Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-02-09
The Personnel of Parliament and
Congress.

III IS an interesting SbuuJ 10 udho
thorough analysis of the occupations
which men who have become dis
tinguished have pursued in their earlier
years. OF course in our Republican
country there are much greater and
more extraordinary changes among men
who have seats in our Congress than
those who are elected to the Parliament
of England. Here, a tanner or a
butcher may, if he has the ability or
the character, elevate himself to q seat
in Congress, but in England these adj
vancements are comparatively rare.
The following description of the earlier
occupations of the members of the
British Parliament and the Congress of
the United States will prove to be agree
able and instructive reading:
The present English Parliament is
perhaps the most liberal ever returned.
An English journal says that of the en-
tire number, 658, there are 125 peers,
heirs of peerages, brothers and near
relatives of peers, besides those con-
nected with the peerage by marriage !;
81 baronets, 105 military officers of the
regulars, 108 officers oil militia, yeo-
many and volunteers /; IL naval Off
GERS, 100 lawyers, 2 surgeons, l archi-
tect, 4 civil engineers, 3 newspaper edl-
tors, 10 authors, l publisher, bank
directors. z private bankers, capital
lists, s iron-masters, 4 contractors, Is
manufacturers, 40 merchants, 5 brew
ers, / shipbuilder, / stoek-brokeF, /
house-agent, and only l tenant-farmer.
The interests of the aristocracy are
represented by 1872 votes; those of the
military by 224; while of the 242 COM
moners proper 100 are lawyers.
A partial classification of the Con.
oress now in session shows that it con-
tains, of lawyers, 112; merchants, g.
farmers, 6; manufacturers, 6; bankers,
5; editors, A; physicians 2; clergy.
man, l teacher, l professor, l printer,
l lumbermaE. These figures do not
give the occupations of all our repre-
sentatives, but they are sufficiently full
to show that the legal profession takes
, as large part ia politics with us as
| with the English.
There are eleven gentlemen In the
present House of Representatives who
/ have been clergymen, and fifteen who
have been generals. One of these lat
ter, MIR. Paine, of Wisconsin, lost leg
DElOI0 L AhAs 0AOnCAAg W
California, is the practical agricultural
| list of the House, having farm o.
twenty thousand acres. Theoretical
| and scientific farming finds an able ex
| FOUNDER in Mr.. Grinnell, of Iowa, wht
also devotes share of his time and at
tention to growing wool. Mr.. Eggles
, ton, of Ohio, when at home, packs
pork. Mr.. B. Alley. of Massachusetts
is the best authority on boots anC
shoes, The most extensive iron manu-
facturer is Mr.. Griswold, of New York
The leading banker is Mr.. Hooper, o.
Massachusetts. The wealthiest man IL
the House is, probably, Mr.. Oakei
Ames, of Massachusetts,, who manufac
lures more shovels and spades than any
man in the world.
As regards personal appearance
there are twenty five bald heads in the
House, two wigs, and fifteen pairs o1
moustaches. Thirty members veal
spectacles or eyeglasses. The largest
man is Mr.. Baldwin, of Massachusetts
the smallest, Mr.. Starr, of New Jersey
the tallest 'Long" John Wentworth
of Illinois; the shortest, Mr.. Branda
gee, of Connecticut. General Paine
has companion in misfortune in his
colleague, Mr.. McIndoe, who has but
one arm. The comparison of scholar
ship, information, elOquence, and
still more, of personal beauty, is toe
delicate, and we decline to make it.
But there can be no improperly il
mentioning the fact that Mr.. Ferry, o.
Michigan, is the best penman of the
House.