Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-26
PEN PICTURES.
A Tour of the speakership Headquarters
Washington Letter.


A tour of the Speakership headquarters
is the order of the day. 1t is certainly
very entertaining, if not profitable. You
can start in at any of the hotels except
those in the fashionable quarter. Car
Isle lives at the Riggs, just opposite the
Treasury Department. He can be found
in his pleasant rooms about half the time.
Mrs. Carlisle, a tall, tine-lOoking lady,
with very agreeable manners, is often
in the rooms when you call She knows
many of her husbands friends, remembers
their names and faces, and can talk
intelligently on political topics. She is a
great strength to her husband. If he is
elected she will make an excellent t<Mrs.
Speaker" If Mrs. Carlisle is in YOU will
have a very pleasant visit, even though
you do not see Mr. Carlisle. Mr.. Carlisle
is a singularly sincere and straighttOr-
ward statesman. He never resorts TO
diplomatic tricks to make or to keep
friends. He never flatters nor caiOles. He
is honest and he is able, and YOU see both
his honesty and ability at a glance. A
statesman worthy of the name, a we'll
read and successful lawyer, man of
wide reading and great acquaintance
with affairs, he is as modest as though he
were unknown, and as sWeet-tempered
as woman. His manner disguises
the great publicist and parliamentarian.
You do not realize the strong blows he has
struck while you are listening to his low
voice and its well-phrased sentences. He
is tall man, with smooth face of the
Irish type, clothed in the Senatorial
brOadclOth and dignity. He has black
hair and dark eyes. He is an attractive
man to many men because he so we'll rep
resents a principle. His genuineness, his
ability and his courage commend him.
Down at Willard's you find C0x-always
the same butteRfy. He has good quar-
ters, and after Thanksgiving day the
Democrats Of the New York delegation
will extend them indefinitely by taking
adjoining apartments. But Cox hasn't
the votes he needs. In fact, he
hasn't the votes he thought he would
have. He is very much disappointed,
and said so in a moment of discourage
ment the other night. He talked, too, of
Withdrawing from the race, complained
bitterly of the Ingratitudc of his party
after his long years of service, and said
many other things he was afterward sorry
for. Cox ought to know that he is serV-
ing no good purpose by staying in the
race. COX's manner is very pleasant
He is very bright man still. He got off
burlesque prOtectiOnist speech with eX-
cellent effect the other night. But there
is certain hOllownesS IN his laugh. 1t
Will be funny to see big DOrschelmer
standing by little Cox next week Down
at the Metropolitan you are invited with
all cOrdiality to mount at once to Mr..
Carlisle's headquarters on the second
floor. They are bright, well-furnished,
front parlOrs. One of them is half full of
COngressmen-elect. Carlisle, perhaps, at
the head of writing table, and +. John
Ellis, of Louisiana, at his side, figuring
away with the same old figures as though
to multiply them by meditation. At the
foot Of the table sits General Rosecrans,
putting tobacco smoke meditatiYely.
Everybody else is smoking, and here, as
at the other headquarters, the cigar box
is passed with every new arrival. Mr..
Carlisle comes forward to greet you, saws
something pleasant and presents you to
every other person in the room. Then he
goes back to Ellis and takes up his stumpy
pencil again, and ROSecrans asks you what
you think of compulsory education. You
don't really know what you think, so he
tells you; and then follows a discourse on
the philosophy Of history. which is eX-
tremely dlvertinC. "Uld ROSv'' seems to
consider himself Il sort of buffer to shield
his candidate. His candidate, being a
man of discretion, smiles and proceeds
with the figuring, and by and by, when
you rise to 90, feeling that you know less
of the philosophy of history than YOU ever
ulu UtlulCs SotS Will YOU W luC tlOOI anu
tells you all you want to know in five
minutes. The National is almost next
door. A narrow street intervenes. Ran
dali and Springer hold forth here. / saw
Randall shaking hands with everybody
good. bad and inditferent-in front of
Wizards on the way down. But here he
is at home. He has not changed at all.
He is the same man as in the former
tights-just as hopeful, just as confident,
night before Kerr was elected. Person
ally he pleases everybody. He shakes
hands with more warmth than any of the
others. Almost next door to RandalPS
rooms are Springer's. This is the first
suspicious circumstance; it is not the
last. Springer is glad to see you. Says
so several times. Asks you in with great
enthusiasm. Introduces you to a room
full of smOke-hidden Congressman.
Sits on the bed himself, so that
you can have chair. He is very
nervous; laughs at all the bright things
and even the dull stories. Laughs with
special fervor at all the sharp things said
about Carlisle. Rather blunts the edge of
sharp things said about Randall. Picks
a Carlisle estimate to pieces. Shows how
he can't, won't and shan't get half the
votes he claims. There's Il Randall esti-
mate too low. Thinks he will get more
votes than he claims. lees many reasons
why he should. Is generally pretty
good Randall man. His mask is rather
transparent. The most significant face
in the room to me is that smooth-shaven
jolly one in the corner. He is a
Randall runner. He personally conducts
parties of Congressman from Springer's
room to Randall's room, who would never
get there otherwise. AS Il recruiting
agent for Randall, Springer is a success.
Springer is a good man and gOod-looking
man. / like his devotion to his invalid
wife. But he lacks that mental balance
which enables man to determine wisely.
Tall, broad, well-shaped, with good
head, good face black hair and a short,
fine black beard, you miss something in
the expression of nis face which you
would be glad to see.