north america-2-第6章

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nt　as　Minister　to　Russia。　　I　do　not　know　that　it　would　become　me　here　to　repeat　the　accusations　made　against　Mr。　Cameron；　but　it　had　long　seemed　to　me　that　the　maintenance　in　such　a　position；　at　such　a　time；　of　a　gentleman　who　had　to　sustain　such　a　universal　absence　of　public　confidence；　must　have　been　most　detrimental　to　the　army　and　to　the　government。　Men　whom　one　met　in　Washington　were　not　unhappy　about　the　state　of　things；　as　I　had　seen　men　unhappy　in　the　North　and　in　the　West。　They　were　mainly　indifferent；　but　with　that　sort　of　indifference　which　arises　from　a　break　down　of　faith　in　anything。　　〃There　was　the　army！　　Yes；　the　army！　　But　what　an　army！　　Nobody　obeyed　anybody。　Nobody　did　anything！　　Nobody　thought　of　advancing！　　There　were；　perhaps；　two　hundred　thousand　men　assembled　round　Washington；　and　now　the　effort　of　supplying　them　with　food　and　clothing　was　as　much　as　could　be　accomplished！　　But　the　contractors；　in　the　mean　time；　were　becoming　rich。　　And　then　as　to　the　government！　　Who　trusted　it？　Who　would　put　their　faith　in　Seward　and　Cameron？　　Cameron　was　now　gone；　it　was　true；　and　in　that　way　the　whole　of　the　cabinet　would　soon　be　broken　up。　　As　to　Congress；　what　could　Congress　do？　　Ask　questions　which　no　one　would　care　to　answer；　and　finally　get　itself　packed　up　and　sent　home。〃　　The　President　and　the　Constitution　fared　no　better　in　men's　mouths。　　The　former　did　nothingneither　harm　nor　good；　and　as　for　the　latter；　it　had　broken　down　and　shown　itself　to　be　inefficient。　　So　men　ate；　and　drank；　and　laughed；　waiting　till　chaos　should　come；　secure　in　the　belief　that　the　atoms　into　which　their　world　would　resolve　itself　would　connect　themselves　again　in　some　other　form　without　trouble　on　their　part。　And　at　Washington　I　found　no　strong　feeling　against　England　and　English　conduct　toward　America。　　〃We　men　of　the　world；〃　a　Washington　man　might　have　said；　〃know　very　well　that　everybody　must　take　care　of　himself　first。　　We　are　very　good　friends　with　youof　course；　and　are　very　glad　to　see　you　at　our　table　whenever　you　come　across　the　water；　but　as　for　rejoicing　at　your　joys；　or　expecting　you　to　sympathize　with　our　sorrows；　we　know　the　world　too　well　for　that。　We　are　splitting　into　pieces；　and　of　course　that　is　gain　to　you。　Take　another　cigar。〃　　This　polite；　fashionable；　and　certainly　comfortable　way　of　looking　at　the　matter　had　never　been　attained　at　New　York　or　Philadelphia；　at　Boston　or　Chicago。　　The　Northern　provincial　world　of　the　States　had　declared　to　itself　that　those　who　were　not　with　it　were　against　it；　that　its　neighbors　should　be　either　friends　or　foes；　that　it　would　understand　nothing　of　neutrality。　　This　was　often　mortifying　to　me；　but　I　think　I　liked　it　better　on　the　whole　than　the　laisser…aller　indifference　of　Washington。　Everybody　acknowledged　that　society　in　Washington　had　been　almost　destroyed　by　the　loss　of　the　Southern　half　of　the　usual　sojourners　in　the　city。　　The　Senators　and　members　of　government；　who　heretofore　had　come　front　the　Southern　States；　had　no　doubt　spent　more　money　in　the　capital　than　their　Northern　brethren。　　They　and　their　families　had　been　more　addicted　to　social　pleasures。　　They　are　the　descendants　of　the　old　English　Cavaliers；　whereas　the　Northern　men　have　come　from　the　old　English　Roundheads。　　Or　if；　as　may　be　the　case；　the　blood　of　the　races　has　now　been　too　well　mixed　to　allow　of　this　being　said　with　absolute　truth；　yet　something　of　the　manners　of　the　old　forefathers　has　been　left。　　The　Southern　gentleman　is　more　genial；　less　dryI　will　not　say　more　hospitable；　but　more　given　to　enjoy　hospitality　than　his　Northern　brother；　and　this　difference　is　quite　as　strong　with　the　women　as　with　the　men。　　It　may　therefore　be　understood　that　secession　would　be　very　fatal　to　the　society　of　Washington。　　