The Shasta courier., 1872-05-25
ANECDOTES OF PUBLIC MEN.
sr COL. }. ". roRNEr.

SSH's' W. EVhNEIs
Congressional habits and manners have
changed with the times, and the change is
marvellous. In fact, social life at the ma
tons capital has itself been revolutionized
If you look down from the galleries of the
two Houses, or step into the Senate Cham
Der, now the Supreme Court room, you will
see how thorough is therevolution. Colored
men in Congress, colored men before the
highest Judicial tribunal, also colored n en-
IN the local courts, deliberate and practice
without insult or interruption. 1n 1858
59 white man could not safely advocate
justice to black man. He was subject
ed to inconceivable OF otloquy, not alone in
the Legislatures, but in society Nothing
but illustrious services or great moral cour-
age secured decent federation to such an
offender. The Southern leaders were
models Of politeness until treir peculiar
institution was touched. Then the mask
was dropped, and arrogance expelled all
courtesy. Nobody who did not agee will
them was invited to their houses, and, as
they controlled the Administration, of
whatever party, the few anti-slavery men
had to live among the nselves. Now all is
changed Men meet together and discuss
politics like philosophers. Go to one Of
Fernando Woods great parties, and you
will find people of all opinions. Look in
upon one OF Charles Summers unequaled
dinners, and you see MIN surrounded by
Democrats like Thurman, of Ohio, and
Casserly, of California. Call on brave
Ben. Butler at one of bis receptions and
note among his guests many whom he has
most steadily antagonized When Taddeus
Stevens lived his most intimate companion
at whist and euchre was the venerable
John Law, the distinguished Democrat
from the indianapolis district. But in
nothing is tie change more marked than
in the manners of the two Houses First,
IS the evident absence of public dissipation
that fruitful source of evil during the
old slave regime You do not see men iu-
famed by bad whisky seeking quarrels
with their associates. The night is no longer
made hideous by personal alterations
The bowieknite, the pistol, the bludgeon,
lie buried in the grave with secession and
State rights. There are lively disputes Of
course; Butler and Sunset Cox indulge in
an occasional passage; Schurz and Car
'penter exchange repar.ee; and now and then
Voorhees, flies his eagles with angry and
fervid defamation but there are no hostile
messages, no clandestine consultations. no
summouses to Bladensburg or I anada-
ho chntc that G.aJ L., IL
swords are air drawn the fierce charges
exploded in fruitless investigations. A
colored member is listened to by respect
fnl houses, and silent if not responsive
auditors; and the EXTREMIST Democrat.
even from the South, yields hearing and
reply to man like Benjamin Sterling
Turner, the Representative in Congress
from Selma, Ala, who was born slave
and is now freeman. How wonderful is
the decay of prejudices that seemed to be
eternal ? Is this the capitol where Sumner
fell under the blows of Brooks? From
which John Quincy Adams was sought to
be expelled for words spoken in debate ?
In which Toombs thundered, Keitt flashed,
and Wigfall theatened
And as turn from this profound lesson,
and look over the fair city as it stretches
before me from the west windows OF the
Congressional Library-in which I notice
colored men aud women reading in the
quiet alcoves-I find other and even better
manners. Cars traversing streets as clean
as those of Paris in her best days, and car
rying both races without protest, even from
the delicate ex- rebel ladies who are coming
back to us on their silken wings, ready to
sell guns or carry claims, as opportunity
offers; the same schools for the education
of black and white; colleges for the educa
tion of the freedmen; great savings
bank, in which tho millions of former slaves
are boarded and increased; and above all,
a free press, that prints words and distri-
butte, tt oughts which three years ago would
have raised mob and swung the writer to
the lamp post in front of his burning
dwelling And this social, political and
intellectual, revolution is vipdicated by
results which, like the glorious works Of
nature, give joy to all and real sorrow 10
none. The flowers and verdure of early
spring, that bloom and grow all around us,
are not more truly the proofs of the pro-
vidence Of God than all these changed
manners at the nations capital"