Year: 1872

From Washington correspondent Cincinnati


Commercially


But a constituency which sends a buffoon
to Congress, deliberately and with knowl-
edge, does a most thouSlItless, disgusting
and hurtful act. 1t was very funny to see
and hear Mullens, of Tennessee, get up
and bawl out i: EHAIister Speaker, want a
pint of order jest here - or to hear him
speak of the Arkansas member who had
been killed by Ku-Klllx, as he did speak in
my hearing about the late Mr.. Hines, in
the most sOrrowful and bewaiiing manner:
sinister Speaker, he has gone down to his
last grave, wrapped in the peaceful So
liloquy of his blood" 1t may be funny for
the boys in the gallery to see member put
his Zig dirty boots upon his desk, slide
down IL his chair until he sits on q spot
between the small of his back and his
neck, and go to sleep and snore during the
proceedings of the House, as an Illinois
member used to do in the Forty-first Con-
gress.


Perhaps it was amusing TO the colored
gallery to see member get to his feet by
the strongest efforts and the help of his
neighbOrs, so drunk that he could not
stand, and insist upon quarreling in an in
coherent manner with the Speaker, until
his voice was drowned by the deafening
strokes of the mallet. This exhibition was
given about year ago by a Pennsylva-
nian, who is still a member of the House.
Perhaps the sight of three or four men,
bers during the session stretched out full
length upon the sofas in the space back of
the circle of seats, all sound asleep and
sweating like bulls nose in winter, is an
inspiring view from the reporters gallery.
Perhaps it looks well to see Congressman
squirting tobacco juice in quantities rang
ing from tea spoonful to quart all over
Of of
besmearing costly carpets.


1t may be among the proprieties of a
dOwncast senator to smoke a five-cent
cigar in a hundred thousand dollar room,
as l have seen Hamlin do in the unequal
led and superb marble room of the Senate.
And it may be the right thing to do for
two members of the present House, who
pay about twenty or thirty dollars month
for board in the Washington hash-houses,
to bring lunch of some kind, and at a GER
tain hour in the day go into the room
marked Exclusively for members and eat
their luncheons in happiness. / may say,
however, that this room, notwithstanding
| its character, is the cleanest, brightest and
purest room in the capital, but 1 submit
that it is hardly the place to cat a greasy
| sandwich.


The things L have described may be
funny, amusing and laughable to the fit
less herd who go through life for no other
purpose than to find things to laugh at, but
such Congressman as / have alluded to are
positive injury to any district. They
have no influence here and no acquain-
tance; they come here with the same mar
row notions they had at home, serve out
their term, draw their pay, their mileage
and their stationery, and 60 home to the
same cramped sphere. OF course when 1
speak thus, do not mean al who chew to-
bacco or smoke five cent cigars, for many
very good and useful senators and mem
| bers would thus be unjustly included, but
l except no other class. 1t is folly to say
that such men make as good Congressman
! rs others; nobody believes it who stops to
think. AS ga man is known by the COM
pany he keeps" so is district known by
the sort of a man it sends to Congress.