Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-12-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.
onr Regnlar Correspondent.

hC 5AahNA Oiu SapAOOA buAA"AAS "lNS
thronged with people on the opening
day of Congress. The House CALLER
les were crowded, as they always are
on any special occasion, long before
the hour arrived and many hundreds
of visitors turned sorrowfully away,
unable to gain admission. The Dip
lomatic gallery and the little "pri-
vate" gallery adjoining were the only
break in the sea of faces. In the
former sat only the japanese Lega-
ton, and in the latter Mrs. Hayes
and her small daughter. The repor-
ters' gallery bloomed with handsome
knights of the quill, wise as owls,
and the small section of gallery left
for anybody to occupy was black with
as many of the colored brethren as
could jam into it.
On the floor there was for half an
hour before the Speakers gavel fell
an animated scene. Members gath
cred together in little knots, shak-
ing hands, and chatting each other
pleasantly, others laughing aloud
with the broad familiarity of school
boys in term time. In the throng
were quite q number of members
elect of the next Congress who come
to get acquainted and take few les
sons of their predecessors. Above
all noticeable features of the gather
ing the most prominent was the uni
versal good nature prevailing among
members of both parties. Four years
ago when Congress assembled after
the presidential election there was a
feeling of feverish excitement every
where visible. Both sides were on
the alert and the two houses, one
Republican and the other Democrat
it, kept each an eagle eye upon the
other. This time the contest for
control of the government being set
tied beyond dispute there was time
and inclination on all sides for the
amenities of personal as well as of po-
litical friendship.
To any one who has been in Wash
ington long time the scenes pre-
sented upon the opening of a session
of Congress have little interest IN
less there is something unusual to
be anticipated. In the absence of
any extraordinary circumstances
there is an element of sameness
about the occasion. This is espec-
tally true of the Senate-the quiet,
dignified, unruffled Senate. In that
body last Monday there was the
same formal hand. shaking among
Senators not particularly interested
in each other, the warm and hearty
clasp of those who are really friends,
the exchange of congratulations over
victory, or expressions of sorrow
over defeat, which is witnessed ev-
cry year in the chamber on the first
Monday Of December. Probably
there was little more variety in
the congratulations and condolences
from the fact of this being the presi-
Dental year, and Senators on one
side quite naturally felt more COM
Portable over the result than Sena-
tors on the other. The four Sena-
tors who looked the most subdued of
all were Messrs. Thurman, of Ohio,
Herman, of New York, Wallace, of
Pennsylvania, and Randolph, of
New Jersey, who will be succeeded
in March by Republicans, and who
probably felt that the places which
know them now will soon know
them no more forever. Mr.. Eaton,
of Connecticut, the other Democrat
to be succeeded by a Republican,
was not in his seat. There were a
good many inquiries for Senators
Conkling and Don Cameron, but
neither was present.
1t is prevalent custom for friends
and admirers Of Congressman or
Senators to send boquets and bas-
kets of flowers to their desks on
opening day. These floral tributes
were numerous in both houses on
this occasion, even the handsome
and notorious Acklen having his
share. Strange that such a charac-
ter, a regular rake, the Louisiana
goat as he has been named, should
always be ladies' favorite. But so
it is. The maddest man in Congress,
however, was Senator Voorhees,. AS
the galleries were filling up mes
senger placed upon the desk of the
Tall Sycamore" monster pyramid
six feet high, and at once surround
ed by an admiring crowd. The de-
sign of this gorgeous affair was a