Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1875-12-10
THE NATIONAL LEGISLATURES.

THE |
The following from the Philadelphia
Press is just now Of general interest:
Kerr, of Indiana, tho new Speaker is
thus photographed Mr.. Kerr was a most
active member OF the Forty-second Con-
gress. Writing of him Washington
correspondent recently said: There my
memory reaches him best. He is tall,
thin, and very spare. His face is thin
and angular His eyes, a blush gray,
CLINT and glow from under pair of strong |
and projecting eyebrows. His nose is
| long, sharp and quivers, when excited, |
like q wild mans. The lower part of his
face falls away into sort of laprobe of
beard of sandy brown color. His
forehead climbs up bleak and bare until
the top OF the skull is reached; here you
find O slight underground OF sandy hair
that becomes thick hedge lower about
the ears. The complexion of the man is
sallow (the bilious climate OF Indiana
has done that for him) but when ami
mated in debate the rich blood jumps up
under his skin until be has as much
color as a coy virgin first telling the story
of her love. Kerr always dresses in
suit Of rusty black that hops and clings
to him after the fashion Of garments
once made wet and since hung upto dry.
The rusty color OF his clothes and the
absence Of bright positive tints about his
face give Kerr decidedly rusty appear
ance, but it is the rust OF steel Strike
against him and you never fail to draw
fire and the proper ring. He has voice
as clear as bugle, and while he cannot
be classed es an orator in the proper
, sense of the word, his friends ought to
4 thank God for it. The day Of froth and
! flowers is gone in Congress. Tho era OF
! cut and thrust, OF sledge-hammer effects
;, has dawned! As speaker suited to the
y demands OF modern times, Kerr made a
!. not been surpassed by the presence OF
II any other member ON his side of the
! house. He possessed dauntless courage
u - and his power of logic made him q mos
VI powerful antagonist. His long figure
would sway to and fro, his arms swing il
ks the air In the most wonderful manner al
ke times, but the substance of his remarks
90 always overcomes his ungracefulness in
!. capturing interest.
" Next to the Speaker, says the Press
to the Clerk is the most important officer
of the House. This position has beer
most creditably held for fourteen consec
N, utive years by Edward Mcpherson, o.
Pennsylvania. The duties of the Clerl
'er as defined by law are important, from
If the fact that at the outset he controls
NO in one sense the organization OF tn,
-, House. Before the first meeting o
"s each Congress the law requires 9Th
Clerk Of the next preceding House &
er- make roll Of the Representatives. elect
and place thereon the names of thos
persons, and of such persons only, who's
er- credentials show that they were regularl,
-, elected in accordance with the laws O
their States respectively and Of tn
u.s. United States.' This extraordinar
led power in cases Of close party divisio
and contests OF election gives the Cler
the absolute control of the organization
ost OF the House. He alone decides tn
,ad prima facie claim OF a member to hi
seat, and in cases where both parties ar
Vi nearly equal, and where each contestin
member holds his credentials (the Gov
, ernors OF some of the States having i
Gu contested cases frequently given bot
one members a certificate of election) theI
is no appeal from the decision OF III
Clerk as to who has the right, prim
facie, TO the seat. This law was passe
in 1867, In case of the death of IL
lfv SIoIh AoSCpob NO uuNiCn upNoi'
upon the Sergeant-at-Arms or Doorkeep
OF Of the preceding House. Besides Il
salary of the Clerk may be added abo,
San 81 900 in the way of perquisites. !
.,ou gives bonds for 800, 900 for the disburs
81 81 ment OF the contingent fund of Il
House. Including clerks and messe
gers he has some seventy appointment
has to make, with salaries for the cler
W. ranging from 81 200 to $4,000 per a
aira mum. .#-s.tz..
owe VI the personnei OF the new pouy I
Press says;
thu We take il that the public is familli
- enough with the Senators who held oy
'o" and with the Representatives who ha
een been e-elected. 1t ia the new Senate
the and the new Representatives who "
attract the public imagination and GU
and osity. In the Senate. Messrs. Bayard
-, Delaware, Thurman Of Ohio, Edmur
pa'a of Vermont and Hamhn of Maine ",
ling reelected. They are we'll enough know
the Mr.. Whyte of Maryland was there 80
ele- years ago. All the rest are Senator
novices. Messrs. Dawes and Kern
hin have served in the House before,
former for twelve years, the latter
year one term. Mr.. Booth has been q
'oct 6rnOr OF ChlifOrnia, Mr. Wuyto VI ma
and lind and Mr.. Randolph Of New Jers
dis Mr.. Withsrs has been Lieutenant q
ernor OF Virginia; Mr.. Caperton
nob been member OF the Senate OF the O
., federacy; Messrs. Mcmillan and Chri
That fancy have been Chief Justices of II
law States; Messrs. Cameron, Walla
pay Eaton. Marcy and Macdonald have b.
Germ members OF their State Leglislatui
Messrs. Burnside and Paddock b.
mer been Generals in the Federal serv
Messrs. Withers and Cockrell were q
on erals in the Confederate service.
been Mckee, successor to Andrew Johns
'rado little is known. All the new Senas
rich are lawyers, except Randolph. merchs
two Burnside, railroad official; Bruce
'sous nothing; Paddock, a farmer, and Shar
a mine-owner. Messrs. Booth. CHI
l.st iancy, Herman, Maxey. oAperton. Go
80. rell, Allen. Dawes. Eaton. Wallace
the Macdonald are men of superior sbilit
I'D Johnston, Dawes. Booth, Herman
Mt TO Cockrell are the ablest men In the