The Republican journal., 1883-05-17

y Il.
DECEMBER, 1869. THE MEETING OF CONGRESS-.
SCENES AT THE CAPITOL. TUE PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE. A STORY OF JOHN COVODE. THE
CAPITOL MOVERS
Dec. 9th opened gloomily, with a leaden-hued
sky and fast falling rain. The hotel halls We're
crowded. Here We're M. C.s button-hoing
each other, and were themselves in turn but
ton-holed by friends and constituents and here
were gathered the lobbyists or ''memberS of the
Third House." whose influence and ability may
exceed that Of some who sign themselves Sena-
tor or NJ. c. Here, too, We're the Bohemians
mingIing with the throng, nodding to or shak-
ing hands with this one and that-bright, alert.
active, and memorizing matter with which to
electrfy the remotest section of the country on
the morrow. But as the hour of noon approach
es the crowds thin out; numerous carriages roll
towards the Capitol, whose white dome glistans
against the dark Sky. and the street cars are
packed with moist passengers whose garments
are
'Dripping like cerements.'
The gathering at tile Capitol was a motley
one. Notwithstanding the inclemcnt weather
there was strong muster OF feminnes-indecd
they nearly, if not quite. outnumbered the ruder
seX-and the galleries We're brilliant with their
bright plaids and gay ribbons. The rnatons
wards" We're out in force and all of them. from
the smallest pickaninnv to the toothlcSs mann
my or "uncc" Wore an air of independence
that almost sayored Of aggressiyenes>. They
We're evidently very much at home and enjoyed
h IL, 8
marble halls" 1t was gala day toe, for the
strong-minded female suffragists. They thrust
their sharp elbows into the rih> of lone and tln-
protected bachelors, attacked them front or rear
with their umbrellas, Or cIutchcd at their gar
ments as they forced their energetic and angl-
lar frames through the crowds Bus by twelve
o'clock everybody that can gain admittance is
seated in the galleries. In the House there were
four members to be sworn in, to whom no op-
position could be made. These We're Hon. s :
Cox, formerly Of Ohio, but now Of New York,
who was travelling II len Tie 4i,t Congress a.
sembIed; Hon. George VI, Brooks, Of Ma>sarhlI-
sets, Secretary BoUtwel'> successor; Hon. ".
II. Barnum, of Connecticut, who was detained
at home by illness when Congress mot, and
trict, Who succeeded Hon. Elihu b. Wash
burnc, After the usual prelimnaries Of PRAYER
and calling the roll the four gentlemen named
and all the Alabama delegation were called to
take the oath. Mr.. Kelley Pu.J objects to Mr.
Sherrod, of Alabama, and MI, WhittiuIore g.
CO objects to Mr.. DoN, and these gentlemen
have to stand aside, while the oath is a,lmiuis-
t,ral IN b. -+b
from Fernando Wood. Meanwhile. the Hon
john Morri>,ry, big, burly with >warthy com
peXiom, coal-black, iuXuriant ana curly hair
and beard, sits lit his desk lingering his hand
some watch chain and seemingly unconccrncd.
ON the other side Of the House il the heavy
broWed and far from handsome b. +. Butler
who is no less a terror to hi, friends than to his
enemies. The game i too small forh to-day
however, and be writes steadily. with an occs-
SionaI glance at the Speaker After appointing
committee TO wait upon the President the
House takes recess until hall-past one once
more the corridors are filed With people drift
ing aimessly to and fro, and blocking UP The
doorways. 70 the great annoyance Of those who
have business to do.
Entering the House find the Hon. : ;. Cox
a dapper and pleasant looking gentleman.
with features somewhat bronzed tn his Jour
nryingS in distant lands-thc centre OF a group
OF friends ana cong as much hand>haking as
President on reception day. There were few
men in Washington more popular personally
than Mfr. cox, and since be made niS tlrj as a
newspaper correspondent the Bohemian, feel
privileged to consider lin one Of their frater-
nifty.
There are few changes as Yet in the a~<oI,D|
Of the Senate. Hon. Lot NJ. Morrill, appeared
a, the successor Of The latc William Pit Fcsscn-
Senator, Were presented. The Governor of
Ohio had not yet appointed successor to SEN
ator Grimes. AS soon is the Senate wa, organ
lied number Of bills We're introduced and
Senator Cameron presented memorial Signed
by nearly 10000 citizens of Pennsylvania. head
ed by the leading Republicans of Philadelphia,
asking for the recognition of Cuban indcpend-
ence. This wa, the forerunner OF numerous
petitions Of the same character subsequently
presented to the Senate and House.
At half-past one the House was again called
to order, and at quarter TO two Gen. Horace
Porter appears on the floor ;l> the bearer Of the
PRESIDENTS message. As ne announces his mis-
sion he looks up at the Bohemians who throng
the reporters gallery above the speaker, With
an expression which the knights Of th4 pencil
interpret as follows: You did not get any sur
reptitiou> copies This time. boys did You" But
they don't mind il one Bit, ana continue their
sarcastic comments on everything ana every
body, in tone which often rises even above
stage whisper. But now the clerk begins to
read the message and there is comparative
qucl. Then the WaSgish correspondents be-
gin their fun again. They 'Wondcr Who wrote
the mcssaget" Was it Badeau?" OF this state
ment they say That's no news" and of that.
"Published it yesterday" 1t is noteworthy that
when mention was made in the message Of po-
tlca affairs in Georgia and the State was SEN
fenced to further reconstruction, there was loud
applause; and it would have been long, too had
not the Speaker (Blaine) checked it; but when
the prompt admission of the Senators and Repre-
sentatiNeS from Virginia was recommended,
there was deep silence. When the recommended
tOn of in increase of salaries to the Justices of
the Supreme Court was read, with the somewhat
sarcastic reference TO the manner in which
members had taken care of themSelves-thc
salary grab"-there was laughter from the
NJ. C.'s on the floor; As there was also when
the abolition of the frankng privilege was ad-
vocated. With these exceptions the reading
proceeded quietly, the clerk coming to II. 5.
Grant ut fifteen minutes past two O'clock.
On the whole the message met With favorable
comment. Its brevity was one recommenda-
ton. The portions relating to the Alabama
claims and the Cuban question were generally
considered weak and unsatisfactory. The open
ing of the first paragraph in regard to Cuba was
promising and caused the hopes of Cuban SYM
pathizers to brighten; but y hen the President
proceeded to defend the Spanish government
for certain specified outrages committed on
American citizens and to pass over other
outrageS of even greater magnitude. there
was bitter disappointment indeed. 1t was con