Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER H. LOCATIONS OF THE MEMBERS AND CAST OF THE COMMITTEES. Importance Of Surroundings—Members Sometimes Referred To Bv Their Seats—Senator Andrew Johnson—Seating Of The Senators—Drawing In The House—The Senate-chamber As Seen From The Gallery—DisTinguished Senators—The House Of Representatives—Some Prominent Characters—Importance Of Committees—Difficulty In Their AppointMENT—Important Senate Committees—Committees Of The House. THE localities and surroundings of men have an influence on their actions and opinions. A matter which, to the casual observer, seems so unimportant as the selection and arrangement of the seats of Senators and Representatives, has its influence upon the legislation of the country. Ever since parties have had an existence, it has been considered of vital moment that those of one political faith in a deliberative body should occupy, as nearly as possible, the same locality. It is sometimes of service to a reader, in attempting to understand the reported proceedings of Congress, to know the localities of the members. Each seat has a sort of history of its own, and becomes in some way identified with its occupant. Members are frequently alluded to in connection with the seats they occupy. Sometimes it happens that, years after a man has gone from Congress, it is convenient and suggestive to refer to him by his old place in the chamber. As an illustration, Mr. Trumbull, in his speech on the veto of the Civil Rights Bill, desiring to quote Andrew Johnson, Senator, against Andrew Johnson, President, referred to "a speech delivered in this body by a Senator occupying, I think, the seat now occupied across the chamber by my friend from Oregon (Mr. Williams)." A necessary and important part of the adjustment of themachinery, at the opening of eac... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.