The Star Of The North

What Republicans Say of Congress—Returned Barbarism in the U. S. Senate.

The New England journals, both Republican, record the following facts:

[From the Springfield Republican.]

DISGRACEFUL SCENES IN THE SENATE—WHAT TWO OR THREE DRUNKARDS CAN DO.

Saturday night's session of the Senate was both ridiculous and disgraceful, and the personal force and vigorous leadership of Mr. Fessenden were sensibly missed. The conduct of the opposition members was generally dignified. Early in the evening Mr. Chandler made a coarse and brutal assault upon the presiding officer, in which he was sustained by Mr. Wilkinson. Neither was sober. After a pointed rebuke by the Senate they left the chamber for two hours. Later in the evening Mr. Wilkinson retired to the cloak room, but was aroused and got in to participate in the final effort to stave off action on the income tax bill. The resolution fixing the day of adjournment was taken up at eleven o'clock, and four hours were spent with remarkable success in doing nothing. It was not until three o'clock Sunday morning that an adjournment was finally effected.

DISGRACEFUL.

The New Bedford Mercury says:

"The special telegraphic correspondent of the Boston Advertiser, in giving an account of the turbulent scenes in the Senate, Saturday night and Sunday morning, when the war income tax was under consideration, says: 'Mr. Chandler objected, because he could object, and because he was drunk.' And again: 'Early in the evening Chandler made a coarse and brutal assault upon the presiding officer, in which he was sustained by Wilkinson. Neither was sober.'

We make no doubt of the exact truth of these statements. Our readers have heard of such things before; and some like ourself, have been witnesses of these disgraceful, drunken exhibitions in the U. S. Senate. But we sincerely hope the people have not grown so callous as to be insensible to the disgrace and mischief of such conduct, or to pass it over in silence. Not one word can be said in apology or extenuation. When men, the representatives of States, men professing great regard for the honor of the Government, a full appreciation of the struggle in which it is engaged, and solicitude for its success, appear in the Senate chamber, where objects of the gravest importance, and vitally affecting the public weal demand cool, calm, deliberate judgement and action, drunk, and by their maudlin ravings obstruct or mar legislation, they are to be held up to be transfixed by public scorn, if there be no other punishment. With the conduct of Senators at their hotels, we have nothing to do; we leave them to the exercise of their taste and discretion in filling out their wine-cards. But if they appear in the Senate chamber drunk, then no man or press can refrain from denouncing their conduct without sharing the disgrace if not the crime."