Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-10

Steph6nS-Th9 Last House OI congress
 Senatorial EocentrieitIes-Wash
 Houses, ssths Season. etc., etc.
 WASHINGTON, March 7.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 The last time I saw Alexander H. Stephens was toward the close of the first session of the Forty-seventh Congress, when he second ed the motion to receive full-length portrait of Hon. Robert c. Winthrop. presented to the House of Representatives by the Com monwealth of Massachusetts, and hang it in the members lobby of the House. The scene was quite impressive. In front of the Speakers desk, resting against the reporters table, was the portrait representing the sub iect as he appeared when delivering that fla
 nous address of his at the centennial ami yersary of Yorktown. A suspension of the rules had heen asked by member from Mas sachusetts which had been unanimously ac- corded, and in behalf of his State he pre- scented the portrait. It's acceptance was moved by some one-who do not now re- menber-and at once the member from Georgia, in his shrill, penetrating voice, ex- claimed from his bath chair, ''Mr. Speaker, I second the motion," and at once from all parts of the House the members fioeked into the space in front of the Speakers desk, while MT. Stephens briefly ran over some of his earlier experiences in the House in which he had been more or less intimately associa- ted with Mr. Winthrop. He made no ges- tures but his nervous manner betrayed itself in the constant swinging of his chair from one side to the other while he hurriedly ran over the events that he deemed worthy of notice His voice filled the large room and seemed entirely incongruous as emanating from such poor, weakly body. His shriv- eled hands seemed devoid of all strength, but they clutched the tires of the wheels with 8 tenacity that characterized the owners in domitsble will. His eyes, however, shrunk- en though they were into the very back of his head. gleamed with the fire of intelli- gence. I thought then what remarkable man he was, and since his death have often recalled that scene, and something of the history of the man who fought death off from his earliest life and kept up his mental powers under a physical strain that would have crushed most human beings. Of that history there is nothing for me to say now, your own remarks having been sufficient.
 The Forty seventh Congress has ceased to be. It is thing of the past having expired noisily at few minutes after noon last Sun day. To it's credit let t Se said that little, if any, pernicious legislation was hurried through at the last moment under cover of the excitement. That is always the favorite moment of those members who have some little scheme to manipulate that will not bear to be criticised in the full light of the ses- sion On Sunday, however, there seemed to be 8 decided though unorganized, deter imitation not to let anything of the kind slip through, and whenever member succeeded in making himself sufficiently heard above kI,<f 7i-,k koc hu fho SroQ his request for unanimous consent to take up any bill was met with a voiley of ''1 objects" from friends and foes alike. Much hllarity prevailed the members talking in little knots all over the room, unmindful of the Speak er's frantic efforts to hold them in check. Short as the session has been, the vigorous use of the gavel by the strong Speaker has worn the block let into the desk to receive its blows into shapeless pulp.
 In the Senate, of course, there less disorder. That is essentially the dignified end of the Capitol, and its members feel the more seemly manner. President pro tenn David Davis, as he had announced he would do, resigned his offics on Saturday and Sena- tor Edmunds of Vermont was elected to fill his place. At least he was chosen to occupy the chair, for few men are possessed of suff- cient breadth of beam to absolutely .tiU the place of the ex Senator from Illinois. There was one AGtle OA 1-P1dy tAnb 0A0 AOb quite fill the members ideas of Senatorial dignity western Senator, who has re- gently been remarked according to the rites of the Catholic church after having been previously married by a justice of the peace, insisted upon carrying his autograph album to his various colleagues and requesting them in person to favor him with their signatures. This is duty which is generally relegated to a page and the over riding of this unwritten | law was looked upon with disgust by the | older members. To add to the impropriety 1 of his manner, this same Senator insisted | upon pointing out his new wife to his friends on the floor. She occupied seat in the la- l dies' gallery and must have felt very uncom- fortable ct being pointed at in the marked | manner her husband employed. However, | the Senator will not do so any more, for his | term of office ended last Monday and, if he wishes to write Senator before his name, he l must prefix 1t with an ex. His remarriage | was, in the eyes of the Catholic Church, al- | together irregular, in fact null and void Both he and his wife had been recently dl- vorced, and divorced people may not be mar ried in the Catholic Church while their for mer partners in matrimony are hVlng. While the fact was not absolutely suppressed, | both the lady's father and the Senator told | the priest that there was no legal obstacle to l the marriage, and the subsequent transp1ra- sion of the true facts in the case has caused | the officiating clergyman no little annoy ance-
 saw Senator do something last Saturday | morning that struck me as being rather intfa | tliq.. and yet it is only too characteristic of | ths manners of some of the western Sena- | tors. We were riding down Pennsylvania | avenue in street car, and I noticed stout, | pompous looking man, filling about two places, who was resting his hands on his out ! spread knees. An acquaintance, on the same side of the car, but separated from him by ! two or three persons, leaned forward and in 1 3 very audible tone inquired, "Win you take i up such and such bill in the Senate this !!