The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-07-20
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
From Our Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, ID. c., July Sd. 1873
LAST HOURS OF THE SESSION.

lOIENA AAAbB1 ~ VI ahNNg S 1872 "
seven o'clock a. III. The closing days of n first or n
second Of. as in this case, there are three) sessions Of
a Congressional term, though never void Of incident
or interest, is not fraught with so much Importance,
legislatively, as the closing session Of the term. A
bill pending now can be considered at the next
session, but if il fails to pass then il will have TO be
reintroduced at some future Congress. This session,
however, closed amidst a perfect storm Of excitement,
confusion, fun, work, and something more. Until
midnight the Capitol was crowded with every class
of people, variOusly estimated in number TO be from
ten to fifteen thousand. Immediately in the east
front of the Capitol was being held and harangued q
mass meeting Of the new party-National or Green
hackers, as they are called. The galleries IN both
houses were filled to discomfort, while in corridors
and recesses were those who were too anxious TO sit
quietly and watch their vital interests handled so
recklessly by men who seemed for the nonce deter
mined to turn the chambers Of legislation into
bacchanalian halls.
THE HOUSE.
The Speaker surely never had a more headstrong,
hilarious crew TO control. lie was obliged more than
once to order the Sergeant-at-arms TO march through
the aisles with the emblematic mace, but all in vain.
They would take their seats and be submissive for IA
moment, but these bearded boys were too tired for
anything save to misbebave. Mysterious wads Of
paper and loose documents were thrown, not Of
course at the symbol Of power, but at the head Of
the digniied officer who bore it. There was more than
usual dissipation INDUCED in by reason Of the fact
that the OverwOrked clerks could not get the bills
engrossed promptly for final action so the old saw
found illustration, % Satan ever finds work for idle
hands to do"
1t is said the mistake Of a comma, or the misplace
ment of that important mark Of punctuation, cost the
Government a million Of dollars. During the last
five hours three ~intermissions occurred. After each
the members grew less and less, and ut daylight con-
siderable ingenuity had TO be used TO find n quorum.
In all this dire confusion there were a few q sober
Iniins - to keep the ship Of state from s%tranding.
Many amusing Incidents are told, but Of them one Is
sufficient to illustrate how the " Lord Of Misrule"
was honored. Towards morning, Representative
Cox, Of New York, took bis place at the Clerks desk
and began 10 read. rs "A volunteer clerk, a special
pension bill. lie was compelled to retire to his seat
by the cries of the members. The Sergeant-at-arms
again appeared and tried to restore quiet. lie pre-
scented the silver eagle before General Butler, who
in pretended alarm fled to n cloakroom. In n moment
there was a deep quiet, and MIR. Cox, still having the
poor soldier for whom a pension was proposed at
heart, made in a loud but rather hic6 voice the fol-
lowing remarkable speech -
Mr.. Speaker, this is a meritorious case he
served throughout the war, and was thoroughly
wounded in every respect"
General Butler offered a resolution, which met
with no opposition, TO make an appropriation to buy
the Speaker a new gavel " in place of the one he had
worn out in fruitless attempts to keep order" Mr..
Randall objected to the word " fruitless, " aud the
amended resolution was merrily passed. Mr.. Rainey,
a colored member from South Carolina, was one Of
the most important and conscientious workers
through the night, and when he handed the immense
parchment Of the . Sundry Civil Appropriation Bill''
to the desk, the Speaker leaned over and cordially
shook his hand, while some jolly members called out,
"Rainey, you are worth more than you ever were
before, "a good-natured reference TO his former
estate, which Mr.. Rainey had tact and position not
10 notice.
In the broad sunlight Of the summer sun the
Speaker announced the second session Of the XIV
Congress adjourned without day.
Many ladies were in the galleries even at this late
early hour, some eagerly watching some special bill
which not infrequently involved their entire living
others gathering the last items in this harvest for the
newspapers.
TIE SENATE,
Wisely tits said, went about midnight into Executive
session and drew the impervious veil of law around
what tn, : younger brothers in the House claim TO
have been very iawIsss proceedings. 1.-THE appoint
ed hour the doors were opened, and Mr.. Ferry, 10 n
few well-chosen words, thanked the Senators Tor the
courteous consideration Of the Chair bo1ed they
might safely reach their homes, and declared the
session closed.
Congressional headaches " have prevailed to a
great extent, and we are assured that they are not
confined to one branch Of that body.
FoTTER COMMITTEE.
Though the adjournment Of Congress generally
leaves q spell Of stiffness and very enjoyable quiet IN
this city, this year the lingering Of the Potter Com
mittee keeps the interest unhagging, and the news
from Washington, the restless heart Of the nation.
flashes over telegrapbic wire ia every direction 70
the e-xpectant people. Having by a tremendous vote
only fourteen dissenting-declared that the work
of the Committee had no such objective point as the
unseating Of Mr.. Hayes, but simply the determine
tion to unveil fraud, and if there was no fraud, TO
prove that fact clearly, the excitement attendant
upon its sittings has ~palpably abated. There was
probably never a crisis in domestic or political life
that had not a woman in it somewhere, AID the
French have embodied this so oft-illustrated fact in
one pithy sentence, quite characteristic. When any
kind Of a difficulty arises they ask, What IS her
name 20 This time her name il not particularly
euphonious, it is simply " Mrs. jerks and her
hame it is Scotland. where doubtless many \ mon
wishes she we're this very day. Mrs. jerks is a re-
markable character, and quite an anomaly on
the witness stand. She was brought here 10 prove
that a certain damaging letter charged to have been
psnusd by Secretary Sherman was not written by
that gentleman. So she, with the most amusing non
c~haIaacs, claims 10 hsve dictated this dread epistle. /