It　was　not　only　that　the　members　of　Congress　were　not　there。　　As　to　very　many　of　the　Representatives；　it　may　be　said　that　they　do　not　belong　sufficiently　to　Washington　to　make　a　part　of　its　society。　　It　is　not　every　Representative　that　is；　perhaps；　qualified　to　do　so。　　But　secession　had　taken　away　from　Washington　those　who　held　property　in　the　Southwho　were　bound　to　the　South　by　any　ties；　whether　political　or　other；　who　belonged　to　the　South　by　blood；　education；　and　old　habits。　　In　very　many　casesnay；　in　most　such　casesit　had　been　necessary　that　a　man　should　select　whether　he　would　be　a　friend　to　the　South；　and　therefore　a　rebel；　or　else　an　enemy　to　the　South；　and　therefore　untrue　to　all　the　predilections　and　sympathies　of　his　life。　　Here　has　been　the　hardship。　　For　such　people　there　has　been　no　neutrality　possible。　　Ladies　even　have　not　been　able　to　profess　themselves　simply　anxious　for　peace　and　good…　will；　and　so　to　remain　tranquil。　　They　who　are　not　for　me　are　against　me；　has　been　spoken　by　one　side　and　by　the　other。　　And　I　suppose　that　in　all　civil　war　it　is　necessary　that　it　should　be　so。　I　heard　of　various　cases　in　which　father　and　son　had　espoused　different　sides　in　order　that　property　might　be　retained　both　in　the　North　and　in　the　South。　　Under　such　circumstances　it　may　be　supposed　that　society　in　Washington　would　be　considerably　cut　up。　　All　this　made　the　place　somewhat　melancholy。

CHAPTER　II。　CONGRESS。

In　the　interior　of　the　Capitol　much　space　is　at　present　wasted；　but　this　arises　from　the　fact　of　great　additions　to　the　original　plan　having　been　made。　　The　two　chambersthat　of　the　Senate　and　the　Representativesare　in　the　two　new　wings；　on　the　middle　or　what　we　call　the　first　floor。　　The　entrance　is　made　under　a　dome　to　a　large　circular　hall；　which　is　hung　around　with　surely　the　worst　pictures　by　which　a　nation　ever　sought　to　glorify　its　own　deeds。　　There　are　yards　of　paintings　at　Versailles　which　are　bad　enough；　but　there　is　nothing　at　Versailles　comparable　in　villany　to　the　huge　daubs　which　are　preserved　in　this　hall　at　the　Capitol。　　It　is　strange　that　even　self…laudatory　patriotism　should　desire　the　perpetuation　of　such　rubbish。　　When　I　was　there　the　new　dome　was　still　in　progress；　and　an　ugly　column　of　wood…work；　required　for　internal　support　and　affording　a　staircase　to　the　top；　stood　in　this　hall。　　This　of　course　was　a　temporary　and　necessary　evil；　but　even　this　was　hung　around　with　the　vilest　of　portraits。　From　the　hall；　turning　to　the　left；　if　the　entrance　be　made　at　the　front　door；　one　goes　to　the　new　Chamber　of　Representatives；　passing　through　that　which　was　the　old　chamber。　　This　is　now　dedicated　to　the　exposition　of　various　new　figures　by　Crawford；　and　to　the　sale　of　tarts　and　gingerbreadof　very　bad　tarts　and　gingerbread。　　Let　that　old　woman　look　to　it；　or　let　the　house　dismiss　her。　　In　fact；　this　chamber　is　now　but　a　vestibule　to　a　passagea　second　hall；　as　it　were；　and　thus　thrown　away。　　Changes　probably　will　be　made　which　will　bring　it　into　some　use　or　some　scheme　of　ornamentation。　　From　this　a　passage　runs　to　the　Representative　Chamber；　passing　between　those　tell…tale　windows；　which；　looking　to　the　right　and　left；　proclaim　the　tenuity　of　the　building。　　The　windows　on　one　sidethat　looking　to　the　east　or　frontshould；　I　think；　be　closed。　　The　appearance；　both　from　the　inside　and　from　the　outside；　would　be　thus　improved。　The　Representative　Chamber　itselfwhich　of　course　answers　to　our　House　of　Commonsis　a　handsome；　commodious　room；　admirably　fitted　for　the　purposes　required。　　It　strikes　one　as　rather　low；　but　I　doubt；　if　it　were　higher；　whether　it　would　be　better　adapted　for　hearing。　　Even　at　present　it　is　not　perfect　in　this　respect　as　regards　the　listeners　in　the　gallery。　　