, 1877-04-21
Our Washington Letter.


L
with thronging crowd attendant upon
its last moments The scene WAS i'm
pressiye enough, but not Mt all solemn
at least in The Senate Chamber. For
the House, ! can not speak, as it WAS
impossible to get even n peep through
thronged doors. But if one ma, Judge
from the recrntproceedings, it is quite
safe to say that it had no more dignity
in death, than in its life. Some good
work it may have done, but for turbu-
lence and bitterness, crimnatiOn and
strife, let us hope the high water mark
has been reached, and that the next
Congress may not have to stem so stormy
Il sea.
The Senate Chamber has always been
like haven of rest and peace, after the
confusion and turbulence of the Housr;
so to day, it seemed to rudiatc m intlu-
encc OF quiet and dignity even beyond
its doors, for there was none of the per
sistcnce,-the eager pushing, that char
actcrizcs the people at the other END oI
the Capitol. The galleries were well
filled however; there was only standing
room at II O'Clock. The churches must
have been thinly attended, but ms
Sunday session of Congress is among the
rarest Of rare things, reverrnt chuch
goers may perhaps, be pardonen Tor
once
There seemed to he no great press OF
business, but rs the hand OF the clock
slowly passed over the last half hour
there was once or twicea little hutter OF
haste, A general laugh went over thu
Ossemblagc when house messenger ap
pcared and jumbling together his mes
sage, hurried away. A little after that,
some sheets of parchment were brought
in, which the chief messenger of the
Senate, a white haired old mar, who has
occu led his place for many years, seized
and ran with them across to the Vice
Presidents desk. The effect was little
comical, the movement was so contrary
tO his usual stald demranor. A few
words only were read, signature or n
seal. or sOmething-l could not see what,
affixed by Mr. Ferry, the papers were
passed rapidly from hand to hand, and
the, carried of again. As soon as the
clock was upon the stroke OF IL, the
gayel sounded. Mr.. Ferry then read
short address which received hearty
round of applause from floor and CALLER
les, and the thIong hcgar To disperse.
A few minutes latei ne west terrace
was black with them, and the broad cur.
we'd pathway leading to the avenue was
u river of men and women. The sun
Shoue brightly, and a strong March
breeze was abroad, making gay lutter.
ing among the bunting, with which the
lower end OF the avenue is plen titully
decorated.
Hosts of strangers, with sprinkling
of uniforms, are in the city, aud are ar.
riving by every train. An immense
tlnong of people was in attendance at
last nights session, and the Capitol, brill.
liant with light inside and out, was u
sight worth seeing. There has been n
recess from 5 o'clock until but the gal
lcries were filled some time before that
hour We remained until after 10 but
the filibustcrs and the roll call were too
much for us. The strangers to whom
it was something OF u novelty, could EN-
durs it longer and heard that three or
four hundred, some OF them ladies, re.
mained until o'clock in the morning,
when another recess was taken until ..
| am sure if there bc one person more
glad than another that the erd has come,
it must he the reading clerk, who has
had that weary roll OF three hundred and
more names to read and re.rca'l, until ]
should think his tongue would have re,
fused u,.crancc, and his reason have tor