The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-10-09

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it passed and repeated their prayers.
When it arrived at Florence, it was
found that it could not be got down the
| hatchway of the man-of-war sent to
carry it to Washington, and it became
necessary to charter a merchant vessel.
After some difficulty it was safely slowed
in the hole, but the captain then asserted
that he had right to take other freight,
and it was only by the payment of an
additional sum that he could be induced
to sail directly for Norfolk Roads.
When the statue was delivered at the
Washington navy yard, the trouble ap-
peared only to have commenced. 1t
was discovered that the pedestrian -
statue was sitting in chair, and that it
was nearly nude to the waist, and re-
sponsive thrill ran through the country
when Mr.. Wise declared, III debate in
the House of Representatives, that the
man does not live and never did live,
who ever saw Washington without his
shirt" The Latin inscriptions placed
by the artist upon the chair were also
criticised, and to increase the popular
discomfort it was found that the eastern
doorway of the Capitol was too small
by fourteen inches to admit the statue.
After much discussion in Congress,
and the publication of many newspaper
articles, it was decided to cut away the
masonry, and the doorway was SO en-
larged that the statue was taken to the
centre of the rotunda. Hereupon a
| fresh difficulty soon arose. The weight
was so great that the floor began to sink,
and it was found necessary to erect a
solid pedestal, commencing in the base
ment. 1t was soon evident to all, how
| ever, that the centre of the rotunda was
not the proper place for the statue, as
the figure was too large, and the light
coming from above threw the counte-
nance and neck into a cross-shadow at
all hours of the day.
Congress again discussed the location
of the statue, and finally ordered it to
| be removed to the western side of the
rotunda. 1t was found, however, that
this was not practicable, and no action
was taken until the following year, when
an appropriation was made for the re-
moval of the statue from the rotunda to
the grounds east of the Capitol, and the
erection of shelter over it. 1t was not
long before this shelter was removed by
Act of Congress, and the statue was left,
as was toucilingly said in debate, with
boundless arch of sky for canopy
Since then it has been thrice removed,
and unless sheltered from the storms it
will soon begin to disintegrate. Some
of the accessories have fallen off, and
one of the toes has been broken off.
| The vaulted arches of the old supreme
court room used to echo in those days
with the eloquence of Clay, Webster,
Choate, Sargent, Binney, Atherton,
Kennedy, BARREN, Crttenden, Phelps,
and other able lawyers. Their honors
the justices were rather a jovial set, es-
pecially Judge Story, who used to assert
that every man should laugh at least
an hour during the day, and had him
self a great fund of humorous anecdotes.
One of them, that he loved to tell, was
of Jonathan Mason, Of whom he always
spoke in high praise. 1t set forth that
at the trial of Methodist preacher for
the alleged murder of a young girl, the
evidence was entirely circumstantial,
and there was wide difference of opin-
ion concerning his guilt. One morning,
just before the opening of the court, a
brother preacher stepped up to Mason
and said, {" Sir, had dream, last night,
in which the angel Gabriel appeared
and told me that the prisoner was not
guilty" "Ah!' replied Mason, "have
him supGnaed immediately Chief
Justice fancy, although he seldom told
a story, always liked to hear one, and
used to enjoy the anecdotes which en-
livened the after-dinner consultations of
the court, although some of them had
made pilgrimages through the whole
realm of POPULARITY.
| When Congress met in December,
1871, it was evident that there could be
no harmonious action between that body
and the President, but he was not dis
posed to succumb. Writing to a friend,
he said the coming session was likely
to prove as turbulent and fractions as
any since the days of Adam. But he
added have firm grip on the reins."
| The Senate contained many able men,
Clay was in the pride of his political
power, but uneasy as a Gagged lion. Cal
houn was in the full glory of his intel
lectual magniticence. Sias Wright, Levi
| Woodbury., and Robert j. Walker were
laboring for the restoration of the Dem
ocrats to power. Benton stood sturdily,
like gnarled oak tree, defying all who
offered to oppose him. Allen, whose
loud voice had gained for him the appel
lation Of the Ohio gang spoke with
his usual vehemence. Franklin Pierce
was demonstrating his devotion to the
slave-power, while Rufus Choate poured
forth his wealth of words in debate, his
dark complexion corrugated by swollen
veins, and his great, sorrowful eyes gaz-
ing earnestly at his listeners.
In the House of Representatives there
were unusually brilliant and able men
John Quincy Adams, chairman of the
committee on foreign affairs, was the
recognized leader. Mr.. Fillmore, of New
York, a stalwart, pleasant-featured man.
with a remarkably clear-toned voice, was
chairman of the committee on ways an(
means Henry A. Wise, chairman OF
the committee on naval affairs, was able
to secure large share of patronage fol
the Norfolk Navy Yard. George n
Briggs afterwards Governor of Mas
sachusetts) who was an earnest advocate
of temperance, was chairman of thu
postal committee. Joshua r. Giddings
who was sturdy opponent of slavery a
that early day. was chairman of the com
mittee on claims. John p. Kennedy. o
Maryland, an accomplished scholar ant
popular author. was chairman of tn,
committee on commerce. Edward Stanly
of North Carolina, was chairman of tn
committee ON military affairs, Leveret
Saltenstall of the committee on manu-