Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-12-07
Our Washington Letter,
SENATE CaMEBR.

WAsdlNtIgA, ~. ", Oec' T. ICI l.
"Na' man may tether time or tide" and
times onward march with its history.
written, and unwritten with tae multi
farious changes which have marked it's ,
eventful course in spanning the period
known az a Congressional recess has nss5
another initial point-tnrned another b. -.
toric mile stone to be known for all ime
as the second session of the FortY-y ,cond
Congress.
For days previous the privacy of the
old Capital has been invaded by the ever
eager and curious multitude .athered
from all parts Of the land aye, TIA world,
TO witness the inception Ct tss stormy
session preceding q Presidential cam
paign. Like Japbet in search of h
ra'her, theT were to be seen wander ing
aroun' with curious aimless al :, in.
oecting desks, upholstery, statue nv and
paintings, peering into committe q rooms,
and plying the various attac' Aces with
questions. evidently taking TIE lay of the
land, as if bent on famili ariafng them
selves with the scenes of future operations
while time hung heav lly Upon them
AS time moved on obey increased in
numbers and iutansity, and when at 10
o'clock, to-day. the hammer of the two
| presiding officers woke the session into
being, theze were the old time scenes be-
ing enacted in the halls, corridors, recep- |
ton rooms and various private retreats. |
Galleries were densely packed, and a d. |
versity of countenance gszed upon the |
assembled wisdom of the land. There |
were the listless observers who were there |
because it so happened, there were the |
sight-seers who evidently were never
there before, who had paid their money
and were bound to see the show, there
were also those there whose faces wore
the indelible impress of business, and who
had been there before. Yes. that class,
who regard Congress as the servants of
the people, and themselves OF the people,
! and, therefore, in the nature of lords and
r masters or st least, if not masters, man,
upulators, and whom the world vulgerly
calls "lobhlests' came also.
The national edifice was neevr seen in
20 geod condition. The architect remain
ed here during the recess as the improved
! condition of the grounds the widened
, passage between the House and Senate,
, through which ebbs and flows its cease
less tide, and through which the two pre-
r siding officers in their seats by opening
g their entrance doors are ENABLED to view
+. each other face TO face through space of
I nearly eight hundred feet and an indes-
p cribsble succession of halls. corridors, ro-
: tuudas, aud passages and in various
. other evidences of improvement. Ia the
{ House a new carpet of granite-isb
! ground work gives the ball lighter APP
D pcarance. Fifteen hundred yards is
{ pattern.
At the Senate Hall! we notice nothing
new but the appearance, save in veutila-
C ton and heating. Desks shine wi b
G veneered brilliancy, carpets and uphols-
J terry look ike new but second glance
o shows us that they are the same old
F friends OF last session with new lease of
: life, strongly suggestive of excellent care
/, from some quarter, of untold wars with
+ moth and rust, and virtuous and Geo.
2 nomieal application of the varnish and
4 paint brush.
?. Never have we seen 30 few empty seats
e at the moment of assembling in both
It housea 90 to-day, and never have both
bodies seemed to wear such general tone
r of health and vigor, both physically and
= intellectually as to-day, 80 different from
4 the csdaverous oareworn locks with which
I they separated six months ago. The en-
g tire Vermont delegation were in their
seats
The customary meeting upon the Sem
t ate floor few moments before 10 M. The
= greeting, the claspiug of hands of both
q friends and adverssries, showed the preva-
r lence of general good feeling, while the
: eye, the tell tale member, often revealed a
e terrible earnestness, not to say logged
{ spite. Mr.. Sumner upon entering the
: room, Yves warmly greeted by a large
i, number, in a manner showing that he is
yet regsrded with much sympathy and in
the light of champ ion.
Neither House remained long in ses-
/ sion. The reading of the Presidents mes
sane being the principal matter of inter-
est, with the exception of announcing the
: committees of the House. The readers of
/ the HERALD doubtless have the message
in full. 1t speaks for itself, and com ment
ia therefore needless.
: Upon the announcement of the House
) Committees, it was found that the little
} states and programmes preyiou ly an