The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-12-11
SELECT LITERATURE.
"REMINISCENCES OF WASHINGTON.
The Polk Administration from 1s45 to
1s4o
(CONCLU DED. }

The Polk Administration from 1s45 to
1s4e
CONCLUDED
From Tie -ttldntic NonMly.
In the House of Representatives were
Il number of able men, prominent among
whom was the accomplished Robert c.
Winthrop. who was elected Speaker, and
who was described as the rising glory
of the age Massachusetts, also had in
her delegation John Quincy Adams, Dan
iel p. King. George Ashmun, Charles
Hudson. and Horace Mann. Virginia had
Thomas S. Bocock and William L. Cog
gin. Alabama had Henry W. billiard
and George S. Houston. Connecticut had
Truman Smith and James Dixon. New
York had Horace Greeley. Washington
Hunt, and William Duer. Pennsylvania
had David Wilmot and the two Philadel-
phia lngersolls. Ohio had Joshua Il. Gid
dings, Robert C. Schenck, and Samuel +.
Ninton. Mississippi had Jacob Thomp-
son. Georgia had \. II. Stephens. Rob
ert Toombs, Howell Cobb, and Thomas
Butler King. Indiana had Richard W.
Thompson and Caleb i. Smith. Ken
lucky had Linn Boyd. Tennessee had
Andrew johnson and George W. Jones.
Vermont had Jacob Collamer and George
p Marsh.
Among the Illinois delegation was
Long John " Wentworth, proud of his
New Hampshire ancestry, and Abraham
Lincoln, who made no mark as legisla-
tor, but who established his reputation
as story teller. and who was to be found
every morning in the post-otlice of the
House, charming a small audience with
his quaint anecdotes. Among other i'll
cidents of his own life which he used to
narrate was his military service in the
Black Hawk war, when he was captain
of volunteers. He was mustered into ser
vice by Jefferson Davis, then a lieutenant
of dragons, stationed at Fort Dixon,
which was near the present town of
Dixon, Illinois, and was under the COM
mand of Colonel Zachary Taylor. Mr..
Lincoln served only one term, and before
its expiration he began to take steps for
appointment as Commissioner of the gen.
eral Land Office two years afterwards,
should the Wings then come into power.
\ number Of prominent Wing Senators
and Representatives Endorsed his applica-
ton, but he was not successful.
jefferson Davis was Representative
from Mississippi until he resigned to ac-
oept the command of a regiment of rifle
men. with which he rendered gallant ser
vice at Buena Vista, under his father-in-
law, General Taylor, with whom he was
not at that time on speaking terms. In
appearance. his erect bearing recalled his
service as an officer of Dragons, while
his square shoulders and muscular frame
gave proof of a training at West Point.
His high forehead was shaded by masses
of dark hair, in which the silvery threads
began to show; his eyes were blush
gray, his cheek bones were prominent,
his nose was aquiline, and he had large,
expressive mouth. lie was an ardent
supporter of State sovereignty and of
Southern rights, and he was very severe
on those congressman from the slave
holding States who We're advocates of
the Union, especially Mr.. \. II. Stephens,
whom he denounced as "the little pale
star from Georgia.
1t was customary for the members of
Congress to give what was called a birth
night ball on the 22nd of February, and
each subscriber mad the privilege Of in
viting two ladies to accompany him. The
first one of these birth night balls at
tended by President Polk was graced by
the presence of General Felix Grundy
Mcconnell, who represented the Talla-
arrayed in blue swallow-tailed coat,
light cashmere pantaloons, and a scarlet
waistcoat. His female acquaintance at
Washington not being very numerous,
he had invited two sood-looking French
milliner girls, from a shop in The lower
story of the house in which he boarded,
to accompany him. The young women
were dressed as near to the Partisan style
of ball dress as their means would per-
init, and the trio attracted much atten-
ton as they promenaded the hall. When
the President arrived, the General went
directly to him, and exclaimed, in his
stentorian voice, "Mr. Polk, allow me
the honor of introducing to you my beau
tiful young Observation-Disclosures
-Mamselle-parley vous Francois, whose
name | have forgotten" Then turning
to the other lady, he asked, "Will you
introduce your friend?' The President,
seeing General Macs embarrassment.
relieved him by shaking hands cordially
with each of the young ladies, but he
firmly declined joining them in a glass
of champagne.
The reading Of speeches in Congress.
custom which had been gradually in
trodueed, became more general after Mr..
lives secured their publication, at the
publics expense, in the Congressional
Globe. Almost every Senatsr, Repre-
sentative, and Delegate has since then
felt himself called upon to rise, when
any important question comes up, with
the air of a Demosthenes, to take from
his desk a pile Of manuscript, which he
had written OF purchased. and to read it
with great emphasis and with an occa-
sional gesture. Very few listen to these
speech-readers, as they founder through
page after page, but though their words
sink unheeded in the Capitol, they rise
the next day in typographical glory.
Mr.. Buchanan, in q letter written about
this time. which has never appeared in
print. said, - Congressional speeches have
for some years past been gradually los
ing the character of debates, and assum-
ing that of essays-a most unfortunate
change. They are losing all the fresh
ness and power which the collision of
able minds on important political queS-
tions never fails to produce. and degen-
crate into previously prepared lectures.
| Whoever will take up the reports of de-
bates in the British Parliament, printed
in the Times almost before the Houses
have adjoprned, and compare chem with
| cur didactic essays, must be painfully