The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-07
PROCEEDINGS WERE TAME
SENATE DISCUSSED THE SUNDRY
CIVIL APPROPRIATION BILL,
And the House Spent the Day in Com
sidering the Army ReOrgan-
izatiOn Measure.

such a demand for admission to the halls
OF Congress as was made to-day People
who expected sensational developments
were at the doors of the big building before
9 o'clock, and they We're in such numbers
at the time when the doors were opened
that not to exceed half of them could find
seats in the galleries of either the Senate
or House. The people began to arrive at
the east front of the Capitol as early as 6
O'Clock, and Notwithstanding the fact that
the Thermometer registered below the freeZ-
ing point they took their places at the
doors and held them with q calm steadfast-
ness and determination of purpose worthy
of a most important quest. The arrivals
We're scattering up 10 1880 O'Clock, but after
this hour they came in large groups and
by $50 the concreted grounds in front of
the buildings We're we'll covered with strug
Cling people seeking, ingress to the building
in which they evidently expected history to
be made during the day. The large stone
steps leading to the Senate and the House
wings and to the rotunda were literally
covered.
When the doors We're opened the crowds
rushed into the Capitol through the various
openings like water from a swollen river
breaking through defective levee In five
minutes TINE all lHe pubic SdHeTleS were
filled and the crowds in the corridors We're
so dense that it was difficult to believe that
any had found seats and been removed
from the throng. On the issue of the day
the tens Of thousands who swarmed to the
Capitol believed depended peace or war.
Within, the people almost overran the blue
coated policemen. who struggled to hold
them in check In great waves the ire
sistible stream surged on up the marble
stairways to the galleries iii front of the
doors of which the great mass pressed,
women fainttng in Tiie' press old men and
children crushed by those behind
The arrangements for the reserved gall
lerles We're excellent. Special cards had
been issued, and though many failed to gain
admission, owing TO the lateness, of their
arrival those holding special tickets were
we'll cared for On the,thoor the greatest
excitement and activity. prevailed. The
leaders rushed hither and thither rallyng
their forces. Runners flew about. Here in
dignation was riot against the report that
the President would ask for discretion as to
when intervention should take place; there
a stanch supporter of the President was
counseling calmness; here a group was
discussing the probability of an alliance
between the Democrats and the dissa tisfied
Republicans; there an. appeal to a group of
Republicans was being made to stand solid
ly by the President and party organization.
In corner of the Capitol the House COM
mittee on foreign affairs was meeting. In the
old library hall the ''reconcentrados, as the
Republicans who have been urgent for ac-
ton are called, were discussing the latest
phase of the situation with stormy words.
Everywhere was the militant spirit which
xuitn Io% cfir no
quicken the pulses. No more inspiring
scene could be witnessed than was pre-
scented by the great hall of the House of
Representatives just before the House met
Tier upon tier of people in the gallery from
rail to wall stretched in unbroken lines
about the pit where the members sit, the
gay colors of the gowns and hats and flow
ers of the ladies relieving the somber black
of the garments of the men. Above the
speakers desk the festooned silk flag of
the American Republ was to the eye the
ocular symbol of the patriotism which
throbbed in the breast. And opposite the
speakers chair the great clock, with it's
guarding warriors, licked away the minutes
as the vast assemblage awaited the mess
age which did not come.
The greatest interest was maintained both
on the floor and in the galleries until it
became evident that the message would not
be sent in to-day. Members in the Hobbies
discussed the cause of this further delay in
groups. Some of them hearing that General
Lee had cabled for more time harangued
their angry colleagues who seemed to be-
lieve that there was a trick in the proposed
delay Mr.. Cooper (Rep., Wis., announced
that he believed it was to get time to bring
pressure to bear upon the insurgents. An
other said he was surprised that General
Lee had weakened" Republicans anxious
for action said that If lives of American
citizens were endangered the delay must,
of course, follow. When the news reached
the thousands in the galleries, who had been
there for hours, they left in intense disgust.
AS they pushed their way out into the
corridors some facetiops individual re-
marked: Are we entitled to rain checks"'