Identifier: picturesquewashi00moor (find matches)
Title: Picturesque Washington: pen and pencil sketches of its scenery, history, traditions, public and social life, with graphic descriptions of the Capitol and Congress, the White House, and the government departments ..
Year: 1884 (1880s)
Authors: Moore, Joseph West
Subjects: Washington (D.C.)
Publisher: Providence, J.A. & R.A. Reid
Contributing Library: New York Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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reme dullness, but on other days,when an important matter is under consideration, the House is brim-ful of animation. Until one becomes accustomed to its bewilderingnoises, its manifold and complicated rules and practices, and its pecu-liar kind of speech-making, frequently broken by sarcastic retorts andimpertinent interjections, it is very difficult to understand much of itslegislation. A glance at the House will show members absorbed at their desksover piles of books and documents ; some are writing letters, othersare reading newspapers. Groups here and there are conversing inanimated tones, and before the cheerful grate fires in the corners ofthe hall are other groups comfortably seated, joking and laughing.Pages are running to and fro with their arms full of papers, and re-sponding to members as they clap their hands. On the ftaor theremay be a running fire of debate, with keen, experienced debatersshouting at the top of their voices, for it is necessary to shout to be THE HOUSE.
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heard half-way across thishuge hall,while othersare standing inreadiness tojoin in the dis-cussion as soonas they cancatch theSpeakers eye.Cries of Mr.S p eaker!Mr. Speak-er! Mr.Speaker! goup from allsides. TheSpeaker has adifficult task.He strikes hismarble tablewith the gavelalmost inces-santly to callthe House toorder, and oc-casionally iscompelled to stop all business and to peremptorily command every member to takehis seat or retire from the hall. One is never at a loss for amusement while watching the Houseduring a spirited session, and it does not take long to understand whyit is that only a few men, and those the ablest and strongest, everattain to any degree of prominence as Representatives. Even to beheard in the hall requires lungs of iron, and to stand against the freeand often exceedingly insolent comments and personal remarks, thecontinual strife for mastery, and the shrewd political manoeuvering, amember who makes speeches and aims to be prominent must have THE RETIRING

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