeared leading iu six culprit- whom be bad
found smoking in the committee rooms, lettering
about tine Hobbies, lr enjoying the luxury OF
splash In the warm waters Of the bath room As
they were marched up % the Speakers desk, like
truani schooi-boys, 10 was pleasantly illustrated
that