Vidal Gore — Eighteen Seventy [3073]

Senator Ferry got to his feet. He looked up at the sleepy and somewhat drunken people in the public galleries. He spoke firmly. “In announcing the final result of the electoral vote, the chair trusts that all present, whether on the floor or in the galleries, will refrain from all demonstration whatever …” When he spoke of the necessity for dignity, there was a soft bark from Nordhoff at my side. — Vidal Gore, Eighteen Seventy, 3073

Note

Senator Ferry’s call for dignity amidst such chaos juxtaposes the tumultuous environment with the formality of political proceedings, highlighting the tension between governance and disorder.