Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-02
THE SENATE RESTAURANT.
How the Wise BTen Eat, Drink and En-
ioy Themselves

The Senate restaurant has become the
club room of the capitol, says Washing
ton correspondent of the Troy Times.
With a cOlored man in charge, the Sena-
tors now get the best cooking and atten-
dance in town. Representatives 90 over
there to lunch, and Senators boast of it
outside. l was talking with John Francis
the other day. He is the colored man to
whom Mr.. Edwards gave the restaurant,
with $4,000 or $1,000 a year. sDo the
Senators generally spend much money
with your l asked him. no." he went
on, ''as rule, they come down here and
eat crackers and milk. My milk is most
all cream, and they like it. Most of them
are here each day, although a few have
their lunch sent to a committee room.
Senator Morrill, always eats crackers
and milk; so do Senators HOar
and ingalls,. Mr.. Plat always
drinks tea. Senator Vest likes
to stand up to the oyster counter and take
a dozen on the shell, with some ale. Perry
Belmont is often here eating raw oysters.
Gen. Logan is very abStemiOus. Mr.. Al
drich generally eats a steak. But the best
of our custom is from the outsiders. They
eat more and higher-priced dinners than
the Senators. Generously Well, not many
OF them. They do not come down to the
walters very handsomely. The poorest
men are the most liberal. Mr.. FRYE is
kind and always has a pleasant word for
the walters; SO does Mr.. Garland. Gov.
Vance has his pockets full of dimes, and
throws them out literally. Gen. Logan,
when he feels good, is liberal, but the tips
generally come more from outsiders than
Senators. A large closet full Of bran
dy and wines stand invitingly in
plain view, Notwithstanding the rule that
no Intoxicating liquors shall be allowed.
They are sold to any one who calls, but
Mr.. Blair's remark that the restaurant is
s'the national GROCERY" was a good way
from the truth. VERY few Senators drink
to excess. Some of them have bottle or
two in their committee rooms. Mr.. Hale
entertains his friends occasionally with
wine spreads. Pendleton always has
some champagne and makes a point to
hand it around freely when the Demo-
cratic caucus meets, he being Chairman.
Up in the back room of the Senate Com
mittee on Printing Mr.. Anthony has some
thing in store. You will often see him
and Mr.. Edmunds coming from there with
pa pleased expression. Judge Thurman
was Mr.. Edmunds' companion of old.
When they went out together the Senate
blinked sympathetically. Don Cameron
invariably took wine with his nice little
lunch, served dalnuly in his private
room, Frye and Blair are the only tee
totalers in the Upper House. But drunk
enness is never seen IN these days. 1t is
in 'bad FORM" Ten years ago wine bib
bing was very common. Old Willard
salisbury, of Delaware, brother of the
present Senator, was heavy drinker and
was finally obliged to give way to his
brother. He and Jim" Nye, of Nevada,
were boon companions. Nye died in an
insane asylum. Although opposed politI-
cally, they were great chums. Then there
was McDougall, of California, who drank
himself to death. l suppose he was one
OF the brightest men who ever came
to Washington. Why, he helped sur
yey the Albany and Schenectady Rail-
road before he was eighteen years old
and was Attorney General of Illinois at
q. Many Of his bright remarks are still
treasured. Notably, one night he was
unable to reach home. Some friends
happening along found him in the gutter.
'1What, is this you, McDOugali?" they
said. ''NO-O," was the prompt answer,
I'll am Seward" McDOugall was in
the Senate with Yates, who ruined him
! self with rum. Yates reformed time and
again, only to fall still lower. The ten
dency is growing better. Newspapers
and the sharp public opinion against
much dr:1k.cS are doing their perfect
work. In the Senate to-day there is not
q man who can be termed a hard Grinker
TO the detriment Of his public duties.