Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-03-04
ORR AND BANKS.

a graphic writer in the n. Y. Tribun,
compares Speaker Grr and Ex-speakcr Banks
as follows
Mr. Speaker Orr is large, muscular man
full six feet high, of middle age, not fastidi.
Gus in dress, nor scrupulously neat in genera
appearance. He displays frank. rubicund
countcnance, head sparsely sprinkled on the
apex with brownish hair, not well developed
in the logical region, with language full and
perceptive organs unusually large. His air
and mien vindicate the soundness of the rep
utation he won before assuming the chair, of
| being straight forward business man. a
ready common-sense debatcr, who took plain,
| level views of subjects, neither carrying the
line of argument down into their deep gorg-
es, nor bathing their heights with the hues
of brilliant illustration, never astonishing by
his profundty nor startling by his splendor,
and wholly eschewing metaphysics. trans
cendentalisms, and rhodomontade He was n
thoroughly-informed member, spoke often
and cogently, and gave close attention to the
current business of the House.
As / presiding officer Col. Orr, in respect
to mere capacity, is fully equal to the aver
aye of Speakers for the last thirty years. Fa-
mliar with rules and precedents, patient and
good-natured, not skilful in keeping order.
but prompt in despatching business, with
loud, ringing voice which breaks in upon the
confusion upon the floor like the scream of
locomotive approaching depot, and not
graceful in the chair because he always will
keep swinging the gavel in his hand and
rolling a cut of Virginia 'honey- dew" like
a sweet morscl under his tongue.
His elevation to the chair, just after it had
been vacated by Mr.. Banks, stimulates COM
IL. I',1 L..
guished predecessor. We miss the erect form
of Banks the mellow tones; the unerring
glance the prompt response the graceful
waive of the hand the llcd diction in de-
Gliding, without flltcring, questions of order
piled on questions Of order the absence of
hustle or petulance, of redundancy Of Ian
guage or undue elevation of voice, when, by
succession of gentle TAPS Of the gavel, he
quelled the widest storm-not allowing busi
ness to proceed until all was hushcd to ro-
Pose. And when the House. for wonder,
found itself in n working mood. and bent on
doing the greatest amount of business in the
shortest space of time, then, to see the little
"Man of Iron rise to his feet, and preside
standing, while he caught up the successive
questions, and dashed them off right and left.
announcing gentlemen ere they were out of
their seats, and anticipating and putting
their motions before they had opened their
lips and doing all this with \ rapidity and
righteousness of utterance. dignity and
grace. an energy and precision, that filled
beholders with amazement and admiration.
Often, when II member asked unanimous
consent to take up bill so that it might be
Immediately carried through all its stages,
and, the consent being refused. the 'uspen-
sion of the rules and long sorie # parlia
mentary routine became necessary, we have
seen Banks put to vote of the House four
teen supposed notion. all Of which were car
ricd, and the bill passed, and the title fixed,
and the question of reconsideration laid on
the table, in ninety seconds-the member
having the bill in charge standing in his
place, but never opening his lips from the
time he first rose and announced his business
till it was finished, and the floor assigned to
another.
1t would be better for the reputation Of
Col. Orr il these were the only constrasts
that could be drawn between him and Gov.
Banks, as presiding officer of the House The
latter wa. impartial-nay, lberal-toward
his opponents in the formation Of the Com
mittees, in awarding the floor, and in calling
them to preside temporarily in the House,
and as Chairman of the Committee of the
Whole In these respects Col. Orr has been
grossly partial. illiberal. and discourtcous.