The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1893-02-10


OF some OF my visits to the Capital, while
Congress is in session But since have
failed to do this, / take pleasure in sub
stituting a very readable Washington
letter from the pen of Mr. Smith d. Fry
The general reader understands, OF
course, that n great many things are
written for the information OF people,
who, although fully informed upon
every subject within the range OF their
business experiences, are not wholly
conversant with affairs at the national
capitol To the majority Of general
readers the facts contained in this let
ter will not be new; yet, u the younger
patrons of the paper the facts presented
viii prove beneficial, and probably In
tcresting
During sessions OF congress It is not
IN unusual thing for habitues of the
capitol TO have experiences similar to
the following. An elderly gentleman
entering tho main door of the house OF
representatives to-day said: What is
this placer Upon being informed
that it is the house Of representatives,
that all the little desks with revolving
chairs before them are occupied by the
representatives, and that upon the
platform opposite him is the chair and
desk OF Speaker Crisp, he inquired:
where is congress?" This inquiry
having been answered with the explan-
alton that this is one part of the capi-
tol set apart for congress, and that the
other part is IN the senate chamber, at
the other end of the capitol, he said:
II have been there. have seen the
senate, and now see the house, but
won't you please tell me where con.
grcss is?''
This old gentleman was by no means
an ignorant man. lie looked like
well-to-do country merchant. and he is
but type Of accrtain respectable class
who do not understand what congress
is. Thcrrare two houses Of congress,
the house OF representatives and the
senate. representatives are elected
every two years The members Of tile
present house Of representatives will
serve until nuuntime on the 18th day of
next March. when their terms of serv-
ice will expire, They will no more be
representatives in the house after that
date than If they had never been sent
there, unless they were recently re-
elected for two years. They are each
elected by direct vote Of the people.
Under the constitution the senate and
house Of representatives meet, in con-
gress assembled, on the first Monday Of
December, every year. From this fact
there has arisen u popular fullacy that
members Of congress commence their
terms in December Members OF con.
gress commence their terms, both in the
senate and in the house, Mt noon the
4th day Of March The repreSent,.-
tives hold their positions for two years,
commencing and ending on March 4.
fou will understand this better when
Your attention Is called TO the fact that
our presidents commence their terms in
March. For example, Grover Cleveland
will be inauguraied upon the 9Th of
March nest. Atthe same day and at the
same hour with The beginning of a new
executive administration new con
gross commences To exist The repre-
hentatiyes whose terms then begin are
elected 70 servetheir peoplenntil March
=, 1895. rs that time another election
will have bcenh held, and representatives
chosen 10 succeed those who constitute
the house ~ representatives for the
Fiftyth!rd congress.
The senate, which is coordinate
branch Of congress, does not altogether