Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-12-25

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On Wednesday Washington gave
itself over to Blaine. Itwas bright,
clear, somewhat frosty day. He was
to speak as l o'clock. The courtesy
of friend took us upon the floor of
the Senate. There was present such
an audience as Blaine alone can draw,
For hours before the time for his
speaking people began to fill the gal
leries. While the tide of people-la-
dies and gentlemen of all ranks and
stations, whatever is best cultured
here in Washington or visiting here
from any quarter-were troOping to
form his audience, we met Mr.. Blaine
for a moment in his committee room.
he was as bright, direct, unengrossed,
nervOusly spontaneous in his talk and
manner as though that great and dis.
tinguished audience was not alert with
expectation for his speech. He came
into the Senate Chamber a moment
before he began his speech. Whatev-
er'vanity he may have was Justly
challenged to elation. Whatever his
consciousness of power as a Senator
and an orator, it might have been a
little tremulOus then. What an au-
dience 1t was! Some said it was the
largest ever seen in the Senate. The
four immense galleries were crowded;
even the reporters space was overrun.
The ladies' galleries were gay and
afiame with handsome costumes, The
gallery doors were jammed with peo-
pie trying to wedge in. Every Sena-
ator was in his seat. The House of
Representatives poured over into the
Senate and stood in eager rows be-
hind the senatorial chairs. The diplo-
matte gallery was full; in the front
seat Mr.. Evarts, with his 1.-the, slen-
der body and his clean-shaven pale
face, with the angular, long head
above, looking as though an over
large capital topped too slight a col
umn. MIR. Evarts' face and head
were intended for Grecian, and run
all abroad into indefinite composite.
much like Mr.. Stewards. Any one of
the clerks of his department would
be taken by the unadvised for the
head Of the State Department before
himself. In seat upon the floor sat
Gen. Sherman. There was Garfield,
towering above his surroundings;
Eugene Hale, overtopped by tall men
but receiving many greetings from
Senators and Others. Proctor Knott
sat down in front of Vice President
Wheeler. In whatever direction the
man OF Maine might look was a per-
spective Of people, and in every d.
rection those who had won more or
less distinction in some department
or life. and he was the supreme and
central figure Of the hour. Every
other person and eminence there was
out an unconsidered tnteger in Q
great audience, and he was orator and
king. His speech. was printed, but
ne nad memorlzed the opening and
closing parts, and he was little ham,
pered anywhere by the reading. 1t
was put nall hour In length. From
the INST words which ne spoke, look
ing at the Senators all about him, he
was easy master OF the crowd and the
occasion. There was nothing brill
laht, notning specially eloquent In It
all. But with his great and magnet
&c iorce ne denominafed each one
present as tnougn ms Words had been
spoken d1rectly 70 the eye and ear OF
eaen. Wnat spectacle the closing
minutes OF the speech furnished. Mr..
Conkiing, who sat two seats away,
Dusy tnrOughout the whole speech In
real or simulated absorption IN his
own writing or reading, the only In.