New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-05
XLIID OONGRESS-2D SESSION.
OPENING SCENES.

lBf TELEGRAPH TO THB rRIBuNB.i
WASHINGTON, Monday, Dec. :. 1871.
Half an hour after the Senate met, this
morning. casual visitor TO the galleries might have
imagined himself in the midst Of the morning hour Of an
ordinary days session, naturally did the Senators fa
into the routine business Of introducing bills, Oerhs
resolutions and indugins in few remarks on th'r
pet measures Nearly every seat was full. Tnere wero
the same Old lunches OF papers tied up WIN reo '"po
lying the desks before the honorable Senator'S LOOK
ing as though they had not been DISTURBED sincc
tho Senators silently stole away on That Deau"-
full evening last Spring, after ratIyihg 'uc Ai'"'
Of Washington. and vndicating their ciaim W
he the most dgnifcd body OF men III inc iano'
For half hour before noon the ho0r OF inc chah'
was more like grand saloon than Inc arena III
which are to be discussed and settled questions OF the
greatest import to the nation and to the world ono oi
the earliest to arrive was Seuat0r wilson VI "i"'s
chuset Who in with nn elastic step ana picas"h'
smile which tell well .or his short European trip Mr..
Wilson appears DO better health than nc HAS Deeh
before for years. and all sides with conSratu-
Iatons Mr. Sumner looks to be better able physi-
caly 10 enter npon the exhausing duties OF long ses-
sion than he did yea: ago, notwithstanding nc re-
manned in Washington hard at work until late IN August,
and took no rest all Sunin,T Senator carpenter was
by his absence hut the Junior Senator from
New-York his old place. having lost since the
amusnsly described IN speech in the House. Senator
Schurz who has Just returned from occurring tour.
looks l;t!r fatisued but 1t was generally remarked
that the Wee President ana senator's have. almost Will
exception, ,a.nrI much physically since the last
session.
Just before oclG Nict President Colfax appeared
in the chair. and at Tie savc :cl and the Rev Dr.
j. T. Newman opened The second session OF the XLlid
Congress with ihc customary prayer. Tic ms,
business OF the day Tie ircsentation by Mr. Wsoh'
OF the credentials OF rx-Gov Alrprn of Mississippi who
was Immediately sworn without objection. MIR. Nor
wood last Senator elected from eoi gia also sent in
his credentials. but therr j. contest in this case the
papers have 10 TO the Committee Elections when
it appointed. The only important bills Introduced in
the senate Mr.. Specie Payment bill. and
the Jenckrs civil service bill introduced by Senator Ed
munds After the reading Of the message. which arrived
about O'Clock. the senate adjourned.
As early "a O'Clock, members lie Fan 70 gather in the
Hall of Representatives, ard ly il. nearly all had as
scnbed From that time until u there wasa constant
buzz of crsaiiOn and lively time Of hand shaking
Every had about hundred hands TO shake, and
many greetings and inquiries to make and answer. Be
side the members there were the clerks dOOrk"cpers.
messengers pages and numerous correspondents upon
the floor, AMI a large number OF " outslders
who took advantage of the relaxation Of the
rules to slip and range themselves round
the walls. The Sooi-humored crowds surccd up
and down the aslcs the space in front Of the
clerks desks exchanging hand shakes and welcomes at
every step. Little cddco formed around the OLD ana
prominent members, who we're expected to know some
thing abOu: the Committees but who were Ignorant
the After How do you do and - How have
you BEEN" u How = your health" had been ex-
changed, the first anxiety of every to learn
some thing Of the organization OF the Committees Br
yCnd the fact that III y would he announced du ing the
day not single u",ini"r had any positive knowl edge
The Speaker had not aiken single man into his conf
dence.
At IL o'ciock Mr Blaine entered the House. and going
straight up his chair brought down the mallc and In
single sentence announced the opening OF the session.
Clerk McPher-On who appears in the clerks desk
except upon extraordinary occasions, called the roll OF
members and 9O Wered to their names. Then came
the customary resolution from the Senate. announcing
that 1t ready for business, and had APP
pointed d Committee to inform the President of
that fact. MI Dawes offered the responding resolution
TO inform the that the House ready for work,
and Mr. Garfield the resolution for Committee to Join
the senate's Committee to visit the President. Next
there eight members 10 swear Ill. three from
California, four from Texas and from Connecticut
AMI afterward the delegates from Montana and the DIS
trict
Nobody cared for these proceedings in TIE anxiety To
hear the Committees. They did no, have long to wait
for at l245 the Speaker leaned forward handed paper
to the Clerk, and said in clear voice, "Thc Chair
announces the standing committees Of the House.
dead silence in the hail. the silence Of anxious
expectation. The legislative destiny. to speak of
every member twas to be settled by the words to fall
from the Clerks lips. IThe Speaker looked ncrv-
GUS and weary. and a little defiant. He had the
air of who has Just completed n severe
task, and has braccd himself up TO meet the
hostile criticism which he knows he will have TO face.
however well his work has been done. The Clerk began
the reading. The House not only silent, but mo
toncss. and scarcely head. hand, foot moved
| had a. far Is the ulIimUOrtaU
committees at the foot Of the list. The crowds that
filed the galleries wondering at the solemn stiffness that
reigned below. and not half understanding the cause,
preserved silence perfect as the members.
As the reading went on the Speaker leaned
forward IN his chair. and glanced from side
TO side Of the House watching the expressions the
faces Of those whom he bad r'joccd bitterly dsar
pointed. II was curious study. Some mcD, who had
got better places than they hoped for wer" radiant with
self smiles Others, who banked In their
ambition could Ill conceal their anger and mortifica-
ton; and others, who given their old POSITIONS
and expected nothing else were screnCly indifferent.
The list all read by o'clock and recess taken
for half an hour, the Message had not arrived.
There was not much talk IN the half hour about the
appointments 1t took longer than that to think about
them, and most members were RI tccnt lie Ways ana
Means Committee excited the most remark. Judge
Kelley said that majority Of the members were for
Free Trade. So thought Mr.. Dickey of Pennsylvania.
who up the Speaker who sat the stone steps
at the foot OF his chair, and said Blaine, you have
given us a Free Trade Committee" 81 meant to give
you o Free Coal Committee" the Speaker replied,
land If 1 know ny men. l have done So.
"The ProtcctioDsts have got the Ways and Means
Craftsmanship" said Western Frcc-Trader, "but we
have a majority the Committee" The committee IL
believed to stand follows the Tariff question
Kelley and Maynard High Tariff meu- W per cent
men ;" they sometimes called. Dawes and Roberts
are Moderate PrOtectOnists Brooks and Finkclnburg
are Traders Burchard and Kerr Moderate Rev
Tariff and Beck is for Free Trade generally,
but for Protection for such articles Kentucky produces
All shades of opinions the Tariff pretty fairly
represented on the Committee and in abont the proper