New-York tribune., 1871-04-07
WASHINGTON SKETCHES.

TINE OPTICAL DUEL IN THE sENATE-ARE you
HAPPY WHEN YOU ARE CROSS MR. sAuLs-
BURY's ACQUAINTANCE WITH NEw-foRk'
WASHINGTON, April 1.-While speaking the
other day 10 friend OF bitter wmch
politicai differences have assumed III the senate pro-
nounced Il bad taste and bad policy Yes, Madam
o,I,od my fr,end "but ft is good human nature"
ha,o olvavs held that politicians have properly nothing
TO do with human naturc but have remarked tha' u
ia only its better attributes they are In haste 10 DC ria or
their dreadful trade" seeming to drain them OF the
Juices humanity leaving Its harsh pungent
acrid qualities 10 concentrate, and grow thcX aha
slab" The most venerable among them lot their angry
pasons riso as easily and thoughtlessly as so many
schoolboys Age cannot clasen nor custom duh their
irascibility and acerblty.
.Een IN their ashes live their vontei nrea"
The scene In the Senate the other day. when Mr Gar
rett Davis while delivering Of his terse and brilliant
little speeches caught the eye the expression may be
used-of Mr. Butler Is illustration In point He was
in the cuminave moment OF his patriotic passion, In
the hight of his zied denuncaton OF the party
that were making political capital OF the socalled ku-
Kux outrages" when he first beheld that dreadful man.
The grim but apropos apparltion may have reminded him
OF certain profane proyerb. II spurred and goaded
him the bitter end his voice giving out at the last
the fhr eagleliko scream Of defiance which would be
terrifying II II not familiar to us all. Then, you
know after uterng words which my pen cannot repeat,
he himself with folded arms to defy and look down
the ex-Dictator Of New-0rlcans. 1t was q mighty
undertaking. The eyes Of Mr.. Davis are deepset and
together they always bright and on this ocea-
sion they actually famed with such intense, concen-
trated fire that they almost seemed single eye making
the Senator like to q venerable Poyphemus But about
Mr.. Buffers gaze there awful uncertainty that
was still more appalling snd unendurable How dra-
matte yet peaceful the ending OF this optical due-
the intervention OF Henry Wilson, who. while the whole
Senate hung breathess the scene flung himself into
"the imminent deadly breach" and broke the fearful
spell by which each held the other with his glttering
eye" These things for all their ludicrous side, are
really sad and disheartenng II high position, great
honors and grave responsibilities cannot give to men
pOiso and dignity and secontrol why be severe in our
judgments common men for rudeness OF manner for
violence and profanity of speech for barroom brawls
hear 1t actually charged againstyhe sclsmatic Sena-
tor from Massachusetts that he has murdered his own
party" Kossuth uscG 10 say, nation dies only by
suicide and to that that is the only way In
which great party comes to its end Tie gods only
destroy it through its madness. The Republican
party, with its grand triumphant vital principles OF
freedom cannot die with or by the hand OF one
man. IL Is quite early to give It an Irish wake in
the Senate This s why Geprecate 80 much poinpOus
lamentahon and adc-such solemn denuncation and
scahing rcproo Of the ilutrious malcontcn,s-Howes
thunders OF Olympus and Harlans hghtnings from
Snai one thing have noticed with, fear some un-
sanctGcd satisfaction. 1t Is that the men who have been
prominent in these quarrels appear chiefly to be ar IRON
ubiant aud Gloom and heaviness rest on their
countenances and Melancholy marks them for her own
remember a certain searching little tract, which in my
early days sometimes set down Ia perusc under
rather painful circumstances II entitled, g Are you
Happy when you Cross 7" and 10 was good pencn-
tal exercise 1t strikes would be well for the A T.
9. to supply the Senate Wib this little tract
Let copy be placed each desk with the next di6tr
button Of fancy soap The to be cleared
,,.r I'm and ia els gOinO
to lie preparing something for lac Is again
wrestling with cafbOund records and authorities. These
lntiatOry proceedings watched with singular Interest
the galleries, to which the revolt against the sena-
tors leadership and supremacy seems not to have eX-
tended Still whenever he rises TO speak look Of eager
expectation round that upper chamber" aud
whether he carries the people with him. not, in his
argument, there something In his strong OF WELD
ing English I'm his yoluminOus voice." tbdt com
respect and attention There Is no getting away
from fact gentlemen that there Is great power in
the man, Is to-day, and greater in the MEM
ory OF what and suffered IN the past IL Is
strange, when recalling some Of the stormy and acrno
OF last 10 SEQ this Senator aud MI
Trumbull conversing cOureousy and amicaby together
This unpleasant crisis has brought them together Ut
Is an III wind that blows no good"
Yesterday heard Mr.. Stevenson OF Kentucky. In
spite of his theme IL pleasant for to listen TO
him. because OF some personal resemblance he bears TO
Mr. Corwin-iear old Tom Corwn Mr.. Ei-ir, hear. Is
70 make his great demonstration MOnday. Alas.
shall De far away! going for little sjourn in the
land OF NOd-Deaware, the conservative nttG state
TO which Mine Ancient" Mr.. Salisbury has returned
BY the way he once told that he lad been in the
wicked city whence issues THE TRIBUNE but In his
rfe and that than 20 years ago-which fact ac-
counts for his virtue. Had he stunned Washington as
well he might have been a insiJnS pietate. Mr..
Logan has set tied Senatorial aspect and looks well
The contrast between him and Mr. Conkng il very
d,ief n
quite serious: my friend OF old time. Mr. Julian ard
ouent Mr. Fitch Of Nevada, and the briant Mr. Knott
Of Kentucky The orator and 1.-THE wit be III spared
from the House OF Representatives, noS-a-days Ir.
Bingham spoke yesterday. with his old unagging force
and unquencnabe frebut his speaking nj ays fatigues
mo with its furious rapidiiy | want
TO be in excellent condition ien / set
myself to listen to him FOR hour.
To-day Mr. Elliott OF South Carolina has been making
In behalf Of his wronged and mpercd people, power
full and pathetic appeal that moved TO manly INDIGNATION
and generous pity all hearts iDcxoraby set against
any measures restraint and protection. not onclad
with incredulity and prejudice. We happy Ia the
prospect Of seeing Gen. Chpman In Congress as the
Delegate from Territory. A polished cultivated,
and courteous gentleman eloquent and ready speaher
n tall commanding person, and every inch man. we
are assured he will well and win only honor for
himself The Spring is backward wei as egisla
Congress will iedre before the trees. CO
A GLIMPSE OF THE CAPITOL.