Evening star., 1936-06-21

He was greatly interested, sometimea
amused, by Washington and its vicin-
ity: discovered that Virginians were
noted for their courtesy to women and
their ability to consume large numbers
of mint julaps''; that the possible
powers Of the Supreme Court were the
topic Of the day, along with the temer-
tty OF President John Quincy Adams
in installing a billiard table In the
White House.
CAPT. HALLS book of travels was
published in England, and found
its way back into the collection Of the
Alexandria Library Co, about 1880 in
the cargo of a sailing ship.
Peering down from the gallery at
the House of Representatives, the Eng
lishman admired the snug, stuffed
armchair" of each member and noted
with astonishment:
The most perfect decorum prevails
at all times in the House-no coughing
no chering-no 'Hearl Hear!'-none
Of those indeflnable but significant
sounds which are so irresistibly effica-
cious in modifying the debates of the
House Of Commons. Every member OF
Congress Is permitted to speak at any
length he pleases, without interruption.
I cannot say, however, that there Is a
correspondent degree of attention paid
to what is said: for Independently OF
the reverberations Of sound from the
dome, or the waste Of it In filling the
intercolumniations, there are other
sources Of disturbance going on which
drown q great part of what is said.
Except when some remarkably good
speaker has possession Of the floor
the members, instead Of attending TO
what is spoken, are busted in converse
tion-in writing letters-in rapping
the sand of the wet ink with their
Misunderstanding the countless multi
tude of newspapers which deluge the
House-locking or unlocking drawers
or moving up and down the avenues
which divide the ranges Of seats, and
kicking before them, at every step,
printed reports, letter covers and other
documents strewn on the floor. A cou-
pie Of very active little boys are always
seen running to and fro with armfuls
Of papers, or carrying slips OF writing
from member to member"
The powers Of the Federal judiciary
were still dubious, as the new demo-
cratic form Of government was shap-
ing itself; the Supreme Court had
with safety and effect" declared sew
eral laws of the different States to be
and void, but after
discussing the question with several
people in Washington, Capt. Hall felt
that 1t would be very doubtful whether
the court would be allowed to declare
. law Of Congress unconstitutional
"Their greatest trial. he writes, land
one to which they are liable to be
exposed at any moment, would be the
consideration Of a law Of Congress,
passed in conformity with the will Of
the people, on some subject Of high
public interest-such as that Of the
tarin-the great slave ouestion-or
the rights Of the different States In
their sovereign capacity"
THAT the mint julep was well
known and liked in Virginia
more than 100 years ago seems well
established by the captains narra-
tive. as well as that fragrant mint
beds were growing in the gardens of
inn keepers along the highways, so
that travellers on the stage coaches
might revive themselves at each stop
with a glass Of the potent beverage.
On q stage-coach trip from Freder-
lcksburg to Richmond, he reports, 10
stops were made during the at
weary" hours it took to travel 66
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