Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-12-07

An Account Of the Opening Of that Au-
gust Body-How the Reverend senators
Looked, and What they Did During tho
First Days Session.
Special Dispatch OF the Register.
WAsHISoroS, December o.
To Washington people Congress is
theatre. and the Senators and members
occupy the same position in their minds
as the actors; but ior some reason or
other the attendance to day was unusC-
ally moderate. Instead OF crogded gal
leries everywhere, it was only The gal
leries of the House that were il!ied.
Those in the Senate were no. more than
hall filled. The proceedings were oil
vervdull character.
There was moderately fuli attend
anca upon the part OF Senators when
the lnr. lost Vice President Wheeler APP
peared in the chair, fresh from the Adj,
roniacks, where he has been concealed
during the summer, and called the
Senate to order. There were noticeable
first upon the left OF the Republican side,
the colored Senator Bruce, in tight
fitting dark blue coat; then Burnside, IN
a suit fresh from the tailor, with his
everlasting whisker and general air oil
emp,y-headedness. Matt Carpen-
ter lounged easily about, keep
Ing away from hIs desk, where
A Huge Bouquet
rested. Senator Platt, the pale and sad
dyspeptic, husged his desk with his two
arms. Senator Paddock, bronzed and
ruldy from the plains OF Nebraska, sat
and caressed his small side-whisSers
during the Chaplain's prayer. Don
Cameron, Just beside him, stood erect,
sallen and sour-iaced as usual. Ferry,
of Michigan, picked his teeth with one
hand and s,roked his buifiio-robed
vhiskers with the other. Senator An
,honv, Conkling's dear friend, gazed IN
a careless way under his glasses at
bouquet resting upon bis desk. Dawes,
looking graver ard smaller than ever,
sat all curled up, next TO Rollins.
The Sau,rrel-Hea Member
from New Hampshire. lrgalls sat i'll
front OF Dawes during the first hall an
hour OF the session. He exhibited to
the senate, with the greatest sort OF
complacency, a new, huge plaid ulster
coat, huttoned with dinner-plate but
tins from his chin TO his toes. Kirk
wood. of Iowa, fully as dilapidated and
reckless AS regards his clothes and hair
a. ever, sat in his seat as il lie were Just
going 10 slide upon the floor. Senator
uamilio1, xhO sat near him, has not
changed. He wore the same swallow
tailed coat that he had in Lincoln's
time. Teller. OF Colorado, occupied
Nipple. Mitchelps old seat, where he en-
tered into an animated conversation
with McMi Ian. Plumb, upon the out
side seat, had an interesting conversa'
ton with Senator Saunders, OF Nebas-
Sa. Tie reh-faced. bright'eyed Eaton,
of Connecticut, sat over on the Republl-
can side. Upon the Democratic side,
Pendleton and Baeard seemed to be the
two fayorites, so far as regards persona!
attention.
Bayard.
Thurman and others he'll prolonged re
c4p,ions, from the beginning 10 the
close of the afternoon session. Henry
Davis, the chief OF Uncle Sans appro'
priatious, talked business 10 some oil his
committee colleagues. Hereford, with
his usual reserved and self-important
dignity, preferred 10 he let alone. Geek
erill, Beck. Herman, Saulsberry, Harris,
and Garland were the noticeable faces
upon the Democratic side.
CoukliGg Came In
q ,it,le late, as is his custom, and upon
his coming in WAS immediately made
the centre OF all eyes. IL was noticed that
his cur,s were very near correct IN form,
and sweet IN color, as usual, but his lace
vas pale. wrinked aud somewhat worn.
He assumed ut once his usual stage bus
mess while ia the Senate oil ieignlng 20
be- deeply interested in a heap of CORE
spondence before him, and all the after
noon wrote steadily. A lew dear iriends
came up and wruug him by the hanL'
Matt Carpenter appeared to he most
Tendsrly Sympathetic.
Iocan. Pendleton. Cameron, Carpenter
aid Allison, were the Senators who
went out OF their way and wax
ga mn TO C0nSlings desk
and shook him by the hand. Senator
Elmunds stood at the left ot the centre
aisle. aSout two desks from him, con-
yrrsiny wiz William Almon Wheeler,
when COnklirg came forward toward
Eimun,.s and shook hands i'll rather
ouie, manner. Beyond this gathering
6i familiar faces in the Senate, there was
but little in that body OF interest 10 Wis
itors In the gallery, the most noted
faces were those oil two
Ensl sh Members OF Parliament,
who, with Sir Edward Thornton, came
10 look upon the American house
nf peers. lithese two Englishmen are
reasonably fair specimens ol the Eng ish
house oi Parliament, the American
Congressman can still ho'd up his head,
As far as PERSONAL appearance is concern
ed. TIE Hon. Aib,rt Peelhsd a large
w,rt upon an unusually red nose.
which stood out in bold relief. The
ruddv co,ors OF the face were set oil by
a bushy array of iron gray whlskers
and struggling hair. He looked like
some god, respectable groceryman,
while MS companion. the Hon Chase
:. Eeele. looked hu: little better.
Very few listened u the message
when it came. alter which the Senate
adjourned. j. r. d.