Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-08-03
ON THE FLOOR.
How the Representatives Appear Upon their Ma
tive Heath.

| n NoHS IcSSLldH - HOi always k0OWu
by his works. Thay often become ia
nous for some peculiar gesture OF &C.
centricity of manner. When you men,
ton the great objector'' every one
knows you mean Holman, of Indiana
Whenever an attempt is made to pass a
bill by unanimous consent or suppress
sion 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 Treasury" He ques-
lions every motion calculated to appro-
pirate penny. He has been in Con-
gress many years, and those who recol-
lect him in his early days say he had a
a good voice, but he has lost that attrac-
ton now, and while his voice is indis-
tlnct, his customary Il object is al
ways understood. He has a queer habit
of throwing forward his open hand 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 the remarks has habit of ex-
tending his right arm out as far as pos
sible every now and then, as if reaching
over q neighbours fence to steal apples.
Cannon, of Illinois, is distinguished for
a habit he has of STOPPING or squatting
as means of gcsticulation and suddenly
rising up as though he had sat upon a
''Bogardus Kicker His left hand he
br. lgs up over his shoulder as If by
spring action. Springer, whom you
may always see with a button-hole bou-
quet looks around slyly when about to
speak as though he expected a volley
Of rotten eggs. Abraham S. Hewitt
generally starts off with his thumbs in
his pantaloons pockets, and when
through his little speech, during which
his voice sounds as though he had hot
potato in his mouth, he whirls about
and sinks into his seat as though over
come by nervous prostration. Robson
whose rotund figure is not often asso-
ciated with great orator, is neverthe-
less an impressive speaker. However,
his gestures are generally labored and
peculiar. One of them is to extend his
right hand as high as possible above his
head, never lowering it but for mo-
ment or two
Horr, the funny man of the House, in
embles his twin brother who resides at
Wellington, o., and who has just been
nominated orCongress. Mr.. Horr has
way of clenching his fist and. after
lowering it, bringing 1t up suddenly to
the height of his breast with evident
earnestness. He tells 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 reports, he said, re-
minded him of the story of the Irish
man who for the first time was camp
ing out as one of a party of backwoods-
men. Hearing a peculiar noise outside
the tent, Pat, in his superstition, be-
lieved it to be some strange spirit Turk
ing around He was pursuaded by his
companions to investigate. He return
ed to the tent, after finding that the
noise was made by tree-toad, with the
remark that there was neither bird
nor an animal outside. 1t was simply
IA blamed noise. So he would describe
the Greenback movement in his district
1t was nothing but blamed noise.
Kasson is all politeness and grace, and
when he addresses the House it is with
a kindness of manner and elegance of
language that always wins attention.
His 60 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 a
voice that may heard distinctly in any
part of the hall.
'Richelieun Robinson, of New York,
rarely says anything unless there be a
chance to twist the British lions tail,
and then he is greatly troubled because
of defective hearing when any member
interrogates him, and frequently walks
across the hall towards his questioner
with a 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 a yellowish gray tinge, and
grows thickly upon his head, massing
over his neck like an awning or shed
roof. The rugged features of his face
are not allowed to hide behind beard
and he is one of the regular habitues of
the House tonSorial chairs. Randall has
high-keyed voice, though he speaks
with some degree of hesitation. In this
respect he resembles Speaker Keller.
! Robinson, OF Massachusetts, ALWAYS
stands straight, with head thrown back
when he has anything to say. Calkins
continually puts the palm of his left
hand with his right, though when warm
ed up to his subject he throws his arms
about wildly, Joe Blackburn, the Ken
lucky iire-eater, talks as though he was
this one time, if never before, speaking
Gods truth, sort Of ''honor bright
style of oratory. Hiscock stands quiet
ly and talks without a gesture House.
of Tennessee, always gets up to speak
as though he was mad about something.
Whitthorne rolls up his coat sleeves,
and talks rapidly. Burrows, of Michi-
gan, has the most powerful voice in the
| House. Carlisle is deliberate, and his
voice lacks depth. phil Thompson,
of Kentucky, is said to be good stump
speaker, has apeculiar high-keyed voice.
Haskell is a very tall man, and when he
speaks his arms swing about and give
| him the appearance of huge wind
mill. Reagan, the Gen
eral of the Confederacy, can scarcely
be understood. so inarticulate is his
speech. One may always tell when he
intends to address the House. Before
doing SO he seizes every scrap of paper
lying near and tears it up into very
small pieces, making a decided litter
on the floor about him. Paul, one of
the Readjusters, is one of the best speak
ers in the House. Randolph Tucker is
said to be brilliant orator. but he usu-
ally disappoints his hearers. George
Washington Jones. of Texas, the lead
ing Greenbacker has the appearance of
a frontier farmer. lie dresses plainly,
lives the same. and talks plainly in an
old-fashioned way, but he is neverthe-
less a man of ability. Ex-Gov. Curtiss
does not say much unless some Repub-
ican taunts him and recalls his deser-
ton of the old party which gave him
fame. Page, of California, always
speaks earnestly. His colleague, Gen.
Rosecrans, acts as though he was afraid
to open his mouth His hair and beard
are now grey, and he finds it necessary
to carry cane IN order to get along.
Shallenberger looks like clergyman.
| His spare figure Is rarely seen, though
| there is generally good order when he
addresses the House, for he usually
! speaks to the point. Flower, the rich
/ Democrat from New York, says moth
ing, but smiles continually. Blanchard,
of louisiana, is 33 years of age, and is
one Of the youngest members of the
floor. The youngest member is Frost,
of Missouri, who was 80 years old on
the Doth of December last. Perry Bel
: Il, al.