Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-20
OBSERVATIONS IN CONGRESS
Senatorial Speeches Generally Heard
With Apathy.
PEN PORTRAIT CT CLAY
Led the Opposition to the Claim of
Gen. St. Clair-opportunities for
Investment of British Capital
NEW YORK Fehrrarr 70 1000
BT WILLIAM f. CURTIS
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.

Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
NEW YORK, February 10, 1906
Not long ago friend picked up in
secondhand book shop an interesting cid
volume entitled Sketches of America" 1t
was published in London In 1918 and, &C
cording to the title page. is "a Narrative of
a Journey of 5000 Miles Through the East
ern and Western States of America con-
aimed in Eight Reports Addressed to the
Thirty English Families by whom the
Author was deputed, in June, 1877 to AS
certain whether any, and what Part of the
United States would be Suitable for their
Residence" The author Is Mr. Henry
Bradshaw Bearon, and he came to the
United States by the ship Washington
from the Isle of Wight with the Hon. John
Quincy Adams date ambassador to the
Court of st. James. but now Secretary of
State), his lady and family fellow
passengers There were nineteen others in
the cabin and the author says although
they were Americans you will be some
what surprised to learn that Mr., George
Washington Adams eldest OF the Sec
retary) and myself, were the only warm
friends of political liberty; a subject which,
Of course, often came under discussion
All were its advocates in some limited or
refined sense, but we stood alone in wish
ing Its extension to England, to unfortunate
ireland to France to the European CONT
nent generally, and to the brave South
Americans.
Mr.. Fearon found accommodations in New
York at Mrs Bradish's boarding house in
State street opposite the battery, and he
paid SIS week. Among his felloW-board-
ers We're Commodores Decatur, Rogers.
Warrington and Biddell, who composed
board of admiralty and were in New York
superintending the construction of sew
enty-four-gun ship
Speeches Heard With Apathy.
After visiting Boston, Saratoga, Philadel-
phia. Baltimore and other places, Mr.. Fear
on came to Washington and attended the
sessions of Congress and the Supreme
Court. MY first visit to Congress, which
assemblies at II O'Clock in the morning ana
adjourns at in the afternoon was the Sen
ate" he writes This body Is 81 present
COMPOSED of forty members, the states hay
ing increa sed from their original NUMBER
of thirteen to that of twenty. and each
state regardless of its population, sendinS
two. The gallery is open to all, without or
is taking off the hat in obedience TO a
doOrkeener: the only form to be observed
is taking off the hat in obedience to the
public notice to that effect. The chair
mans seat is central under a handsome
canopy; the members are placed on Flch
scarlet cushions, some at double, some al
single desks There are two large hres.
The room is carpeted. as Is also the gallery
1.-THE forms of business are taken from
those of our parliament, with lew Hiilloi
exceptions One point Of variation, at
least from the British senate, is that every
speech is apparently listened to, ana an,
whether good bad, whether marked by
superior excellence or by unequalsd dulI-
ness seem regarded with equal apathy ana
complete lifeless endurance, neither APP
rlause nor censure being allowed, and 1t
would not be an easy task to discern which
were felt judging from the eountenance
have heard nearly all their usual speakers
Mr. Otis of Massachusetts is an eloquent
man. but not remarkable for sohdAty or
reasoning. Mr.. Rufus King is true gen
tIa,nan and one whom, / should conceive.
has not many superiors among the public
men OF any country. Mr.. Barbour called
governor) of Virginia Is a speaker VINO per,
haps violates all the rules of theoretical
oratory but who notwithstanding, pos
sesses an Irresistible charm from his evil
dent sincerity, and the manlness OF his de-
pertinent. which. while 1t riVets the atten-
ton Of his audience, compels them TO ove
the subject Of their admiration His coun-
tenance is one of that kind which in few
moments enlists in its favor all the social
affections, and you insensibly feel anxious
and predisposed to take that side of the
argument of which so apparently kind and
able a man processes himself the advocate
A friend from Boston replied to some OBJ
serya lions of mine concerning him: i en-
tirey agree witt you in relation to Mr..
Barbour-he is a man in whom you cannot
be deceived, he carries his heart in his
hand There are in the Senate great pro
ability, and who would do credit to any ma
ton upon earth.
Representatives Hall Like 2 School.
'The representatives chamber is in the
same building and Of about twice the ex-
tent. An admission to the gallery is equal
IL easy and is also open to both sexes.
This assembly consists of nearly two hun
dred They want in appearance the age,
experience dignity and responsibility which
we associate with the idea OF legislators
and which are possessed by the superior
branch of the Congress. The interior deco
rations of this room are marked by an m
feriority to the senate, which is rather
anti-ropubican. The members SIT on very
common chairs, at Imprinted desks, winch
are placed in rows, the whole resembling a
Iancastrian school, though without It's reg
ularity. Some two or three speakers resu-
Iarly command attention; others talk on rs
long as they please, the members being &C.
cuped in writing letters ana IN reading or
folding up newspapers. rms is carried 10
such an extreme that it appears fully to
Justify the charge OF Mr. Randolph, that
the House of Representatives consisted
only of a large collection OF printer Boys
Splitting boxes are placed al the leet OF
each member, and, contrary to the prac-
tice of the upper house. at once members
and visitors wear their hats
Gen. St. Clair's Claim.
II have been present at numerous dis
cussions. among which were the subjects
of Revolutionary Claims and A General
Bankrupt Bill and Gen. St Clairs Claim.
The latter was the topic when L first en-
tered the gallery of the assembly. The
fact of his having advanced $500 of his
private property for national purposes was
nroyed by a receipt attesting it at the
time, given by the next in command. ]
was surprised to find that the question or
the repaying of this sum could be made a
subject of debate, naturally concluding that
this powerful nation would not have sur
fered itself, even for a moment, to remain
debtor to poor individuals and that the
mere fact of a revolutionary general hay-
ing fallen into distress only required TO be
known in order that he should be relieved.
To my extreme surprise and regret. how
ever l was speedily undeceived. Gen. st.
Clairs claim was so strongly opposed that