Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-08-12
A REPORTERS "REMINISCENCES
Interesting "reminiscences OF Emf.
nent Men.


At the annual dinner of the Law Ste-
nographer's Association of New York,
Mr.. Henry M. Parkhurst, in responding
to toast, said: Looking back over a
professional career now exceeding a
quarter of century, many pleasing in
cidents crowd upon my memory. l re-
member the Fourth of July excursion to
Marsh6eld, to listen to Daniel Webster.
Seated with him in the rear car when
the coupling broke, and the locomotive
with the rest of the train dashed on with
out us, | remember consoling myself with
the reflection that wherever the rest of the
audience might be, what Daniel Webster
might say should be there to hear and
report. There is curious circumstance
connected with that very Marshfield
speech. 1t was reported Independently
by DR.. Stone and myself, and either of
us could at that time have written nearly
or quite one hundred and fifty words
per minute. While the reports agreed
almost literally in every other respect
there was an apostrophe to Lord Ash
burton, occupying two or three printed
lines, which we gave in entirely different
language. The reason was this: Web
ster broke out so suddenly and rapidly
in that apostrophe that almost dropped
my pencil in my astonshment and lost
the commencement of it, while Dr. Stone
dashed on until he broke down, taking
the first part of it. In the meantime |
recovered my equanimity, and took the
last part. So that although the ordinary
rate of Webster's speaking was less
than one hundred words, there were oc-
casions when he far exceeded one hun
dred and fifty words per minute. | re-
member the manuscript handed me by
Rufus Choate, from which he had read a
brilliant political speech which | had
been called upon to report, because no
printer could read that manuscript; and
being compelled to throw it aside after
vainly attempting, for half an hour, with
the aid of my notes, to discover from
which end of the manuscript he had
begun to read. ! remember, in the Sen
ate of the United States, the dying
speech of John G. Calhoun, the Cenpro-
mise speech of Henry Clay; the boast of
John P. Hale that the Free Soil Party
had doubled in numbers, because at the
pFeyious session there was but one, and.
now there we're two; and | remember
seeing the new South Carolina Senator,
Barnwell Rhett, perhaps not on the
same occasion, bQrying himself in
newspaper, lest be ehould appear
to be listening, but soon, overcome
by the eloquence Of Mr.. Hale, first
laying down his newspaper, and finally
removing his seat for more convenient
location, remember the grave an
nouneeua4ht Of Daniel Webster to the
Senate, when President Taylor lay at the
point of death, that digestion of the
brain had commenced. ITemeMber the
scene when Senator Foote stood near
the Presidents chair with drawn pistol
ia his hand, waiting the attack of Sena-
tor Benton, who, drawn behind q desk,
and held tnare by four stalwart Western
men, two on eitass ssnd, thrust them all
aside BY one vigorous motion and called
upon the assassin to fire; and ! repem-
Der Jefferson Davis, little after mid
night on the 4th of March, advancing
on the Presidents desk and demanding
to be sworn into the peW Congress, upon
the ground that the term ef The sitting
Congress had expired, kicking a spiticon
out of his way with the same impetuosi-
ty with which he afterward kicked the
Constitution itself out of his way when
be desired to be swoFp out.