The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-04-04

Ben Perley Poore contributes to
the April Century an anecdotal, rich
ly illustrated paper, on "The Capitol
at Washington" from which we
quote the following.
The despot of the debates for
many wears was the eccentric John
Randolph, who would ride on horse
back from his lodgings in George
town TO the Capitol and enter the
House. wearing a fur cap with a
large visor. a heavy great coat over
a suit OF Virginia homespun, and
white topped boots with jingling
silver spurs. Striding down the
main aisle, followed by his brace Of
pointer dogs, be would stop before
his desk. upon which he would de-
liberately place his cap, his gloves
and h.s riding whip, listening mean
while 10 the debate. II he took any
interest in il. he would begin to
speak at the first opportunity, with
cut any regard to what had previ-
ously been said. After he had ut
tered a few sentences and had drank
a glass OF porter, which an assistant
door keeper had orders to bring
whenever he rose TO speak his tall,
meager form would writhe with pas
sion /; his long, bony index finger
would be pointed at those on whom
be would pour his wrath and the
expression of his beardless, high
checked, and sallow countenance
would give additional force TO the
brilliant and beautiful sentences
which he would rapidly utter, full
of singing witticisms and angry sar-
casm. So distinct was his enuncia-
ton, that his shrill voice could be
heard in every part of the hall; his
words were select and strictly gram
NAUTICAL, and the arrangement of his
remarks was always harmonious and
effective.
Randolph, having had a dinner
table difficulty with Willis Aston, of
North Carolina, never let pass an
opportunity for alluding to him in
the most bitter and contemptuous
manner. Aston, enraged n day
by some language used by Randolph
in debate, said, as the Representa-
tives We're leaving the hall, and Ran
dolph was passing him:
1.-The puppy has still some respect
shown him."
Whether the allusion referred to
Randolph or to one of his pointer
dogs, which was following him, was
afterward a question, but Randolph
Immediately began beating Aston
over the head with the handle of his
heavy riding whip, iniicting several
wounds. The next day the Strand
Jury, which was in session, indicted
Randolph for a breach of the peace,
but the court allowed him to offer
the remark about the puppy as evil
dence in extenuation, and inflicted
a fine of twenty dollars. =
During the debate on the Missouri
question, Mr.. Philemon Beecher, a
native of Connecticut who had emf
grated to Ohio, and had there been
elected a Representative, became
somewhat impatient as his dinner
hour approached, and at last, when
Randolph made a somewhat lengthy
pause, moved "the previous ques-
ton" The Speaker said: 1.-THE
gentleman from Virginia has the
floor" and Randolph proceeded, to
be again interrupted when he paus-
ed again to collect his thoughts, by
a demand for the previous ques-
tom; nor was it long before the de-
mand was made for the third time.
Randolph could stand it no longer,
but said, in a voice as shrili as the
cry of a peacock:
"Mr. Speaker, in the Netherlands,
a man of small capacity, with bits OF
wood and leather, will in a few mo-
ments construct that which, with the
pressure of the finger and thumb,
will cry Cuckoo cuckoo with less
ingenuity and inferior materials the
people of Ohio have made a toy that
will, without much pressure, cry,
Previous question! previous ques,
toni" and, as he spoke, Randolph
pointed with his attenuated index
finger at Beecher, who did not at
tempt reply.