The sentiment in Washington voiced
that of the entire country. Similar scenes were occurring in all the
large cities, and I could fancy the crowd at the home post-office
waiting for the latest Buffalo papers, hear the warm debate at Steve
Warner's, and see Major Kirkpatrick haranguing the boys from the steps
of the city hall; which, in fact, he did. (See the Hiram _Intelligencer_
of that date.)
"Henley of Iowa had the floor when I took my seat in the House. The
galleries were filled. It was warm in the chamber, and fans, bright bits
of color, waved briskly. In the Diplomatic gallery the representatives
of many nations seemed anxious and absorbed. Subdued murmurs of
applause, like the hum of a mighty hive, arose at the telling points of
the speech, which was for war! war! war! The galleries reeked with
enthusiasm, and quailed not before the stern eye of the Speaker.
"Notwithstanding Henley's fiery eloquence, I was desperately sleepy,
having been up late the night before; indeed, there were streaks of rosy
light in the eastern sky when I reached my hotel. I found myself nodding
at my desk, and it was with an effort that I turned to the work which
had accumulated before me. An enormous mail had arrived. The usual
place-hunting letters from constituents, a petition from the Women's
Christian Temperance Union of Hiram Center protesting against the sale
of liquor at the Capitol, invitations to dine, a tempting mining
prospectus, circulars without number, and at the bottom of the pile a
square blue affair with the Washington postmark.
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