The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-03-17
FORTUNATUs IN CONGRESS.

THE MOST ENvIABLE MAN IN AMERIcA-wFII-
LIAM WALTER PHEbPs--A BREEZY PICTURE
OF A CONGRESS CRoESUs. r ---f-r . ..t...
Gideon. of the Chicago Times, makes this
telling and very life-like picture of rising
member of congress, whose late speeches
have convulsed congress: "WIlliam Waite
Phelps finds that nature and fortune art
eternally at war as to which shall be in tho
more constant attendance upon him; whicl
shaIf besprinkle him the more lavjshly Wit
rare gifts. Fortune not only saw that h
was born with the gold spoon in his mouth
but she studded the handle with diamonds,
and was mad that she could no further in
crease its value. Nature made a good
looking baby of him, and so finished her
work at that stage of his life that she has
not since been able to urdo it, if she
would. The capricious dame has ever had a
knack of repenting the favors she showers
on infancy, by turning beautiful babes into
hideous men. iTis so, too. with other ami
mails She changes the winsome kids into
the ungainly, bad-fiavored goats: downey
chickens into straddling Shanghaie; lambs
to rams. Butler is said to have been glo-
rious infant, and Caliban was, probably, a
cherub in his earlier days. Nature, also,
gave Mr.. Phelps a sparkling fancy, neat
| Judgment and industry. Fortune tossed
1 agreeable companions, and the goodwill of
his fellow-men, into the young mans lap.
Nature saw that the mutual pTotege thriyed
1t college, and fortune started him in life
| With immense wealth. Nature bad schoOled
him 10 a thrifty use of that wealth, so that
it has doubled in his hands, and fortune
next landed him ina congressman's chair,
whe:e nature stood hehind him To see that
he was quick and bright in debate, and that
gem in mud, witty representative So it
! has come about that the republican
side of the house owns man brined with
Attic salt; jocularity in an undertaker's
shop. Mr.. Phelps is a son OF the senior
member of the famous New York importing
house, Phelps, Dodge, IL Co.; is thirty-ive
years of age; Yale graduate; discerning
European traveller, and "worth" between
81 Oe0 600 and S5,O00,000. He is carpet-bas-
ger on Croesus scale. acknowledging New
York as his home, but representing the
Paterson district, New Jersey. He owns
residences, however, both in New York and
New Jersey, and can claim to be property.
holder in the latter state, possessing mis-
erable fragment OF real estate, just back o.
the Palisades, for which he paid shade
over 81 900, 600, and which he claims ha:
nearly double that value now. There are
few paying railroads in the country il
which he does not own an interest, anC
he is one of the company which II
building the great diagonal route
across Texas. This company deserves
the obloquy of all good men for it's mem
bers are rushing a railway through sparse
ly settled country, without cent OF ai(
from congress. Phelps designates his side o
the house of representatives as Sleepy Hol
low. This contemptuous appellatiOn i
likely to stick, and the cumbersome olG
ehuncks of stupidity around him are in
elined to resent the impertinence. Blu
, PAelps thinks six times while they arr
, making up their minds once. Their at
tempts at hattening him with ponderous re
Dukes have been forsaken. The trial ha
been made once or twice, but Phelps glided
sPryly. from beneath the blow, and smacket
his would-be mentor so gaily with the cuf
of wit, that they have quit seeking u
, admonish or crush. The raps still tin
gle, in some cases. Said one augus
nobody to me this morning: ave
need no lester ia the house of rep
prospects for all time by his buffoonery.'
This solemn ass could not see that Phelps
happy trick of fixing a laugh at any morta
thing, has given him a better repute in thres
months than his dull critic ha'
earned in five sessions. Yet there be mel
) who prefer the shepherd of Salisbury Plains
to SIDNEY Smith; sour mash to Anontillado
cabbage to one of Blot's ragouts. Mr.
Phelps is trim and dainty of figure; wear,
eyeglasses because he needs them; is not
afraid of cut-away coat aud bonprably mt
ting trousers, and has good notion to pari
his hair in the middle, but dosen't. His en-
semble is that of junior partner in dry
goods house, with prediction for david
ling about club-houses in the evening. Bui
his appearance bellies him, for he is vigor
Gus worker by day and night, and has q
thorough, practical, successful knowedge o.
banking, his regular business.
His speech is rapid. and his enunciation
is as distinct as was Parepa's in song. There