The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-11-21
THE GOSSIP OF WASHINGTON

washington, November 16.-During The
vacation the supreme court room was given
Z thorough overhauling and that historic
old crescent chamber presents splendid
appearance. Everything Ia In red. o. near
~ everything. The carpet Is In red. The
sofas are IN red and everything looks red
round about. The carpet is right FROM the
iuom and rich enough for Solomon's TEMPLE.
Like all It's predecessors. 1t will last JEST
two years. Then It will be carted OF and
sold for four bits yard and aiorn the
parlor Of some lady Of Washington the ioi-
lowing ten years. 1t was In this chamter
our history. for the bearings CT he cleo
toral commission Of 1857 were a state
TRIAL and OF more interest to the public
than the impeachment proceedings brought
against Andrew johnson. 1t was nere that
Brooks assaulted Sumner. 1t was here that
Clay, Calhoun, Webster, Benton and Wright
gained their fame. for the supreme court
room is the old senate chamber.
strolled In there the other day while
the court was sitting. Eight judges were
on the bench. Field. the remaining justice.
will never again sit az member Of that
court Age and physical debility render
him unfit and he has already asked to be
retired at the end OF the present month.
A lawyer from Oregon was arguing a case,
and 1t was In relation to the constitutional
power OF the Oregon legislature to tax
mortgages In that State. The judges would
read the briefs a while and then fire Dues
ttons at him. Harlan and Gray especially
wanted to be enlightened. White and Brown
also wanted to know how their brother at
the bar had reached his conclusions White
went so far as to expound the civil law
touching the taxation OF mortgages, but the
hwyer-a young man. and no fool said
that was not the Oregon law, and, must
say. that the Oregon law ON the subject is
most peculiar one. However that may be.
l hope the court will decide In .he young
mans favor, for ] never saw that court
nre as many questions at any other lawyer
IN my lie, and he stood 1t like Tlujan.
too.
The Forakerites would defeat Mark Han
ma for the senate II they dared, but Foraker
has eggs in the Hanna basket and Foraker
Is tot the man to destroy bimgeif in order
10 punish an enemy. Hanna was nominated
by the State convention. There will be no
legislative caucus, for Hanna Is already the
nominee, so recognized by both parties dur
ing inc campaign. There is precedent in
OHIO and in other States for the defeat of
Hanna by few recalcitrauts in his own
party. That is the way Simon p. Chase
got TO the senate and that is the way Ben
wade got there. That is the way Simon
cameron got there The list is long one.
wren John Sherman Was chosen senator in
1861 the republicans of Ohio were for Rob-
ert Z. schenck- When Allen G.. Thurman
was chosen senator in 1858 the democrats
OF ONO wanted Clement l. Vallandiyham
1t was this way. Vallandigham had con-
Quoted the campaign when Thurman came
SO near an election to the office OF gov
ernor, Hayes beat him about 1900 yoreS: II
was about the first streak of dawn the dem
ocrats saw after the var. The legislature
was democratic. Vallandigham above all
thinss wanted to be senator, ana the people
ieit that he had earned it. Had Thurman
been elected governor VallaaIignn,n would
nave been chosen without opposition The
legislature chose Thurman. When Henry
d. Payne was elected senator the people
wanted George II. Pendlston. There are a
heap OF queer things In Ohio politics. That
Is why Foraker insisted On the nomination
for senator by the convention that roini-
mated Bushnell for governor the first time
ana that Is why Mark llama insisted on
n
gentlon nominated Bushnell for governor
The second time. Both Foraker and Hanna
know Ohio politics.
When Chase was elected Senator Joshua |
X. Giddings was the caucus nominee of |
the anti-slavery people; but he lacked two |
votes. Chase got those votes and the entire |
opposition, and was elected. In the memoir
able speech Of Stephen A. Douglas on tho
Kansas Nebraska bill there was inter
poated fierce quarrel between Chase and
Weller Of California over the way Chase
got to be senator. Two years after Chase
beat Giddings old Ben Wade beat Giddings
Under the same circumstances. When they
we're quite young men Wade and Giddinss
practiced law in the same town. One day
hey were on opposite sides of a case, and
while addressing the jury, at
empted to quote the well known lines of
ago:
Good name in man and woman dear. NV
lord.
s the immediate jewel of their souls;
VINO steals my purse steals trash; tits
something, nothing:
twas mine, tbs his, and has been slave
to thousands
BUT he that filches from me my good name
tobs me OF that which,
Here Giddings stammered and halted
epeating the words, OF which he had for.
otten the connection. and utterly broke
own Wade slipped up behind him and
whispered. that never had" and Gid. ,
ings, glad Of help from any quarter,
iurted out, that I never had" After
'ard they became partners In the practice
/, law and firm friends. Both were {
Sllars OF the antl-slavery party, and both
iants In their day and generation
NOW that the election is over washing :.
on Is looking with Impotence to the as
emollng OF congress. VIII there be war
Nth Spain? That would solve the Cur
ency question. for it would not be fort ,
lgnt Old before we would be on the paner
ass. shall We annex Hawaii? That r
'ouid reverse the policy Of century for /
would mean an imperial navy and a /
,a anu ha army, win the man on horseback In
ne background. Shall the government [
a ake possession OF the defaulting subsi- Q
lzed Pacific railroads? That would mean t
ie yindioation of the populist theory Of i
overnment and the putting 1t into prac-
cal operation. Complete socialism wnuId h
fAxr