The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-03-26
Washington Letter.

AN EXCITING WEEK IN WASH
LEGTON-POLITTGS And LOVE
WIDOW OLIVER AND EX-SEN
ATOR CAMERON THE OPEN
ING OF THE 18th CONGRESS
SCENES IN THE SENATE ANL
H0USE-HOW THEY looked
THE Personnel AND TOUT EN-
SEMBLE.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 20, '79.
To the Editor of the Morrtstown Gazette:
This has been week of unusual ex.
citement in Washington. Political eau
cuses; an exciting contest for the nom.
ination of Democratic Speaker; very
close race for the Speakership, in which
the Democrats showed only a majority
of five over Republicans and Green.
hackers; the organization of a new Con
gress, so close upon the heels of the old;
and the imminence of dead lock be-
tween the executive and legislative
branches of the government, have given
those interested in politics something to
talk about, while those who have a
penchant for the prurient and scandal
lous, find unusual entertainment in the
suit which widow Oliver is waging
against the wealthy Ex-senator Gamer
on, of Pennsylvania. Washington is,
perhaps, not different from other CAPT
tails in being paradise for adventures
es and adventures, which makes it, of
course, the antipodc of paradise for
those upon whom the adventurous prey.
Not that it is meant to PREJUDICE Mrs.
divers cause by calling her an adven-
turess. Let US wait for the verdict.
Nor should it be supposed that ExSen-
ator Simon Cameron is worse than the
ninety and nine who have escaped cal
jimmy. If all the women with whom
high officials, to put it mild. have been
sentimental, were willing to put their
shoulders to the pillars, like this female
Sampson, they would level the social
fabric to the dust, or lower
Your readers know all about the or
ganization of the 10th Congress. How
dignified and decorous it was in the Sen
ate, and how rabble like and chaotic in
the House Your correspondent went
first to the Reporters gallery of the Sen
ate, to see the new Senators sworn in;
among them was the handsome George
H. Pendleton, of Ohio, who went up on
the arm of Senator Thurman; Vance, of
n. c., who was conducted to the Vice
Presidents stand by his colleague, SEN
ator Ransom. Each new Senator was
escorted by his colleague, with the ex-
ception of Jones, of louisiana; this
he will weigh more than 50 pounds) was
not escorted by Kellogg, but by the
gigantic Senator Coke, of Texas. Sen
ators Beck and Williams, of Kentucky,
made collosal pair, and they will sus-
tain Kentucky's prestige for tall men.
There was profusion of flowers in both
the Senate and the House. Gen. Logan's
desk was literally covered by magnif-
cent bouquets. The Senate was soon
and ready for business.
have never seen the galleries of the
House so crowded. 1 found the repor-
ters' gallery jammed by ladies, to the
exclusion of many correspondents, who
in very emphatic language,
their disapproval of this intrusion.
Mr.. Randall sat, pale, behind a large
boquet on the extreme Democratic side
Of the House. The fatigue of the canvass
was plainly evident in his face and in
his hating and sometimes inarticulate
speech when he addressed the House,
after his election. The strain of excite
nent was intense, for It was doubtful to |
he last moment whether the Democrats |
would have majority of all the mem |
Oers. The new member who attracted |
,he most attention from the galleries |
was Gen. Joseph E. Johnston ;he sat near |
he main isle, laughing, talking and |
gesticulating, to all appearances well
pleased with Congress in general and |
General j ohnston in particular. He is
small man, in long black frock coat,
grey pantaloons, with a physiognomy
much like that of General Sherman. l
saw him once before, on the platform
Of the railway station at Chattanooga,
cooking at a file of Federal prisoners; he
hen wore grey clothes and had three
gilt stars, surrounded by wreath, on
lis collar,
The House is now SO evenly divided
hat, looking from the Speakers stand,
ii the Democrats are on the right of the
main isle, while all the Republicans and
are on the left. As soon
8 the seats had been distributed an OPP
was given to see the tout en-
emble of the 10th Congress, as it will
&c. Those who saw it from the gal
cry were of opinion that it would COM
are fayorably with former congresses.
he Democratic side, especially, pre-
ents better general appearance than
4 the former congress, though some of
heir most conspicuous and ablest men,
S Potter, Hewitt, Durham, Glover and
outhard are gone. On the Republican
de many familiar faces are missed.
he grotesque presence of General But
,r is no longer in the capitol, but his
dmirers may gaze upon him in the City
TaIl, where he conducts the defence in
he Oliver Cameron breach of promise
ase. His distinguished looking col
,ague Gen. Banks has left the capitol,
erhaps forever, and the white head Of
[artin l. Townsend is ne longer con-
,icuous on the Republican side. The
democrats are a better dressed and
andsomer body of men than the former
while the Republicans present
!, array of younger faces. c. A. s.