The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1881-02-15
Senatorial Separation.

Stbitis VIII be bit sd tibS VI lhO
rugged old cronies of the United
States senate, who, though belong
ing to widely different political
schools, vet were held in friendly
relations by hooks of steel. The
David and Jonathan of the bible
were not divided in their deaths,
but in our day and generation
Thurman is taken and Edmunds is
left. Both Edmunds and Thurman
have been regarded on all sides as
great constitutional lawyers. They
have been drawn together oddly
enough, and in leaving the senate
Thurman's greatest regret may be
that II forces him from the fellow
ship Of Edmunds, while among
those who stay and those who
come afresh, the green noun
taiBeer will look I'm vain for so
comfortable crony as the gentle
man from Ohio. The picture
which Howard Carroll draws VI
the grave tricks and solemn man
ners of these two old souls when
athirst for the near companionship
of one another and the jug is SO
neat as to Justify reproduction at
length:
The two senators almost iHvaria-
by take in company that refresh
ment and little stimulant which
they NAV find necessary during a
long and tiresume session. On
such occasions their movements are
quite as eccentric as they are anus
ing, and to the initiated, well un-
derstood. When the opportunity
offers or the spirit moves, one or the
other of them-it is sometimes one
and then the other-will solemnly
and slowly rise IN his place and
look slyly and significantly toward
his brother senator. Then the lat
ter will in moment be seen also
to rise in his place. Then they go
out of the chamber, always from
dferent doors, and always solemn
ly and slowly. In the same man
mer they go, by different stairways,
down to their committee-roo
There they meet, enter together,
and the door is closed upon the
outside world. What they do
upon the inside can only be sur
missed, but it Is noticeable that
when they have been so closeted
for few moments they invariably
return to the senate chamber look
ing very much refreshed and
strengthened. Sometimes one re-
turns before the other. At such
times, if it happens that vote be
in progress, and, Ejmunds being
absent, Thurman's name is call
ed, that gentleman, with the ut
most gravity, though a close
observer may notice sly
twitch in his eye, always replies:
"Upon this question, Mr.. President,
| am paired with my honored friend,
the senator from Vermont. If he
were present he would vote mo-
should vste yes" Exactly in the
same fashion, if the great republi-
can senator be the FIRST in the cham
Der and Mr.. Thurman is absent
during roll-call, the tall, straight
form Of the latter may be seen
slowly rising, and there comes in
deep tones from the close-cut and
scarcely moving lips, the words:
"UpOn thatquestion, Mr.. President,
l am pared with my honored
friend, the senator from Ohio, If
he were present he would vote yes
Il should vote no." "Then, slow
ly the senator from Vermont takes
his seat, and shortly after, when
his honored friend, the senator from
Ohio, is again in his place, and has
used his now historical banana
handkerchief, they exchange glanc-
es and 60 back to work"
This picture would be pleasant
even to a bowling teetotaler il he
could be brought to recognize the
frailty Of poor human nature.