National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-08-16

At the annual dinuor Of the Law steno-
graphers' Association OF New YORK, Mr.
Henry NJ. Parkhurst, In responding to a
toast, Ia reported by the newspapers 10 have
said. Looking back over professional ca
reer now exceeding quarter OF century,
many pleasing incidents crowd upon my
memory. remember the 4th Of July excur-
sion TO Marshheld, To listen to Daniel Web
stcr. Seated with him In the rear car, when
the coupling broke, and the locomotive, with
the rest OF Tho train, dashed on without us, I
remember consolng myself with the reflec-
ton that wherever the rest Of the audience
might be, whatever Daniel Webster might
| say, should be there to hear and report.
There 10 a curious circumstance connected
with that Marshneld speech. 1t was reported
| either OF us'could at that time have written
nearly or quite one hundred and fifty words
per minute.
"Whlle the reports agreed almost literally
In every other respect, there was an apos-
trophe TO Lord Ashburton, occupying two or
three printed lines, which we gave In en-
tirely different language. The reason was
rapidly In that apostrophe that i almost
dropped my pencil In astonishment and lost
the commencement Of 1t, while DR.. Stone
dashed on until he broke down, ticking the
first part Of II. In tho meantime recovered
my equanlmlty. and took the last part. 80
that although the ordinary rate Of Webstcr's
speaking was less than 100 words, there were
occasions when he far exceeded 15o wo.ds
per minute. i remember the manuscript
handed me by Rufus Choate, from which he
had read brilliant political speech, which 1
had been called upon to report because no
printer could read that manuscript; and
being compelled TO throw II aside after valnly
a.. half 18th ha Al NJ
my notes, to discover from which end OF that
manuscript he had begun 70 read.
81 remember, In the Senate Of the United
States, the dying speech Of John G. Calhoun;
the compromise speech Of Henry Clay; the
boast Of John P. Hale, that the FREQ soil
party had doubled In numbers, because at the
previous session there was but one, and now
there two; and remember seeing the new
South Carolina Senator, Barnwell Rhett,
perhaps not on the same occasion, burylng
himself In q newspaper lest he should APP
pear TO DO listening, but soon overcome by
the eioquence Of Mr.. Hale, FIRST laying down
his newspaper, and finally removing his seat
for more convenient location. ! remember
the grave announcement Of Daniel Webster
to the Senate, when President Taylor lay at
the point OF death, that digestion OF the
brain had commenced.
81 remember the scene when Senator Foote
stood near the Presldent's chair, with a
drawn pistol In his hand, waiting the attack
OF Senator Benton, who, drawn behind
desk and held there by four stalwart Western
men, two on either hand, thrust them all
aside by one vigorous motion, and called on
the assassin to fire; and remember Jeffer-
son Davis, little after midnight, on the
morning OF the 4th Of March, advancing to
the Presidents desk and demanding to be
sworn into the new Congress, upon the
ground that the term Of the sitting Congress
had expired, kicking spittoon out OF his
way with the same impetuosity with which
he afterward kicked the Constitution Itself
out Of his way when he desired to be sworn
ont ~