The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-05
PORTY.NINTH CONGRESS-
WILL REASSEMBLE MONDAY TO
BEGIN THE WOBK
or Its Second and Last Session
Most Of the Senator's and Con-
gressmen Absent.


second and last session. Senators and
Representatives, most OF whom have
not shown face in Washington since
the adjournment Of the long session,
August 9th, have been coming in by
the dozen on every train, and tonight
the hotel Hobbies, which during the
past few months have been trodden
mainly by bridal parties and tourists,
are crowded with eager, talkative
congressman and politicians bent on
making things hum" For with the
return OF the Congressman the poll
ticians and Office hunters renew .heir
visits. The email fry Office seekers are
poWerless without their Congressman,
and 30 the one iaturally follows the
other. The two most popular hotel
Hobbies during the Congressional
season are Willard's and the Ma
tional, both on Pennsylvania avenue,
one at the corner Of Fourteenth street,
within block ofthe Treasury Building,
and the other about half way toward
the Capitol. The National is the re-
sort principally of Southern men, and
in the season, the followers of the
turf. The volume of traffic at Will
lard's is hardly 80 large, but it is
clsssed q little higher. Morrison
stops there, and 1t is regarded as sort
Of Democratic headquarters, especially
by Western people. And Morrison is
very fond Of the lobby. Even when
he is most brsily engaged in the
preparation OF great legislative projects
he generally finds some time during
the evening to spend in lounging
around the lobby talking with all
sorts ofpeople, politicians, newspaper
reporters, professional loafers, office
seekers, lobbyists and gentlemen. He
goes more among "the. boys" than
any other man Of equal political altl-
tude. When he is in the humor,
which he generally is when he has
not too much work on hand, he
will exchange stories with almost
any fellow who chooses to tack 9
him, and when a group Of acquaint-
ances gather around he is generally
the first to suggest a drink and visit
to the bar, which is convenient an
mex OF the lobby. His most intimate
friends like him best when he is in a
swearing mood, and he is rather in
clined in private to the use of very
large D's. Speaker Carlisle is hardly
ever met in hotel lobby or barroom.
He is more private in his habits. He
stops at the Riggs House, which is not
quite 80 democratic, and has not 50
large or so open q lobby. The fact
that Morrison, after so long service
es one at least of the leaders of the
Democratic party in the House OF
Representatives, comes to Washington
now perhaps for the last time, having
been defeated in the recent election,
makes him the object of more solicit
tude than ever before.
Many Senators and Representatives
are still out OF town, and although TO-
morrow will bring additional arrivals,
there will doubtless still be many ab-
sentees. Compared with the opening
OF new Congress, the interest at.
tached to the reassembling for the
short session is very lapguid. There
are no new Representatives, no COM
mittees to be appointed, no Speaker
to be chosen, nor other officers; no
organizing Of the House.
On the opening day of the second
session there are no more ceremonies
than on any subsequent day during
the session. At IL o'clock the Speaker
calls the House to order, and the Pres
ident pro tempore the Senate, the
chaplain offers prayer and business
proceeds, beginning with the reading
of the journal of the preceding day,
that is, the last day of the first eession.
The only special feature is the Presi-
dents annual message. One of the
first acts OF the Senate and House will
be to appoint a Joint committee
to wait on the President and
inform him that Congress is
ready to receive any communication
he may desire to send; and shortly
after that committee has waited on
the President messenger from the
White House will appear on the floor
of the House of Representatives with
a big blue envelope in his hand, and
will announce: 'Mr. Speaker, mes
cage from the President OF the United
States" A similar messenger will
convey similar message to the Sem
ate. The next thing in order will be
the reading aloud of the Presidents
message by the reading clerks. Mr..
Clevelsnd's essay last year was 80 long
that 1t took three hours to read ii.
Those who listened to it for
more than quarter of an
hour were few. The majority
did not lislen at all. The Presi-
dents message, like nearly every long
document, is read mainly to empty
chairs and foIsaken desks. And, like
everything else, the Presidents mes
sage has put a diluted interest now
compared with the interest in the
message OF year ago. 1t was the
maiden effort of new President, and
contained the basis probably CT an
important legislation; for at the be-
ginning OF q long session with a new
and eager Congress there is always
hope of important legislation but Of a
second session, which is but the flag end
OF Congress which has lost most OF
its enthusiasm, little or nothing is
effected but the passage of the appro.
priation bills necessary to meet the
expenses OF government. As a general
rule 1t sTecognizsd that the work of the
one Congress is practically over when
ever the next Congress is elected.
Representatives coming to Washing
ton now may be divided into two
classes; those who have been re-elect-
ed to the Fiftieth Congress and those
who have not. The latter naturally
regard their work as done. They
probably do not expect ever TO be in
Congress again, and their interest in
its proceedings, at all events for the
present, is gone. The former now
look forward to another election two
years hence. But any effort to make
Q record now for that event would be
labor lost. The record for the next
election will be made in the session
which Immediately precedes il.
The result OF the elections month
ago, and the many surprises they COR
tanned, are the subjects Of conversation
tonight. The scheme Of the Washing
ton police iorspying and blackmailiDg
congressman 70 also a matter Of inter-
est; but little iE said about the pros.
pective legislation of the session which
begins tomorrow. While there is a
good deal of feeling and indignation