Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-03-23
HIGH JOINTS.
a Pen-Picture of the Commission

Mary Clemmcr, in letter from
Washington to the Cincinnati Cou-
merci"/, thus describes the Electoral
Commission in session:
"lhe gold and azure of the inrom-
parable day FILTERED in through the
crevices us the curtains to play hide
and seek on the bald heads aud
across the gray locks of the Judges.
They sa III Il row without their
gowns, and looked wider awake than
usual. The little pent up gallery
above their heads, where Dolly
Madison, Mrs. Livingston, Mrs.
Adams and the bellies of that day
used to sit, was now well packed
with knights of the press, looking,
listening and writing dispatches.
Opposite the judges, on white brack-
els against the wall, were the busts
OF their distinguished predecessors
fancy without his wrinkles;
Chase, with little Of his living beau
ty; john Jay by Frazce, and Oliver
Ellsworth by Auger. Here is john
Marshall, who was Chief Justice and
Secretary Of Stale 1T the same time,
and ali the rest OF this illustrious
line.
''The room is small, only seventy
five feet wide and torly-tiye feet high,
seni-circlc, with white walls, gray
pillars supporting the gallery, red
curtains shading the windows be-
yond then, lighted from the roof.
Its velvet carpet is Of red and brown,
It's semi circular seats lining the out
er walls are.of dark, rich mahogany.
Within a railing are the seats and
desks of the lawyers. On Il raised
dais beyond them in Il straight row,
sit the Justices. Directly before
them, this morning, stood Evarts-
slender, delicate, motionless, emit
/ ting Il steady stream of long involv
ed, splendid sentences.
"lhe Judges sat intently gazing
Oh this intellectual wonder, Field
took a calm, contemplitivc view
through his large glasses. Bradley
looked ont either side OF his very
high nose, and neither eye could
tell any tales on leother. Justice Cliff
ford sat i'll the nii'lle,big ;,> Jove, ,hu
too lazy to launch II ihunderbolt
Justice Strong, with Il white head
sharp features. and foxy eyes. Wa
tus>ing about III his chair, rs If th,
argument were Il bore. Justice Mil
Ter leaned back, the image Of ser
entity, placid as L May morning.
Then there was EImund>, looking
like Jewish law -giver; and Frelig
huysen, me'iitating on his grand
father; and Mnrton, who has The
most incongruous nose ever Sc
rs Il veStibule to SO grand Il head
1t is like Il classic tower with Il barn
door entrance. At the end sat Bay
ard, whose fine, strong head an,
face honorS his grandfather, an,
next him, Thurman, mu filed to tn,
ears in Il cashmere shawl, worn TO
neuralgia, and looking as II he ha'
the mumpS. At the opposite en'
sat Henry b. Payne, of Ohio, a class
ical looking gentleman, and .Jo>hu;
g. Abbott, OF Boston, who look
like Hawthorne; and Jas. \. Gar
field, whose head and face certalnl,
do not lack strength of outline, what
ever else they lack; and George f
Hoar, of Massachusetts, trim, clea
cut and gray; and Eppa Hunton, o
Virginia, with pug nose, coarse
cast and uuilluminaled eyes and ;
big head.
"Among the lawyers within ths
circle leaned lank Stanley Matthews
looking like Brigham Young; and Il,
straight as a-ramrol beside him Sa
up David Dudley Field, like Il medi
tative and disapp inled cat, who has
just missed his prey There is some
thing Enthusiastically feline III the cold
pale, halt shut eyes, and 'he halt cr,
el face lines, radialing from the long
hard shut mouth of this man. Ii
height and head he is not with ~
majesty; but Nature. when she fash
ioned, left out that final drop of di
vine sympathy which makes tn,
highest kin to the lowlicSt in human
want and tenderness, and instead, le
the ichor of pride thin his blood ant
spoil his temperament"