Year: 1872

A Glance at the Senate

 Nov we will go and see the Senators,

 said our Washington friend in very much

 the same manner that he would have used

 in showing off some Fare natural curiosity,

 and 10 the Senate galleries we accordingly

 turned our weary steps. Looking through

 the door as we passed along the corridor

 we notice that the seats are all filled, for

 the senate just now is the great object of : attraction, We receive cordial invitation

 not to enter the Diplomatic gallery as we

 pass by and availed ourselves of the oppor-

 tunity 10 remain outside and wait till an

 emerging party gave us an eligible seat.

 Fairly seated and looking below on the

 busy scene on the floor, our first impression

 is that the days session has just concluded,

 for no particular business seems to be going

 forward. CofaX is talking with gentle

 man at his elbow, several of the Senators

 are reading at their desks one or two are

 asleep; goodly number occupy the sofas

 at the rear of the chamber chatting with

 the privileged few who have gained admis-

 sion thereto; perhaps half dozen are list

 ening to one who speaks little louder than

 the rest. But see am wrong in suppos-

 ing that the senate of the United States is

 not in full blast when its members are thus

 occupied, for presently Colfax nses and states the question rapidly and orders the yeas and nays thercupon. While the red nosed orderly sergeant is calling the roll,

 let us try and pick out the notables whose names have become as familiar in our mouths as household words" One nced not look twice at the face of Schuyler Col. fax to know that when he is alone he is in first-rate company. His is pleasant face, an honest face, and more than all thor oughly good face He is master ot the st- uation to, when he is presiding over the senate. A thorough parliamentariun. I should not be in the least surprised if he were able to tell our folks who used to ail their crudition in the halls of debate last winter, thing or two about parliamentary tactics. His is not an easy life. A man who is obliged to sit and hear the endless vaporing going on before him; who must be ever on the alert to preserve order among heated and contending factions, fairly and honestly earns all that he receives in honor and in money. But while we have been talking about the Vice President, the roll call has been dispatched and gas and bun comhe resumed. This tall gentleman below us, who has just obtained the floor and is speaking in voice which witty cores pendent from Washington describes as " thunder with a hard cold" is Charles Sumner. He is generally the first man on the floor who is pointed out to ye represen- tatiye from the rural districts, and when he rises to speak, a simultaneous nudge goes around the gallery and unanimous whis- per, "Thats him! !" "that's Sumner!', Charles seems somehow to know this fact, for in his seat he eyes the galleries ire quentlY. He is a man who would attract attention anywhere tall, broad shouldered, inclining little to corpulency, a massive head, and if there is any such thing here in America, pat'1cian face. Call him crochety if you please, theorizer an inn practicable man, you must allow that Char les Summers political record is a straight one. A man of one idea perhaps, but to that idea he has been ever true. Just now Sawyer of South Carolina has been doing something he ought not to have done, or has left unsaid something he ought to have said, and Sumner is laying the whip about his ears. This makes Sawyer mad way up on top of his shining bald head, and pres- ently he gets up and says it is "no such thing" Sumner rejoins by telling him "he is another" or words to that effect. Meanwhile "Greeny" from Salisbury sits up iE the gallery and wonders how all that edifying conversation is to advance the legislative interests of the United States. That however makes no preceptible differ ence in the conduct of the debate. Just in front of Sumner sits a man who bears striking resemblance to the quandom Lake vile Academy Principal, Howell. I don't believe it is him however, because he is presently addressed as the senator from Missouri, and it leaks out that his name is Schurz-a pleasant name too. 1 have heard it called Shirts, Skurze, CAurtg, and other eurhonious names too numerous to mention. He is cheek 6y joaol with Sum- ner. His nose is in Summers ear two thirds | of the time, and the other third they are hugging each other. A partial result of this love making is seen few days later, when Sumner introduces his celebrated resolution sundry sales of ordnance, the '' French arms scandal" as the Cincinnati delights to term it. Well, ' Shirts is talanted man and the Ameri- can Germans may we'll be proud of him. A near neighbor of the German sits our MT Ferry. A day or two before our visit he made very able speech in the senate and le is now placed Tn the front rank of the ,ladiators. Connecticut need not be asham- d of her senators. but, nevertheless, not know man would like