The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-08

r NFORTUNATELY for the advo-
Gates of temperance interested I'm
the endeavors to exclude liquors
from the national capitol, the halls
w of the national legislative assem-
bly,. though occasionally purified In this
respect, never remain dry" for any
great length OF time.
In what are called the good old days"
the days when Webster. Calhoun and
other legislative giants made the forum
ring with their eloquence-statesinen
drank as a matter of course. some of
them pretty hard. and nobody thought
the worse of them for 1t. IL was the
fashion then for gentlemen to absorb an
amount of liquor that would be consid-
! cred decidedly unbecoming at the pres
ent time. and brandy or whisky In stin
doses furnished the Inspiration for many
a brilliant speech In senate and house,
II. in that classic epoch, any one had
suggested the idea OF excluding sp'ritu-
Gus refreshments from the capitol howl
OF indignant objurgation would have con-
veyed reproof to the impertinent re-
former.
when the century was yet only half
grown. senator's applied customarily for
their toddies at the so-called Hole In the
Wall--a small. circular room just of the
postoffice of the upper house. The latter
body. will be remembered, then occu-
pied what Is now the chamber OF the SUI
preme court and the postoffice was
across the main corridor OF the building.
on the same floor. When a wearer OF the
toga found himself in need OF n 'snifter,"
he had only to cross over TO the mails
department and pass through 1t 10 the
little circular room aforesaid, which was
about the size OF a pantry.
The privacy was absolute, only senators
being admitted. to the sacred precincts.
and the amount of good stun consumed
in that hallowed retreat ia said TO have
been enormous The immortal Daniel,
Henry Clay and Little Giant Douglas
clinked many glass and snapped many
a story there. Brandy there was for
those who preferred II, but the favorite
beverage rare old whisky-such
whisky az degenerate moderns knew not
and the price OF II was i0c. Only a dime
were the grave and reverend Legislators
| OF those days obliged to- pay for dose
| Of fluid encouragement.
The Hole In the Wall was the first SEN
ate restaurant. and the blll-of-fare for
edibes short. though 10 the point.
There was ham, guaranteed 10 have
been smoked for six months--a yorliable
sublimation Of the pork pr0duct--likewise
c6rned beef and bread and cheese; but
very little else. They served, however.
as an accompaniment for the fluids. and,
when the Hole was crowded. as was often
I the case, senators ate their sandwiches
outside. I'm the postoifice.
u
was not an employe Of the senate lie
enjoyed merely the privilege OF dispensing
liquor and comestibles there. the only
thing demanded Of him being that the
wet goods should be Of the premiere
aualite: no Inferior article could he
paimed on on the legislative palate IN
those days. Imagine the Indignation 81
a Virginia gentleman, sab. to whom
should have been offered glass 81 corn
/ Juice that retained a flavor Of tha sttlil
| The very thought f. horrible
Webster. when no had great orator
: teal effort to make. always used stiunu-
liant. and on one occasion this habit Of
his led 90 a very funny incident He was
speaking on the compromise measures.
I In 1870. and az Intervals during hiR dis
course helped himself from small ice-
water pitcher and glass which had been
! brought by page. When he had finished
Senator Walker. 81 Iowa. got up 20 reply.
and. reaching over % websters desk.
( took portion 81 the contents 81 the
/ pitcher and attempted 10 drink e.. sup
/ posing n 20 be water. In truth. how
ever, II was gin. and the honorabie gen
/ tiemsn nearly had a ~. sputtsring and
choking. while the digniled body 81 bitch
he was a member. perceivlng what the
/ trouble was. became hystsrical Win
| laughter.
Immediately above the room called the
| Hole in the Wall there used % run a cor
| ridoF. since wiped Out by alterations In the
building. and there during the last three
weeks q each congress was spread each
! day a banquet ~ .ne cost % the employees
| ~ the two houses who "chipped In" 20
pay for a. II was really very elaborate
| feast. all sorts ~ iuKuTies. including even
ferrapln and champagne. being served. and
81 was free 20 all senators and members Of
the house. The hospitality vas by no
means without a substantial object how
ever. for. az compensation for H. con-
| gress voted t9co In gold 70 each employee.
Th4z. In fact. was the beginning oe the