Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-02-16
THE NATIONS SPEAKER.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OF the United Statss-Ths Record OF a
Man Who is the Relentless Foe OF all
Jobs-Randal's early Lifs-Ihe
Speakers Noble Career ia
Congress - interesting
"reminiscences.
APeN PICTURE or THE DEMOCRATIC
LEADER.

The ] stands for Jackson-a good old
Democratic name. Samuel j. Randall
il q son OF Josiah Randall, man well
known in his day and generation anu
whose memory is still fragrant in Phila'
delphia, where he lived and died.
Josiah Randall was for years an induen-
tial factor in Pennsylvania politics, first
as a Democrat, then and for the greater
part OF his life as Henry Clay Wing,
and finally, when the Wings gravitated
towards abolition, he embraced the
Democratic faith. Both the father and
his good wife had strong influence in
Moulding the Character
of their son who now bears the family
name so prominently and 80 worthily'
and Lawyer Josiah RandalPs keen po-
litical instincts, clear perceptions and
comprehensive grasp Of public affairs
are reproduced in the present Speaker
of the House OF Representatives.
One morning last week called upon
Samuel ]. Randall, in the large and ole
can't apartment OF the Capitol that IS
sci apart for the private use OF the
Sneaker of the House. The room Is OF
the most gorgeous kind. The pllasters,
cornice and ceiling are OF iron. enriche1
with gilt. In the centre panel overhead
Is a massive representation OF cluster
of acorns. Its carpets, mirrors ana Ora
peries are rich and elegant, and the iur-
niture is costly and tasteful. On the
walls are engraviugs, or photographs, oil
the Speakers OF the House OF Represen..
tatiyes since the first organization OIL
the body.
Having had slight acquaintance
with the Speaker, he appeared quite
courteous and was rather communlca-
tive. stated that my visit was prompt
ed by the desire to become more iamil-
lar with the
Powers and Duties
of the third officer in dignity and the
second in power in our government; as
TO how. in some specific cases, work
was prosecuted IN the House, and also
TO know of some facts concerning his
life and career. This last subject, being
of some general interest, Will be the
burden of my letter.
Samuel j. Randall was born in phlla-
delphia, October 10th, 1928. His educa-
ton was acauemic, and from the lower
school he entered the counting room oil
a mercantile establishment and grew up
as business man. Meanwhile he drank
in political information from his fathers
Inns and i'm the old gentleman company
acouired considerable knowledge OF
poiitical methods. The natural result
was distaste for mercantile pursuits,
and he soon found himself at the loot OF
the political ladder and actually takinga
step on il. The first round IN TINS case
was seat in the city council. he next
entered the State Senate, and in 1856 he
went to Cincinnati with his father TO
effect the nomination OF James Buchan-
AN to the Presidency. Ambitious Penn
sylyanians find Harrisburg right on the
road to Washington, but many never
oct any further than the first station.
Samuel ]. Randall is one OF the lucky
few. whiic in the Legislature the sar
broke out. fhe call for Union troops
Sam. Randall in the Ranks.
Hi, first service was brief but ali honor
able one. In 1852 he was sent to Con-
oress. From that day to this, although
often bitterly battlcd against,
he has never been out
of Congress for day, being successive
ly reelected to every Congress from the
fhirty.eighth 10 the Forty-sixth, which
is nearly finished. He was very quiet
member at first and spent a good while
in getting accustomed to his new sur
roundings. During his first term he was
a member OF only one committee, that
on Public Grounds and Buildings; in
his second he served on three, all I'M
portant committees, viz: Banking and
Currency, Retrenchment, and Expendl-
lures in the State Department.
While member OF Congress he was
called upon to don his uniform again.
He commanded troop during the war
and down to 1866.
The Democrats were in hopeless
minority in those days, and ali that Mr.
Randall could do was TO make his mark
as an efficient committeeman. Ii was
not until the minority grew strong
enough to have confidence in itself that
he made a profound impression upon
the House as a ready debater, an expert
in parliamentary practice ana hghter
who fought until he was whipped and
then snapped his fingers
In the Face of Defeat.
In the Forty-first Congress he was a
useful member OF the Committee OF
Elections, and OF the Joint Committee on
retrsnchment. His next advance was
in the Forty second Congress, when bis
parliamentary skill brought him Tor
ward as a member OF the committee on
ules. The other members being Speak
or Blaine. Ex Speaker Banks, General
Garfield and s. S. Cox.
Then came the Forty-third Congress,
which gave the member from the Third
Pennsylvania District the opportunity OF
his life. He was not slow to seize it, not
because he recognized it as an opportu-
nity for personal advancement but
because circumstances combined TO
make him the mouth-piece and defender
of his party and its principles. The oc'
casion was the attempted passage OF the
now famous force bill, a desperate de-
vice of the Republicans to avert their
fast coming decline, at the expense oil
the constitutional rights OF the States,
and in reckless contempt OF the spirit OF
the free institutions. Still in minority
in the House of Representatives, the
Democrats scarcely dare hope to defeat
this bill, but
Randall Took the Lead.
made their fight aggressive instead oil
defensive, and the whole party seemed
to catch his spirit. For days and
nights he opposed parliamen.
tsry tactics, ready strategy and
invincible pluck TO compact Re-
publican majority with all the mschin-
cry OF the House at its back. In the
end his apparently forlorn hope was
victorious, and Randall was, by com.
mon consent. the hero OF the contest.
At once and thenceforth Samuel ]. Ran
dali occupied a prominent position in
the eyes of the nation, and when the
House Of Representatives in the next
Congress was organized by the Demo-
Gratis, almost everybody looked to see
him carry off the great prize OF the
v 4 4 H.