The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-04-30

| still flushed. apoiogiZed to the House
not to each other. \ duel WAS regarded
/ as inevitable, but mutual friends inter
vened and the next day it was formally
announced in the House that the diff
Guilty had been adjusted in Il manner
h ghly creditable to beth parties, who
again occupied the same position offriehd-
ship which had existed between them
previous to the unpleasant affair of the
| day before
The "lnileage" of congressman had
grown t" he a great abuse. each Senator.
Representative. and delegate receiving
eight dollars for every twenty miles trtv-
| eled in going to and returning from Wash
| ington. When this rate was fixed, there
were no railroads, and it was thought
| that the price of day. compensation
would be :; fair remuneration for day 5
.jnurney-twenty miles Afterwards. the
steamboats, and railroads quickened and
che,pened inland travel, but heightened
| the routes. and when the country on the
Pacific slope came to be represented, a
member of Congress from Oregon was
entitled to So 452 mileage: nor was this all.
| 1t appeared that at the close of the thir-
| tieth Congress those Senators who held
over and took their seats in the EXecu-
tive session called to ratity the appoint
ments made by President Taylor, received
what was called constructive mileage.
| forty thousand dollars. Only two Sena-
tors refused to accept this unearned gra-
tuity. which Mr. Toombs. OF Georgia,
Stigmatized in the House as "a standing
| degradation.
| Mr.. Leutze. very talented artist. petit
toned Congress to commission him to
paint for the Capitol copies of his Wash
ington Crossing the Delaware, and his
Washington Rally ing his Troops at Mon
mouth but without success. Mr.. ffealey
was equally unsuccessful with his propn-
sition to paint two large historical paint
inws for the stairways of the extensions
Of the Capitol. one representing the De
struction of the Tea in Boston IIarbnr.
and the other the Battle Of Bunker Hill:
but subsequently he received an order
| to paint the portraits Of the Presidents,
which now grace the White House. Mr..
Martin, a marine artist of recognized
| ability. also proposed in vain to paint
two large pictures, one representing the
and the Guerrero. and the other the
| night combat between the Bon Uomme
Richard and the Serapis. Indeed, there
have been scores of meritorious works of
| art offered to and declined by committees
of Congress. which has expended large
| sums in the purchase of daubs disgrace
full to the Capitol Of the nation.
SO with sculpture. Powers endeav-
ored, without success. to obtain an order
for his colossal statue of America. which
| was highly commended by competent
Judges. while Mr.. Mills was literally re-
munerated for his etfigv Of Gen. jackson
balancing himself on a brass rocking
horse. Powers accepted the situation
philosophically. and wrote to Il friend.
Il do not complain of any thing. for |
know how the world goes, as the saving
is and | try to take it calmly and pa
ticntly: holding out my net. like II fisher
man. to catch salmon. Shad, or pilchard>.
rs they may come II salmon. why then
we can eat salmon; if shad, why then the
| >had are good; butt if pilchards. why then
we can eat them. and bless God that we
have Il dinner at all.
The public amusements at Washington
during the administration Of Mr.. Fill
| more were unusually varied. Jenny
Lind sang in concert to a crowded house.
Mr.. Webster leading in the enthusiastic
applause which followed her singing and
Lola Montez danced in her peculiar st> le
to an audience equally large. but con-
tanning no ladies. Charlotte Cushman
appeared as Meg Merrilies. Parodi and
Dempster sang in concerts. Burton and
Broughman convulSed their hearers with
| laughter. and Forrest appeared III trag-
edy. to the delight of his admirers. Col
| John w. Forney tells a good story about
visit which he paid with Forrest to
! Henry Clay, soon after the passage of
| the compromise measure. The colonel
unguardedly complimented speech by
Senator Soule, which made Mr.. Claws
eyes flash, and he proceeded to criticSe
him very severely ending by saying,
''IIe is nothing but an actor SRA mere
| actor Then. suddenly recnllecting the
presence of the tragedian. he dropped
his tone, and turning towards Mr.. For
rest said. with a graceful gesture, -
mean. my dear sir. Il mere French actor!
! The visitors soon aitcrward took then
leave. and as they descended the staiIs
Forrest turned towards Furncy and said,
Mr.. Clay has proved, by the skill with
which he can change his manner. and the
grace with which he can make an apology
that he is better actor than Soulc.
Henry Clay breathed his last on the
morning of June %. 1852, in the room
at the National Hotel which he had oc'
cupied since his trip to Havana. Unable
to return to Ashland, he had sent for his
son Thomas, who remained with him
until his DEATH The funeral services
| r. Il Il j.,
remains were then escorted to their last
resting place near Lexington, Kentucky,
by Il joint committee Of Congress. A
noble heart ceased to beat furever,-a
long life of brilliant and self-devoted
public service was closed"
The honors secured for Colonel Ere.
mont by his father-ln-law. Mr.. Benton
for his path findings across the Rocky
| Mountains inspired other Young officers
of the army, and some civilians. with q
desire to follow his example. Returning
| to Washington. each one had wonderful
tales of adventure to relate. Even the
old travellers. who saw the phoenix expire
| in her odori(erous nest, whence the chick
soon flew forth regenerated. or who found
dead lions slam by the quilts of some
.fretful porcupine.' or who knew that
the stare of the basilsk was DEATH
| even these. who saw unicornS Craze and
| who heard mermaids sing. were ver;:-
cions when compared with the explorers
of railroad routes across the continent.