The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-06-07

| A CONGRESSMAN AND DOOR-KEEPER. A
COMMITTEE ROOM. 'sHoO FLY IN THE
| CITIZENS ABROAD. THE COLuRED MAN IN
SOCIETY. JENNIE COLLINS on CAPITAL
AND LABOR. CREDIT MOBETIER.
On the 1st of February all the Virgnian del
eSation were seated except Mr.. Segar, who
claimed to represent the State at large, but upon
whose ease the Elections Committee subse-
quently reported unfavorably. Louisiana was
represented in the HOUSE by single member,
| Mr. Sheldon, Republican. The others of the
| delegation were Democrats and their seats
were contested Mississippi was NOT yet ad-
mitted. and it was subject of comment that
the State after having elected Republican
Governor, Republican legislature and two
| Republlcan L. >. senator's should not ha' e been
permitted TO come into the Union without sub
mittng to the same conditions imposed ON Nir-
| glnla. A curious point was raised at this time
| With regard to the fifteenth amendment. To
secure its adoption it must be ratified by two
| thirds of the whole number of States. Certain
| Southern States had been admitted into the
| Union on condition that they first ratified this
amendment. Were they states of the Union
when they so ratified, and when they had no
| representatives. in Congress: If not, then
would not their adoption of the amendment
90 for naught. If they were States why were
| they not represented in Congress? Another
exciting political incident was the rejection BY
| the Senate of the nomination of Mr.. +. Il. Hoar
to a seat on the Supreme Bench Only three
Southern SenatorS-Warneio of Alabama. Lewis
of Virginia, and Gilbert OF Florda-voted for
| confirmation; he Democrats were united in the
negative and the Republicans divided. The
vote was 30 to p. 1t wa, predicted that this
would lead to long expected hostilties between
the President and the Senate
| North Carolina rcioiccd in the possession of a
very dimnutiye and juvenile looking Congress
man named Cobb. The NJ. g. sought an inter-
view with the Postmaster General but not az
riyng At the Department Unit! after he hour
when the public are shut out. he was confront-
ed by grim doorkceper who guarded the en-
trance. The following dialogue ensued;
Cobb. Gnavery pompous toncl II want to
see the Postmaster General"
| Door-kreper ''T0O late, sir DEPARTMENTS
closed"
Cobb drawing himself up to his full height
of five feet or thcreabout.j 80 You know
who am: am member Of Congress-
Door-kecper (Sarcastcally ana gontcmpttl-
ously) "Oh You get out. You can't play that
on me-
Cobb got out" lie did not get in at all
| events.
| The Senate Judiciary Committee WAS investi-
eating Georgia, and sketch is given Of the
committee room and its occupants. At the eX-
tremc western corner of the capital building,
and on the lower floor, il door bearing in Gilt
letters the word Judiciary. Like all the other
committee rooms this il handsomely rarpctcd.
| elegantly furnished. ANA has high, archod and
gorgeouSly frescoed ceiling. At one end of a
| heavy mahogany table which stands III the cen
tire of the room, sits Senator Trumbull chair
| man of the committee He has the manner Of
q judge on the bench and is fully alive to all
that is going on. Senator Carpenter, with the
| stump of Il cigar between his teeth, lolls in a
! large arm chair, and rolls this way and that 10
catch the remarks of the iitttrcnt speakers,
! letting nothing escape him and asking frequent
! questions. Senator ConkIing comes in while
Judge Gibson (attorney for GOV. Bullock is
reading defence Of the Bullock faction in
| Georgia, and seating himself before the wood
| fire which blazcs on the HEARTH smokes and
! trims his finger nails. Senator Rice SITS read
! ing ON the other side Of the Fireplace apparen-
| ly paying no attention to the proceedings while
! Senators Stewart and Edmunds listen attentive
| ly and put many questions Two shorthand
reporters, one employed by Bullock, take notes
| of the questions and answers
The then popular melody of ">hoo Fly at
last penetrated Congress. It was given to a
crowded House by the Butler minstrel troupe.
| led by Butler himself with sunset" Cox AS
endlnan The following is quoted from one of
/ the many critiqucs on the performance:
| A Republican member had charged the un-
! amIabe mlIltla General from Massachusetts
/ with ab>enteelsm and the making of money
outside his salary charges which would eN-
! PLAN his Willingness to forego his own mileage
and to support the pending motion; but Mr..
| Cox rising, proceeded to defend Butler from
| these asperSionS IN a pleasant but irOnicai WAY.
| tie deSlred he said, to defend Gen. Buffers
| polltlcal career his commercial career his evil
career, his career in Dutch Gap and all the WAY
| through the Dutch Gap Canal; his mode of get
! ting greenbackS, and the way, perhaps, in
| which he took gold, &C.. &c., and 50 made Il
| very witty speech. During this Butler. amid
| lhe increasing merrmcnt marched over to the
! Democratic side, and leaning over the corner
| OF desk, stuck his impudent face almost into
| that OF Mr.. Cox, receiving in turn the plump
/ Sc>ticuiatipn> and ironical words of the mem
| Der from New York. Butler evidently felt
| hurt, for after Mr.. Cox sat down He remained
leaning on the desk for a moment, wearing an
| expression which on y his face could wear, and
then he rolled back to the Republican side.
Judge Davis got the floor but Welded to But
! ler and the latter proceeded to speak of the IL
regular ties OF the mileage system, but rs he was
about to sit down his wrath boiled over and
turning sdeWise TO his tormentor, and waving
/ his hand toward Mr. Cox. he said in patron
izing tone, 'Shoo fly, don't bodder me-" This
created great laughter. and Mr.. COX. who had
an answer ready. could not make himself heard.
Later he got the floor and characterized But
| lers negro minstrel quotation as absurd; no fly
nor any sting Of reproach could bother or irri-
tate the pachydermatouS hide of the dete noi' of
the Republican party. The member from Mas
sachusetS seemed to have no human cuticle
be betrayed no sensibility as TO his position; ne
did not even comprehend that he was disgraced
before the country. When his own Republican
colleague told him he was Il thief and robber
he called for no investigation; it was left for
him (CoX) to defend him. Why did he stand
here prescribed, socially and politically. Why
did he reserve his fire, as in the army, ALWAYS
for his friends? Why did he retreat like Il
bomb-proof soldier: When Mr.. Cox had got
thus far, Mr.. Dawes called him to order. This
was the worst blow of all, w. Dawes protecting
| Butler. The latter. who betrayed his anger
and modification, first by turning white and
red in the face, and wrggng about in his seat
and at last by fleeing from the Hall, was no.
where to be seen. Mr.. Cox concluded. and it
was generally conceded that no fly was ever
so ''bothered" before.
Reconstruction proceeded slowly the fol-
| lowing record indicates:
Feb. H. The debates over the unreconstruct-
ed States are becoming insutferaby tedious
First Georgia, then Virginia, then (and now)
Mississippi, with Il probability of having Ge0r-
gia up again, and with Texas TO follow; and
over each State the same long days of weary
debate and the self>ame arguments over and
over again.
In addressing the House on Il resolution call.
ing upon the President to inform Congress con
cernng the Fenan prisoners, Mr. Eldricge
of Wisconsin, said:
If it be the last word speak and the last
vote shall ever give in the American Con.
gress, it shall be in favor of this resolution, sc
that the humblest citizen, native or naturaliZed
may know that to be an American citizen is tC