It　is　a　handsome；　long　chamber；　lighted　by　skylights　from　the　roof；　and　is　amply　large　enough　for　the　number　to　be　accommodated。　　The　Speaker　sits　opposite　to　the　chief　entrance；　his　desk　being　fixed　against　the　opposite　wall。　　He　is　thus　brought　nearer　to　the　body　of　the　men　before　him　than　is　the　case　with　our　Speaker。　　He　sits　at　a　marble　table；　and　the　clerks　below　him　are　also　accommodated　with　marble。　　Every　representative　has　his　own　arm…chair；　and　his　own　desk　before　it。　This　may　be　done　for　a　house　consisting　of　about　two　hundred　and　forty　members；　but　could　hardly　be　contrived　with　us。　　These　desks　are　arranged　in　a　semicircular　form；　or　in　a　broad　horseshoe；　and　every　member　as　he　sits　faces　the　Speaker。　　A　score　or　so　of　little　boys　are　always　running　about　the　floor　ministering　to　the　members'　wishescarrying　up　petitions　to　the　chair；　bringing　water　to　long…　winded　legislators；　delivering　and　carrying　out　letters；　and　running　with　general　messages。　　They　do　not　seem　to　interrupt　the　course　of　business；　and　yet　they　are　the　liveliest　little　boys　I　ever　saw。　When　a　member　claps　his　hands；　indicating　a　desire　for　attendance；　three　or　four　will　jockey　for　the　honor。　　On　the　whole；　I　thought　the　little　boys　had　a　good　time　of　it。　But　not　so　the　Speaker。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　the　amount　of　work　falling　upon　the　Speaker's　shoulders　was　cruelly　heavy。　　His　voice　was　always　ringing　in　my　ears　exactly　as　does　the　voice　of　the　croupier　at　a　gambling…table；　who　goes　on　declaring　and　explaining　the　results　of　the　game；　and　who　generally　does　so　in　sharp；　loud；　ringing　tones；　from　which　all　interest　in　the　proceeding　itself　seems　to　be　excluded。　　It　was　just　so　with　the　Speaker　in　the　House　of　Representatives。　　The　debate　was　always　full　of　interruptions；　but　on　every　interruption　the　Speaker　asked　the　gentleman　interrupted　whether　he　would　consent　to　be　so　treated。　　〃The　gentleman　from　Indiana　has　the　floor。〃　　〃The　gentleman　from　Ohio　wishes　to　ask　the　gentleman　from　Indiana　a　question。〃　　〃The　gentleman　from　Indiana　gives　permission。〃　　〃The　gentleman　from　Ohio！〃these　last　words　being　a　summons　to　him　of　Ohio　to　get　up　and　ask　his　question。　　〃The　gentleman　from　Pennsylvania　rises　to　order。〃　　〃The　gentleman　from　Pennsylvania　is　in　order。〃　　And　then　the　House　seems　always　to　be　voting；　and　the　Speaker　is　always　putting　the　question。　　〃The　gentlemen　who　agree　to　the　amendment　will　say　Aye。〃　　Not　a　sound　is　heard。　　〃The　gentlemen　who　oppose　the　amendment　will　say　No。〃　　Again　not　a　sound。　　〃The　Ayes　have　it；〃　says　the　Speaker；　and　then　he　goes　on　again。　　All　this　he　does　with　amazing　rapidity；　and　is　always　at　it　with　the　same　hard；　quick；　ringing；　uninterested　voice。　　The　gentleman　whom　I　saw　in　the　chair　was　very　clever；　and　quite　up　to　the　task。　　But　as　for　dignity！　Perhaps　it　might　be　found　that　any　great　accession　of　dignity　would　impede　the　celerity　of　the　work　to　be　done；　and　that　a　closer　copy　of　the　British　model　might　not　on　the　whole　increase　the　efficiency　of　the　American　machine。　When　any　matter　of　real　interest　occasioned　a　vote；　the　ayes　and　noes　would　be　given　aloud；　and　then；　if　there　were　a　doubt　arising　from　the　volume　of　sound；　the　Speaker　would　declare　that　the　〃ayes〃　or　the　〃noes〃　would　seem　to　have　it！　　And　upon　this　a　poll　would　be　demanded。　　In　such　cases　the　Speaker　calls　on　two　members；　who　come　forth　and　stand　fronting　each　other　before　the　chair；　making　a　gangway。　　Through　this　the　ayes　walk　like　sheep；　the　tellers　giving　them　an　accelerating　poke　when　they　fail　to　go　on　with　rapidity。　Thus　they　are　counted；　and　the　noes　are　counted　in　the　same　way。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　it　would　be　very　possible　in　a　dishonest　legislator　to　vote　twice　on　any　subject　of　great　interest；　but　it　may　perhaps　be　the　case　that　t