File:The story of Washington, the National Capital (1889) (14578321437).jpg

Identifier: storyofwashingto00todd (find matches)
Title: The story of Washington, the National Capital
Year: 1889 (1880s)
Authors: Todd, Charles Burr, 1849-
Subjects: White House (Washington, D.C.) United States Capitol (Washington, D.C.)
Publisher: New York London : G.P. Putnam's Sons : Knickerbocker Press
Contributing Library: Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection
Digitizing Sponsor: The Institute of Museum and Library Services through an Indiana State Library LSTA Grant

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on theSenate floor. The galleries are packed, and stairwaysand lobbies are black with humanity. The Senatefloor is densely crowded, and in the members chairsare many ladies, whose gay bonnets and brilliantdresses soften and subdue the sternness of mascu-line array. Around the Presidents chair the throngis particularly dense. One man, RepresentativeLewis of Alabama, having managed to gain theframework of one of the painted windows whichflank the Presidents throne, has cut a hole throughthe pane with his pocket-knife in order to gain a viewof the speaker. The orator is the cynosure of all eyes. He sits atthe right of the President, clad in what has come tobe known as the Whig uniform (copied in part fromthe old Continentals—blue dress-coat with large sil-ver buttons, high white cravat, and buff waistcoat);calm in the consciousness of strength—one can evensee the gleam of exultation in his eye as though thevictory were already won. So great is the desire to hear him that the opening
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no THE STORY OF WASHINGTON. ceremonies of the Senate are dispensed with. Theorator rises, stands for a moment surveying his audi-ence, then with native intuition seizes upon the onlyexpedient that will allay the suppressed excitement,the overwrought expectations of his hearers, andenable him to win, as though they were but one,their wills and sympathies.He begins : Mr. President : When the mariner has been tossedfor many days in thick weather, and on an unknown sea,he naturally avails himself of the first pause in the storm,the earliest glance of the sun, to take his latitude andascertain how far the elements have driven him from histrue course. Let us imitate this prudence ; and, beforewe float farther on the waves of this debate, refer to thepoint from which we departed, that we may, at least, beable to conjecture where we now are. ^ I ask for thereading of the resolution before the Senate. It is well done. A long-drawn sigh of relief goesup all over the chamber, and when the clerk

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