The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-01-15
BECK, OF KENTUCKY.
A Washington SIX. Gch of the blue
grass Statesman.

L. D. Ingersoll in The Republican.
. He is the incarnation of human energy
and vigor. In his famous dictionary
DIR. johnson, who hated the Scotch with
all the intense prejudice of which he was
capable, gave this definition of the wore
oats; "A grain which in England il
used as food for horses, in Scotland fol
men" One of the best things ever ut
tered was the comment of celebrated
Scotch divine on this definition which Was
intended for a slur on the Scotch;
THAT accounts" said the Sc0tchmap
''ior the superior race Of horses in Eng
| land, and of men in Scotland" Senator
Beck is a magnificent specimen of that
manly, stalwart Scotch race, which has
turned the scale in many a decisive
battle, and has produced some of the
greatest poets, novelists, philosophers
orators and scientists known to the world
Almost gigantic in size, his form is per
feet in development, so that he has as
much energy as steam engine. Nor is
his mental vigor whit less noticeable.
lie can work eighteen hours day for
weeks at IA time without fatigue, and this
at labor requiring constant mental exer-
ton, as speech making, preparing reports,
the business of legislation, and looking
after the interests of the country and the
Democratic party generally, and the
Democratic party especially. For he is
about as intense Democrat as it is pos
sible for a man to be without becoming
insane.
Senator Beck is native of Dumfries
shire, Scotland, where he was born, &C
cording to our veracious national chron-
icler, Ben Perley PoOre, in February,
1922 This makes him about fifty-six
years of age, though he does not look so
old by ten years. He received thorough
academical education in Scotland, and
then came to this country and made
Kentucky his home. He there received
his legal training, and entered upon the
practice at the beautiful city of Licking
ton. Admirably succeeding in his pro-
fession, he entered public life in 1866
when he ran for Congress in the old
Henry Clay-Johu G. Breckenridge dis
trict, and was elected. He was thrice
reelected. He became a very promi-
nent member of the House. and was
universally regarded as one of the
strongest men on the Democratic side.
His honest, outspoken course and gen
eral manhood secured him the hearty re
spect of men of all parties. In March,
1871, he took bis seat in the Senate, and
now ranks well up among the able men
of that body.
Senator Beck is somewhat impetuous
in nature, but his Scotch sagacity pre-
vents him from ever boiling over so as to
make muss of things. Still, he knows
how to get uncommonly mad, and as he
always calls spade a spade. it is one of
the finest intellectual enjoyments that
Washington affords to hear him make
speech when he has, so to say, his orato-
rial engine going at full capacity and
highest speed. In private life Senator
Beck is courteous and agreeable gen.
teman. All Senators have their little
weaknesses, the weakness of four or FIVE
being tafy; of two, pumpkin pies; of one,
snuff and bandana handkerchiefs; of an-
other, unbuttened trousers, and so on all
around. Senator Beck's weakness is,
quite appropriately, horsefesh. He would
rather see a good contest between thor
oughbred. than TO go to glory on an early
train.