The Matter For Wonder, Perhaps, Was That The Ordinary
Affairs Of Life Were So Little Disarranged, And That Any Traveling
At All Was Practicable.
Nevertheless, the fact remains that
American private soldiers are not agreeable fellow-travelers.
It was my present intention to go due west across the country into
Missouri, skirting, as it were, the line of the war which had now
extended itself from the Atlantic across into Kansas. There were at
this time three main armies - that of the Potomac, as the army of
Virginia was called, of which McClellan held the command; that of
Kentucky, under General Buell, who was stationed at Louisville on
the Ohio; and the army on the Mississippi, which had been under
Fremont, and of which General Halleck now held the command. To
these were opposed the three rebel armies of Beauregard, in
Virginia; of Johnston, on the borders of Kentucky and Tennessee; and
of Price, in Missouri. There was also a fourth army in Kansas, west
of Missouri, under General Hunter; and while I was in Washington
another general, supposed by some to be the "coming man," was sent
down to Kansas to participate in General Hunter's command. This was
General Jim Lane, who resigned a seat in the Senate in order that he
might undertake this military duty. When he reached Kansas, having
on his route made sundry violent abolition speeches, and proclaimed
his intention of sweeping slavery out of the Southwestern States, he
came to loggerheads with his superior officer respecting their
relative positions.
On my arrival at Baltimore, I found the place knee-deep in mud and
slush and half-melted snow. It was then raining hard, - raining
dirt, not water, as it sometimes does. Worse weather for soldiers
out in tents could not be imagined - nor for men who were not
soldiers, but who, nevertheless, were compelled to leave their
houses. I only remained at Baltimore one day, and then started
again, leaving there the greater part of my baggage. I had a vague
hope - a hope which I hardly hoped to realize - that I might be able
to get through to the South. At any rate I made myself ready for
the chance by making my traveling impediments as light as possible,
and started from Baltimore, prepared to endure all the discomfort
which lightness of baggage entails. My route lay over the
Alleghenies, by Pittsburg and Cincinnati, and my first stopping
place was at Harrisburg, the political capital of Pennsylvania.
There is nothing special at Harrisburg to arrest any traveler; but
the local legislature of the State was then sitting, and I was
desirous of seeing the Senate and Representatives of at any rate one
State, during its period of vitality.
In Pennsylvania the General Assembly, as the joint legislature is
called, sits every year, commencing their work early in January, and
continuing till it be finished. The usual period of sitting seems
to be about ten weeks. In the majority of States, the legislature
only sits every other year. In this State it sits every year, and
the Representatives are elected annually. The Senators are elected
for three years, a third of the body being chosen each year. The
two chambers were ugly, convenient rooms, arranged very much after
the fashion of the halls of Congress at Washington. Each member had
his own desk and his own chair. They were placed in the shape of a
horseshoe, facing the chairman, before whom sat three clerks. In
neither house did I hear any set speech. The voices of the Speaker
and of the Clerks of the Houses were heard more frequently than
those of the members; and the business seemed to be done in a dull,
serviceable, methodical manner, likely to be useful to the country,
and very uninteresting to the gentlemen engaged. Indeed at
Washington also, in Congress, it seemed to me that there was much
less of set speeches than in our House of Commons. With us there
are certain men whom it seems impossible to put down, and by whom
the time of Parliament is occupied from night to night, with
advantage to no one and with satisfaction to none but themselves. I
do not think that the evil prevails to the same extent in America,
either in Congress or in the State legislatures. As regards
Washington, this good result may be assisted by a salutary practice
which, as I was assured, prevails there. A member gets his speech
printed at the government cost, and sends it down free by post to
his constituents, without troubling either the House with hearing it
or himself with speaking it. I cannot but think that the practice
might be copied with success on our side of the water.
The appearance of the members of the legislature of Pennsylvania did
not impress me very favorably. I do not know why we should wish a
legislator to be neat in his dress, and comely, in some degree, in
his personal appearance. There is no good reason, perhaps, why they
should have cleaner shirts than their outside brethren, or have been
more particular in the use of soap and water, and brush and comb.
But I have an idea that if ever our own Parliament becomes dirty, it
will lose its prestige; and I cannot but think that the Parliament
of Pennsylvania would gain an accession of dignity by some slightly
increased devotion to the Graces. I saw in the two Houses but one
gentleman (a Senator) who looked like a Quaker; but even he was a
very untidy Quaker.
I paid my respects to the Governor, and found him briskly employed
in arranging the appointments of officers. All the regimental
appointments to the volunteer regiments - and that is practically to
the whole body of the army* - are made by the State in which the
regiments are mustered. When the affair commenced, the captains and
lieutenants were chosen by the men; but it was found that this would
not do.
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