Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-08-03
HOW CONGRESSMEN TALK.
Some of Their Personal Pecuiiarities
as Exhibited when Addressing the
House.

Some of Their Personal Pecuiiarities
as Exhibited when Addressing the
House.
A congressman is not always known
by his works. They often become IA
nous fer some peculiar gesture or
some eccentricity of manner. When
you mention the ''great objector."
one knows that you mean Holman, of
Indiana. Whenever an attempt is
made to pass bill by unanimous con-
sent, or suspension of the rules, every
one looks to see what Holman is going |
to do. He has been in congress many |
years, and by his democratic associates |
is termed ''the watchdog of the treasu-
ry." He questions every motion cal |
culated to appropriate penny. Those |
who recollect him in his early days |
say he had a good voice, but he has |
lost that attraction now; while his voice |
is indistinct, his customary 81 object"
is always understood. He has a queer
habit of throwing his open hand for
ward and describing small circles in |
the air while talking. Another man
with an odd gesture is Sunset" Cox,
who, while facing the republican side,
generally during his remarks has a
habit of extending his right arm out as
far as possible every now and then, as
though reaching over a neighbor's |
fence to steal apples. Cannon, of Ill
inois, is distinguished for a habit he
has of STOPPING or squatting as q means
of gesticulation, and suddenly rising up
as though he had sat upon "Bogard- |
us kicker" His left hand he brings up |
over his shoulder as if by spring ac-
ton. Springer, whom you may always |
see with button-hole bouquet, looks |
around shyly when about to speak, as
though he expected volley of rotten |
eggs. Abram 8. Hewitt generally |
starts off with his thumbs in his panta-
looms pockets, and through his speech,
during which his voice sounds as
though he had q hot potato in his |
mouth, he whirls about and sinks into |
his seat as though overcome with ner-
vous prostratiOn. Robson, whose ro-
tund figure is not often associated with
great orator, is nevertheless an I'M
pressive speaker. However, his ges-
lures are generally labored and peculiar.
One of them is to extend his right hand
high above his head. never lowering it
but for a moment Or two.
Horr, the funny man of the house, is
another of the fat men, and closely re-
sembles his twin brother who resides
at Wellington, Ohio, and who has just
been nominated for congress. Mr..
HoIr has a way of clenching his fist
and, after lowering it, bringing it up to
the height of his breast with evident
earnestness. He tells a funny story of
his own canvass in the lumber districts
of Michigan. He had heard much of
the greenback movement, and his in
vestigation of the report, he said, re-
minded him of the story of the Irish
man who for the first time was camping
out as one ofa party of backwoodsmen
Hearing peculiar noise outside the
tent, Pat, in his superstition, believed it
to be some strange spirit lurking near.
He was persuaded by his companions
to investigate. He returned to the
tent, after finding that the noise was
made by tree-toad, with the remark
that there was neither bird or an an
imal outside. 1t was simply blamed
noise. So he would describe the green
back movement in his district. Kasson
is all politeness and grace. and when
he addresses the house it is with q
kindness of manner and elegance of
| language that always wins attention.
His go years make it frequently neces-
sary for him to lean upon the desks on
either side of the aisle in which he
stands. Judge Kelley, though nearly
20 years Of age, stands erect, speaking
with voice that may be heard dis
tinctly in any part of the hall.
"Richelieu" Robinson of New York,
rarely says anything unless there be
chance to twist the British lions tail,
of defective hearing when any member
interrogates him, and frequently walks
across the hall toward his questioner
with hand to his ear, endeavoring to
know what is wanted. He is one of
the most striking figures in the house.
His hair is of yellowish gray tinge,
and grows thickly upon his head, mas
sing over his neck like an awning or
shed roof. The rugged features of his
face are not allowed to hide behind a
beard, and he was one of the regular
habitues of the house tonsoral chairs.
Randall has high-keyed voice, though
he speaks with some degree of hesita-
ton. In this respect he resembles
speaker Keifer. Robinson, of Massa-
chusetts, always stands straight, with
head thrown well back when he has
anything to say. Cslkins continually
pats the palm of his left hand with his
right, though when warmed up to his
subject he throws his arms about
wildly. Joe Blackburn, the Kentucky
fire. eater, talks as though he was this
one time, if never before, speaking of
Gods truth, a sort of 'honor bright"
style of oratory. Hiscock stands
quietly and talks without a gesture.
House, of Tennessee, always gets up
to speak ss though he was mad about
something. Whitthorne rolls up MS
sleeves and talks rapidly. Burrows, of
Michigan has the most powerful voice
in the house. Carlisle is deliberate,
and his voice lacks depth. "PhiP"
Thompson, of Kentucky, said to be a
good stump speaker, has peculiarly
high-keyed voice. Haskell is a very
tall man, and when he speaks his arms
swing about and give him the appear
ance of 9. huge Windmill. Regan, the
ex-postmaster general of the confeder-