Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-02-27
The Sen tie on q Drunk.
GRAPHIC PICTURE OF THE DIseRAcErUL SCENE

GRAPHIC PICTURE OF THE DIsGRACEFUL SCENE.
A more osgraceful sceue than the Senate dis
play ed dutIng the debate over the SILVER bill FIJI
daN night has not been seen Tor years. An all
utgut session Is never cIedtable affair. Sena-
tOIs grows careless a. the galleries empty
Boots are drawn of Men lie down al full Length
Oh TIE settees IN their stocking leet. Vests
uubut oned. All the at ltudes OF abroad car al
A. Nj. are assumed. Smoking goes GU all oven
ibe floor. The doubtful Jest, oil the cloak roo
nOat cut among the desks. Last night matters
were worse. The Senate va, unmi.tskably
iuuk. A mere su all fraction was affected, bal
thoy colured the scene just as a few Ioisy boys
make school disoIderly school. Ii Is not pleas
att 10 wule these things. 1t is worse TO
see tuem. Ii Is scandaiOus that they should
nal pen. The Senate ,af, you must re-
member, IRON noon yesterday till D this morning.
Il hour, opg. strain on any ones patience
Matters rdu smoothly enough till between Z and
:. By that time a fan p0ition Of The Senate had
"dintd." lure Was a spread IN the ser.
geAnt-at-srms room-he Is an officer under
cnaiges, not wholly secure in his seat. 1 there
was another spread IL a committeeman, conhued
pnnCi ally 10 some 81 brandy bottles and dozen
luGnbers. Other bottles were accessible In a
cloak-ioOm. Things were not set cut IN quite As
sti Aig htiorwsld way a. they used TO be four
years ago n the commttee-room of the House
devoted 10 the Committee public buildings aud
grounds, whtre whiskey barrel was tipped on
END and provided Win faucet and tin cup Tor al.
corners, but iquoG flowed neaily rs freely.
The effect showed slowly. From to 10 it was
uoticc8Oie that senators were IntetTuptIug each
other WITH great freedom and singular lack of CO
hereDcc. Abound certain seats men were shout
ug with laughter A. the drunken babbe Of sena
tUrs who leaving the room at intervals,
measuring their drinks while absent, a senator
explained 10 me, by pei ndlcuar, nsIe al of horl
Loutal, fingers. rrom 10 on there could be no
possible doubt about the condition Of affairs on The
door, and two VI three senators wives III the pri-
vate gallery, among them The wife OF an Offending
ihUmUUr, were glgg ling behind their faus oven the
fun steps grew more unsteady, faces more
flushed, Interruptions more lncoherent. a dis
uBguished senatUr from California strolied back
ana toith with that spongy and uncertain action OF
the knees which pal4tiyely sugges that one ioot
the Othti has been caug hi Ia skein OF sewing
silk. Ills arms went around every man ne met IN
some mAud'ln embrace, and both sides oil his desk
were needed when he rose 10 vote. There was
another SENATOR distinguished tor his opposition
to the peudlug bill, WHO displayed great anxiety
TO strike out the second hne VI the word gov
ernment, 4; (shrleks OF laughter; finally, by help
vi dIlgenl whispering, man prompting ami sup
porting on each SIDE he gave his aInendme ut cor
iecly, dropped back Ia drunken stupur; the
amendment was voted down; he woke, rose, re-
pealCd his amendment (Sild and ubcVntroilaOle
meirImentl repeated 1t tue third Time senators
around nIm nearly crazy with mirth), AID at lasl
Persuaded III his belOg.ed mind tie totteIed IRON
group TO group, denOUGcIng the uufArness OF d
vote On bis amendment while | was down at DIN
ner." lie dined al D. The amendment was voted
on after TO- sui third senator, for 80 years the
hoLoied leader OF great party 10 great State
passed from his seat ~ tue cloak room and the
cluakrOOm 10 Ills seat only by wide-spzrt step,
and supporting chairs, and VIXEN he reached his
seat fell there into drunken sleep IN one of the
pau-es Of a debate 10 which he was endeav oTIug
to join, did JOIN when he awoke-havlng slept
Win man numbering al him two feet IRON his
dess-with inconerent exciamations and aoubtiui
answers to slm lie PLAIN and easy Question.
There were other seualUfs less NOISY anu farther
gone-one at tul leuglh on his desk aud Chair
leg islatng on the slter question Ms Congress in-
sists on legislAing on that and many other ques-
uous, eyes shut aud mouth wide pen-Corres-
pOHdeyt Of Utica ~. ~ Herald.