Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-01-09
THE NATIONAL SENATE. Z.

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i: :5ia i, ts- POSE TT.
Your correspondent, after the last senator
had left the chamber, went there, and for
awhile gazed upon its loneliness. 1t looked
as desolate as the White Sulphur in January,
or q Virginia county courthouse the day after
the circus. Silver.haired Captain Bassett,
whom neither a Democrat nor Republican
Senate will ever remove from his post as one
of the door keepers, lgazed upon the vacant
seats, as Marius did on the ruins Of Carthage,
and recalled the fact that where Webster,
Winthrop, Silas Wright and Lewis Cass once
sat, pigmies now burlesque the exalted posi-.
ton of senator. Your correspondent, from
his standpoint, only thought Of them as they
are, and made no disparaging comparisons.
He recalled Blaine as the most unscrupulous,
but the most brilliant and unlucky dema-
gogue this generation has produced; Conkling
as senator, with the head of Apollo, and
the walk-well, I won't describe it; Dawes
and Hoar, who were never more like aged
spinsters than when Blaine took them at q
disadvantage in presenting the statue Of Mr..
King to Congress, and inflicted upon them
cruel and unusual punishment; Plumb, Of
Kansas, whose record, by contrast, makes that
of redit-Mobilier statesman look immacu-
late; Ingalls,, of the same State, who is for
all the world, like lean lecturer on biology,
or tthAa man who plays the big fiddle in q bur
lesque opera; Davis, Of Illinois, who reminds
one of Dixon n. Lewis, when at light weight,
and who is as honest as he is good natured;
Edmunds, whose Darwinian face would enti-
tie him to be chief justice in the Gorilla
country, but whose admirers say resembles the
Apostle Paul Teller, of Colorado, who, if
the Senate were pack of cards, would be
tray ofspades when clubs are trumps, and yet
whom the Republicans were forced in their
extremity, to put at the head Of the Blaine
committee; Thurman, the best specimen of
an American statesman in either body, who
does not hesitate to take part in any debate,
and who is always ready to answer successful
ly the prepared speeches of the Radical lead
ers; Eaton, as an honest Bourbon who re-
fuses to learn anything under the new dispen-
sation McCreary, in appearance and orato.
ry, is like the late big.hearted and accom-
plished Judge Brockenbrough; Bayard, as
the polished, incorruptible, and accomplished
senator Lamar, who adds to oratory and cul-
ture broad statesmanship Ransom, who is
as powerful in debate as be was brave in war
Merrimon, his colleague, who knows enough
law to be on the Supreme Bench of the Uni
ted States, and who never speaks without
speaking well and to the point; Butler, who
is worthy of the honored name he bears, who
is cool when others are excited, and who is
not only strong debater, but can be as elo-
quent as Demosthenes when he pleases; Cor
don, who is the soul of gallantry and honor,
and whose senatorial career has shown that
he is as successful statesman as he was gal
liant as general; VOORHEES,, who is the most
brilliant orator in either body, and who never
fails to come to the aid Of the South, when
his services are needed Randolph, whose po-
litical faith is as fixed as the creed of Cove
nanter, and who never speaks without giving
the Senate accurate information and q strong
presentation of his side of the question; HILL
of Georgia, who is one of the most brilliant
men in either body-who is often immense,
and who, at other times, makes striking fail.
ures-From q Wash;nqton Letter.