Weekly Trinity journal., 1873-04-05
THE SENATE.

A Washington correspondent of the
New York EUening Post gives the fol-
lowing pen portraits of United States
Senators
In the Senate its members are almost
entirely new, Messrs. Sumner, Cameron
Anthony, Hamlin and Chandler are the
only Senators who were in the Senate in
the Thirty-sixth Congress, and with the
exception of Vice President Wilson, are
the only members of that Senate who are
now in public life. What changes doz-
en- years have made
1t belongs to the truth Of history " to
acknowledge that the Senate of the
United States is not, as body, composed
of great orators and great statesmen, or
even of men of rare culture. AS mere
scholar, Mr.. Sumner stands at the head.
AS mere writer of speeches, without
profound thought, or solidity of judg-
ment, or comprehensive knowledge, Mr..
Schurz ranks among the first. AS Wig
orous thinker, and the best party leader,
Mr.. Morton has no equal. AS general
debater, as an elegant scholar, as grace
ful rhetorician, Roscoe Conkling stands
high. AS man of common sense, al
ways trustworthy and upright, Mr.. Buck
ingham stands very high. Educated in
the school of practical wisdom, he is one
of the most valuable of our public men.
Mr.. Sherman is another hard working,
useful man, who shapes and fashions leg
lation. AS a lawyer, perhaps the col
leage of Mr.. Sherman, Senator Thurman,
is the first in the chamber. He is thor
oughly trained and his opinions carry
great influence. His strong party preju-
dices, however, sometimes give color
even to his legal opinions. He is the
strong man on his side Of the Senate. As
a viglant sentinel and a persistent critic
Of everything that comes before the SEN
ate, Mr.. Edmunds, of Vermont, stands
chief. He is regarded as "a chronic OBJ
jector :" and while he prevents some bad
legislation, he stands in the way of much
that is just and right. He seems to be
wholly destitute of all feeling. lie looks
rs if he was made out of Vermont gran
ite, and is as cold and unimpressible.
He is mere lawyer, and has practiced
too long before the small courts in the
small State he in part represents, ever to
make a real statesman. He is narrow in
view, technical in practice, and seems to
act as if only happy and right when OBJ
jecting to everything.
The new Senator from California, Mr..
Sargent. late member of the House,
will be found most active, watchful and
useful man. He brings large experience,
mature judgment and earnest purpose,
and is n positive man. Tho Southern
States have no strong men ON the
floor, unless among some of the new
members. One of the very best of the
Senators from the South, Mr.. Sawyer, of
South Carolina, retired on the 4th inst,
and made way for Senator Patterson,
who is spoken of as one who has the tai
ent to make very useful legislator, and
to do the State good service.
In looking down from the gallery upon
the members Of the Senate one is not inn
pressed with the opinion that the Senate
Of the United States is Of the most able
or dignifed body of men that ever were
gathered to legislate for forty millions of
people. New States bring forward new
men, and some of the older States do not
send their strong men. The northeast
State, Maine, is well represented in both
Houses. Her Senators command uni
versal respect; and many look upon
Speaker Blaine as legislator whose star
is in the Ascendant, and that "to his sheaf
all others will make obeisance."