The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-11-30
WASHINGTON.

The Senatorial Csisis.-HoU IL wos
JrougM Dramatis Persona.
Episodes and Sketches.-HH and
BdgdJd. - Biucher in Neraia. -
G1Ouchy in Oregon. = Blaine IN
MojRe, and Patterson in Court
U,u1y up The reserves; acouid that
Mcy or nigM 'coaM comet
WAsnNGToN, ID. c., Nov. 20, 1877.
You have been made acquainted ere
this, with the historical fact, that the
Democrats have gained, for a moment
at least, control of the Senate, through
the detection of two Southern Republic
cans. This in European governments
would be called crisis, and any cpl
sodcs of the transfer or seizure of the
legislative sccptre cannot but be infer
esting.
10 careless lockers Oh from the gal
lcries there was nothing of unusual in
tercst occurring on last "Wednesday in
the American House of Lords. True,
the famous Senator Ben. Hill was max
ing a speech OH the Kellogg VS.. Spoflord
and Corbin VS.. Butler cases, and he was
listened to very attentively by the Dem
ocratic Senators, who filled their seats
Senators paid little attention to the re-
marks OF the peer from Georgia. Senator
Conkling, especially, seemed studiously
inattentive, but it is characteristic of
this senator to treat rs "trifics light as
air." the remarks of both friend and
foe. Mr.. Hill talked on and on. and
the galleries listened anxiously for the
rash bursts of cloquenec for which he is
famous; but there was not Il spark of
fire in anything he said. lie had evil
IDENTITY no intention of repeating the
blundcr of his amnesty rhetoric. Ii was
his first speech in the Senate. or, at
least, in the United States Senate. but
he spoke cXtcmporancously, without
notes, and with as little embarrassment
as il he were at home again in the Con-
federate Senate, or before a Georgia
court. In all that he says. Mr.. Hill has
the perfect reliant, though unobtrusivc,
poise of man conscious but not vain OF
pcership with the attest.
Twice Senator Mitchell, from Oregon,
of the committee on elections. interrupt
ed him with questions, but quickly sat
down, non-plusscd with ready replies
and Hurried and excited by his own he
roic daring. There is no place where
the contrast between weak and able
men is more pronounced than in the
arena of the United States Senate. II
Senator Mitchell had been compelled at
that moment TO appeal TO the galleries,
as in the gladatorial contests of old. re-
vcrsed thumbs would have condemned
him to legislative death: such is our
cxecration of the crime of mediocrity in
national councils. Mr.. Hill did not
speak longer than twenty-five minutes,
and after few passes with parliament
tary foils between Senators IIoar,
Thurman, and Conkling, Senator Bay
ard of Delaware gained the floor. Mr..
Bayard can say less, in more good En-
glish than any senator in the chamber
His presence is noble, his manner is
dignifed, his rhetoric is chaste. and his
speeches are interminable. He is the
Democratic resource for the consump-
ton of time. On any question, and
without moments preparation, he can
talk inoflcnsivcly, as regards grammar
logic, or rhetoric, for two hours, watch
in hand. The old habitucs of the gal.
lery, and especially the veteran journal.
lists who have begun to crowd the re-
portcr's division, realize that beneath
all this dignitied flow of irrelevant talk
: and superficial placidity of grave scna.
tors, there is i'll progress n portentOu,
struggle, n struggle that will mark al
epoch in nations history, civilized
T bloodlcss reimbursement of policies, sucl
as have been decided in past ages only
by an increase of the census of widows
and orphans. The Democratic rank.
are very compact, every senator is il
his seat or in sight of it. The Republi.
cans are not prepared for battle thai
must depend entirely Oh numerical SUI
periority. Two of their senators are
absent. The Bonanza senator of Ncva
vada has not been in his seat this SEES
sion, and Senator Patterson of Soutl
Carolina is in the court room, where the
murdercss of Lincoln was convicted, to
answer the charges of bribery and cor
ruption. But the Democrats seem ever
more anxious than the Republicans fol
his presence in the senate chamber. lie
has been suspected of late, and there i,
significance in the fact that, notwth
standing his protracted absence at trial
he has neglected to pair with Demo
crat. Senator Patterson did not put il
an appearance, but in spite of his alb
sence, the Democrats had majority o
years the control of the senate on, an,
vital political question was in the hands
of the Democrats. On the following
day, there was an adjournment TO SAVE
time, and hurry up the reserve, Shar
ON, of Nevada, the Butcher who, ii i
hoped, will skip across the conlinen
and arrive in time to save the day; bu
with the votes of Conovcr and Patter
son, the Democrats will still have a ma
= iority of one. Their plan is first to sea
Butler and Epstis, and with this rein
forccmcnt TO beat Kellogg and sea
SpoilOrd. Maine and Oregon are pair
ed in Senators Blaine and Grover, VIII,
are at home in their respective states
Blaine is expected to arrive on Monday
t and it is said his pair with Grover vii
be broken. Altogether the situation i
= very exciting, and there is Il prospec
+ for the development of much bad feel
| ing. Much will depend upon the rul
l ings of the vice-president on the ques
I tons of procedure in the motions nov
| before the senate.
: Yesterday, there was caucus of Re
, publican senators, which was attende,
a by Mr.. Patterson, but not by Mr. Como
: yer. There was nothing definitely de
cided upon, and after "A talk of hal
F., hours duration the caucus adjourned
"A Next "Wednesday has been indicated a
: the day for adjournment of the extr
session, but il is all uncertain. No sen
. ator or member can more than guess q
( the time, and since the regular session
I will begin with the following Monday
: the adjournment will he only formal.
= G. +. s.