Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-06-07
The Potter Committee,

ter to the Boston Post;
Clarkson n Potter, the Chairman, is a
genuine, thorough-going exquisite. lie is
son Of Bishop Potter, and comes of family
of exquisites, all OF whom affect English
mannerism and English styles. Clarkson
has a brother, an architect, who is also n
musician and tenor singer. lie is the beau
ideal exquisite OF the family, as ClarksOn is
the beau ideal brains of it. 1t is related of
the brother that he wears silk gloves to and
from his Office, changes his clothes six or
seven times DAY, goes to bis lunch regular
ly, and, as mark Of genius, divides his
lunch hour between food and music-ieeding
the stomach and the soul at the same time,
so to speak. Clarkson copies this illustri-
Gus example as closely as so busy a man can.
lie was first civil engineer, then lawyer,
latterly politician. lie was born at the
old Dutch town of Schenectady, n T., in
1925, and graduated at Union College. lie
Is warm personal friend Of Mr.. Tilden,
which fact. doubtless, had much to do with
his choice as Chairman of the Investigation
Committee. lie is lawyer of frst-class
ability and man of abundant means.
Physically he is tall and well built. lie
wears a pair of brown, English mutton chop
side whiskers of which he is very proud,
affects the AdOnis gait of Conkling with the
crooked knee and the bent hip, wears the
best Of English broadeloth. and there is a
corset-like suggestiyeness about his waist.
William R. Morrison, of Illinois, the sec
ond member of the Committee, is well known
as Chairman of the Committee on Appropri-
atoms of the Forty-fourth Congress. lie
served in the Mexican war, commanded an
Illinois regiment in the war between the
States, and is serving his fourth term In
Congress. lie is no orator, but an able
lawyer, and almost if not quite the astutest
politician on the Democratic side of the
House. His open hostility to Randalls can
didacy for Speaker cost him all opportunity
to make prominent figure in the present
Congress, but no mans eounsels are oftener
sought or more uniformly worth needing.
In manners he is Putter's antipodes.
Genial, outspoken and plain, fond of COM
partnership, fond of joke, carrying his
heart upon his sleeve but committing his pc
litical plans and purposes to the care OF
none.
Eppa IIunton, the third member OF the
Committee, is a native-born Virginian and
one of the immortal seven who voted stead
lily against the eight. lie was born in 1923,
of Virginia, earned the rank of Brigadier-
General in the war, entered Congress in
1873 and is now serving his third term.
He, too, was overlooked by Randall in the
makeup Of the Committees, because he
voted for his colleague, Goode, for Speaker.
Two of the best men on the Committee
are John A. MaeMahon, Of Ohio. and Joseph
c. S. Blackburn, of Kentucky. Blackburn
is on the notch of 40, but looks to be hardly
So. He is native-born Kentuckian, law
yer by profession, served throughout the
war in the Confederate army and is now
serving his second term in Congress. Al
though so young in Congressional lie,
Blackburn is already recognized as one of the
Democratic chicftains. Personally, "Joe, "
as he is Familiarity called, is very popular.
Like every genuine Kentuckian, he loves
o good horse. admires a fine woman and
succeeds in politics. He is an inveterate joker
and an incessant teller of good stories.
Physically he is tall, wiry, long-limbed, an
gular and so spare of flesh as to look trifle
gaunt. He has large, lustrous eyes, sports
a ferOcous long moustache and is careless as
to his dress.
MacMahon is an entirely different type of
man. lie is physically less robust than
Blackburn, and naturally less enthusiastic
and exubersnt, but he is one of the ablest
lawyers of the House and almost the longest
headed politician He is a quiet-mannered,
medium-sized man, wears q short, full beard
and moustache and dresses and looks like
careful, well-to-do business man. He Is no
orator, but cogent debater. Whatever he
undertakes is thoroughly done. His speeches,
almost without exception, are magazines OF
facts. logically arranged. He was born in
Maryland in 1888, studied law with Vallan-
digham, and has practiced in Dayton, Ohio,
since 1854. lie is on his second term as the
X Representative of the Fourth Ohio District,
and acquired distinction as one of the prose-
cutOrs for the House in the Belknap I'M
parchment trial.
Stenger is a Pennsylvania by birth and
the youngest member of the Committee. lie
is SO, but might easily be taken for 80 on
account of his slight build and smooth,
youthful face. In his own State and in the
House he is accounted lawyer of excep-
tional ability. lie is serving his second term
in Congress as the Representative of the
ElSntttntu ttuISS lNiIHi i'lStTlct
Cobb, who ends the Democratic list, is q
native Indianian, 50 years old, and repre-
sents the Second Indiana District. lie is
lawyer by profession, is serving his first term
in Congress.
The Republican end of the Committee is
a curious hodge-podge of cratic strength.
The country knows who and what is Butler
-" A body Of brass and legs of straw" as a
colleague aptly described him. lie is more
:. Poddy' and less obstreperous than he
used to be. but the same tireless intriguer as
ever, and if possible, more crafty. Ills main
object, doubtless. in being on the Committee
is to get even with the President and Wayne
and he may be counted on to |
vote with whoever and for whatever will |
most aid him to accomplish his desires
Frank HiscOck. of New York, the second |
Republican member. is one of the new men |
who is made known to fame through the in |
Testigation. The Congressional Directory |
merely records of him that he was born at |
N. Y, in 1891, has been prac-
Using attorney since 1855, was a member of
he State Constitutional Convention in 1857, |
ind was elected by the Twenty-fith New
York District to the Forty-fflh Congress as
. Republican by 1881 majority. lie is ac
a man of fair ability and sound
Judgment.
Jacob d. Cox, of Ohio, was heralded
,efOre his arrival here a. one of Ohio's
trong men. lie had served in the Ohio
legislature, won distinction in the war,
oming out OF it Major-General of yolun-
GERS. lie had been Governor OF Ohio from
SGT to 1865, had served a year in Grants
Iabinet as Secretary Of the Interior. lie is
strong man, and he Is the
My sop to the President on the whole com
only man who from his predilec-
ions may not be considered quite willing to
CO the President overthrown. lie was
'Orn in Canada. educated at Oberlin. Ohio.
= 50 years old, and has the large physical
uild 80 cOmmon with the representative
nen of Ohio.
Thomas b. Reed, of the First Maine Dis
rict is the last member of the committee.
10 is ge-throatcd, chubby. iat-iaced,
eardlcss, boyish man who il quite eloquent,
nd has the reputation of being very smart
nd very lazy. lie il 80, a lawyer, new
iember and satellite OF Blaine's. lie Is a
ativc down Easter" has served in both
ranches OF his state Legislature ana has
cen Attorney General of Maine.
WmLIsroS Mr.. Lewis TalcOtt is one Of
ne most successful dairymen IN the State.
10 has now 200 cows, employs a large
,rce of men improving his land and build
igs, and devotes his time closely to the
eneral management Of the whole affair.
le makes cheese the whole year at factories
nat he controls. where many of the towns
eople join in sending in their milk. At
resent he makes % cheeses a day, at an
Eersge of about 50 lbs each.
MIDDLEBuRy. -Mcmorial-d day was scarce
observed here, even by closing the stores.
forts arc being made to have one OF tho
nest celebrations ever held in the State .
the Fourth :
Preparations are being made at the court !
,use Tor the coming session, next week, by [
general house cleaning.
The streets are being greatly improved by t
-aveling the roads from Chapman hill. !
i A. Sturtevant is very low 10 consump-
On and it is said he can live but a few I
I