New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-02-03
Especial Correspondence of the Republican,
FROM WASHINGTON.

cetved-Au contempt OF OomVcEhAc
ROuse-The Difference Between Twee- |
dIedunf and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. at |
WiIIard's and Prisoners In Capitol
Cell-The Shining Political Lights of
the south-They DIsOwn Northern
Democratic DemaEOgues and Act with
Leading Republicans.
WARRINGTON, January %, 1877.
Mr.. David Dudley Field. like many others
who at home stand peerless in debate, acute
in legal ability and renowned in oratory,
finds his level in that much abused body
the Lower House of the national Legisla-
ture. Just before the House of Representa-
tives took the vote on the electoral bill last
Friday, Mr.. Field, of New York, arose in
his seat and was Immediately recognized
DIV the Speaker The auditors in the gal
leries are always on the alert to catch the
words of every speaker when he first starts
out with his argument. Upon this occasion
Mr. Field had the honor of the strictest at
tention on the part of every Representative
in the hall. It waa a full House, as the
members were ready for the roll call
upon the great issue which was about to
be decided. Murmurs and admonitions to
cease conversation we're for moment
heard throughout the audience, amid which
Mr.. Field stepped into the aisle by the side
of his desk, and in a silvery. voice 'spoke his
| little piece" upon the nom entOus question,
the settlement of which has been Source
| of agitation to the whole country. The
scene was an interesting. one-the bril-
liantIy lighted hall; the packed galleries;
distinguished public men from all over the
country on the floor by invitation Of men,
bers; outsiders standing all along the
outer row of members seats in
rows three deep; Senator Morton, who
was a visitor to the House, bent for
ward to catch the drift of the argu-
ment. Everybody expected something pro
found-the advancement of some doctrine
that would clinch the views already enun.
ciated in support of the bill; but
| in the space of two minutes the almost
breathless interest of the spectators was
superseded by the half suppressed tones of
disappointment Mr.. Fields maiden speech
fell fiat. 1t surprised everybody present
1t was a fowery peroratiOn of vapid and
somewhat stereotyped compliment to the
results obtained by committee. Merri-
ment, mingled with sstOnishment, was
manifest on the face of the audience ss he
left it to infer that he had repeatedly arisen
en- dishQbiAe during the long watches of the
night, and from his chamber window in the
House, which was formerly the Old Capi.
tol Prison, viewed the sold flag as it flOated
over the Senate Chamber About sunrise,
it appears, he got out OF bed again, pulled
back the curtains and "saw that the flag
was furled;" therefore, he said, "He knew
that the day was won" There was
some anxiety, which was manifested
by some of his hearers in an audi
BILE manner to know what day was
won and who won it. Mr. Field sat down
He looked about him with an expectant
gaze, like one who anticipated the vast con
course would rise to "dO him honor" BUt
with the exception of a very sickly attempt
at applause there was no other manifesto
ton over Mr.. Fields effort than significant
mods and murmurings that Mr., Field, as &
statesman, was a failure. He will not COPE
with but very few of the men on that floor
The Dem ocratic party could have got along
without him. Northern BourbOns anC
Southern fre-eaters can eclipse him in de
bate, rival him in legal ability, and give
him point or two in eloquence.
The Returning Board of New Orleans
have been adjudged in contempt of th'
Democratic House of Representatives; 81
was the president of the Western UniOl
Telegraph Company. The punishmen
meted out to the board and that imposed
: upon Mr.. William OrtOn was in two vsstl.
different degrees. Mr.. William Orton haC
the Sergeant-at-Arms and his deputie
dance attendance upon him while h
feasted at Willard's. The Returning Boar
of Louisiana have been kept locked up il
! one of the worst committee rooms OF the
Capitol; ill-ventilated, unwhOlesome an(
} partly under ground. Corporations lik
railroad and telegraph companies do no
} fear i'll. treatment at the hands of Demo
cratic Congressmen, because such corpora
tions can own them if 30 be their desire
r but Republicans from far-off States serv
J the purpose of allowing Dem Ocrats to ven
) their hatred of the Republican party whe
they adiudge any members of that party il
, contempt of the Democratic House.
] The ex.Confederates cried out th'
, other day, when the Returning
. Board was before the bar of the House
"They ought to be put in the oommO
jail.o A Republican sarcastiely replied
l "Why don't you take them out and han
, them and be done with it," That Reput
: hcan member probably meant this as q joke
but there was plenty of ex-Confederates o
that floor, SO bitter are they against loya
' man, that they would hang every one Q
that board but for the fear of public opiI
ion. The apOlOgists of the horrors of Andei
1 soaville, Libby Prison and Salisbury o
that floor, within their own hearts, are wist
I ing they could put not only the Returnin
! ! Board of Louisiana, but every other prom
nent Republican who has prevented theI
from continuing their murders in the Sout
into the common jail. that the scenes of tn
!. rebel prison pens might be reproduced Iti
with great dificulty the hOt-headed SOuther
demagogues in Congress can be restraine
\ from launching out into q red hot TRAD
Z against loyal men in the South, wheneve
: they are brought before this Democrati
' House. Time is bringing wondrous change
: in the political world, however; tn