The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-03-15
The National Senate.

To one who visits the city of Wash
ington in the winter, a chief point of at
traction must always be the scene where
the laws of the Nation are made. Even
to those who take no special interest in
politics, the two chambers of the Ma
tional Congress present curious and In
structive features.
Our republic has provided sumptuous
and imposing quarters for its legislators.
Those who see the Capitol for the first
time, rising, with its mighty dome and
its broad white marble wings, on the
crest of hill which overlooks the entire
city, are tempted to exclaim that before
it the most famous palaces and buildings
of Europe seem inferior and common
place. The interior of the noble editice
harmonizes with the beauty of its outer
aspect. On entering the great doors,
and penetrating from the rOtunda to the
many corridors which radiate in every
direction you can not fail to observe the
most expensive decoration and the most
elaborate beauty of adornment. Some
of these corridors are frescoed in the
choicest colors and devices of Italian
art; even the walls of the committee
rooms are hidden beneath this brilliant
and artistic hsndiwork. The great hall
in which the United States Senate holds
It's sessions Is square in shape; and is
adorned with simple yet rich and taste
full decoration. Wide galleries, hand
some and comfortably furnished, sur
rounded its four sides. The Senators
sit at mahogany desks, ranged in semi
circle; and are provided with ample
arm-chairs. Opposite this semi-circle
rise the mahogony desks, first, of the
clerks of the body, and above this, of
the presiding officer. In the area be-
low the desks are the boys who serve as
pages and who, when a Senator raps
IN his desk, run a race with each other
20 see which will reach him first On
other side of the presiding officer, and
below him, sit, on one side the Sei geant-
at-Arms, and on the other the Door
Keeper of the Senate.
A session of the Senate is always in
teresting to the newcomer, even
though no lively or exciting debate may
l,e going forward. Promptly at noon,
The President raps sharply on his desk
with his gavel, and calls the Senators
to order. Just before, there has been
Iuuch bustling and buzzing of voices in
the chamber; for up TO the hour of be-
ginning the session every one who
chooses may go upon the floor and talk
with the Senators. As soon as the gavel
IL heard, however, all must retire except
the members and officers of the body
fiself. A soon as the Senators have
taken their seats, brief prayer is Of
fsred by the chaplain. Then a clerk
reads, in q clear voice, the record of the
previous days proceedings; after which
begins the regular business of the day
the presenting of petitions and bills and
the discussion of the measures before
the Senate.
The first part of the proceedings is
seldom of interest to the spectator; and
while 1t is going on, he has leisure TO
look around the famous assemblage, land
to take note of the personal appearance
of its more eminent members. If he is
wise, he will have bought, for ten cents,
at one of the stands in the corridors, q
little plan or diagram Of the Senate,
which tells him the seat of each Senator.
BY aid of this, he can readily find those
Senators he desires to see.
The Republican members sit together,
on the side of the center aisle to the left
of the presiding officer; the Democrats
on that to his right. Many men of Ma
tional celebrity may thus be seen and
recognized, as they sit, conversing to-
gether in low tones, or busily reading
or writing at their desks.
The Senate is q quiet, sedate, body
Its business usually goes on smoothly
and somewhat monotonously. 1t rarely
hears what we should call ga great de.
bate" The "fie!d days." such as used to
be had when such men as Webster and
Clay were members, seldom take place
in these more prosaic times. The de-
bates are more often dull and tedious
and it is rather place to see and OBJ
serve the political leaders of the coun.
try than to listen to fine and howery
examples of American eloquence.-
] Yoath's Companion.