, 1884-07-11
SENATE SNUFF-BOXES.
Capt. Bassett, the Oldest Senate EN-
ploye, Tells Their History.
Some Personal Experience-The Gus
tom In RIlImore's Time-OnIy
Few snuR-TaISers Now
In the Senate.


washington start
One OF the most familiar figures connected
with the senate is Capt. Isanc Bassett, the
venerable assistant doorkeeper. For nearly
hfty-three years he has been an employe of
thai body. His father, Simeon BaSsett, of
Massachusetts, was messenger In charge of
the senate chamber in the first quarter of the
present century. Capt Bassett, in chatting
Saturday, said that when a boy he used to
follow his father in the discharge of
his duties about the chamber. Daniel
Webster frequently took notice of him, and
one day, patting him kindly on the head, said:
MY son, how would you like to DO a pager
Tho boy thought be would like it, and his
father gave his consent Mr.. Webster,
consulted with some of the senator's. There
was only one page then. Most OF the sena
tors said: oh, we don't need another page;
one is enough But Mr.. Webster insisted
that there ought to be wo-one for each
side. The arms, Mr.. Bailey, wa
seen by Mr.. Webster, and finally agreed to
appoint me at tho next session Of congress,
and Dec. ., 1881, ! was appointed a page, and
/ have been here ever since.
Have you always kept boxes filed with
snuff for the use Of senators as you do nowF'
inquired the reporter, pointing to the two
snuf-bo1es, one on each side and back of the
vice presidents desk, resting upon the
wainscot molding. mo; that started when
Dir. Fillmore was vice president. Il was my
custom then to keep n box of snuff regular ly.
wen, the senator's used to step up to the
desk to get a pinch OF snuf-it was a very
common habit in those days-and thsy would
stop TO chat awhile with tho vice president.
Sometimes two or three senator's would
stand at the same time by the vice presidents
desk, each with a pinch of snuff in his fin
gers, and all of them talking TO Mr.. Fill
more. One morning the vice president
called me and said: 'Bassett, / whnt you to
take this snuff-box away from here. / can't
understand what is going on in the senat,
chamber because of the Interruptions and
the conversation of senators who come here
for snuff "Mr. Fillmore continued Capt.
Bassett, suggested that there had better be
a box on each side of the chamber. | got
those snuff boxes"-pointing to the two plain
black ones still In use-"and have KEEP them
filled, on each side of the chamber, ever
since"
In one corner of the Republican cloak
room stands an old-fashioned iron safe.
Capt Bassett unlocked 1t and drew forth the
snuff-box that was presented to him by the
senators on the completion of his fifty years
service under that body. 1t is OF solid silver,
lined with gold, and on the lid is an inscrip-
ton showing that it was presented to the
captain by the senators as a testimonial of
their esteem and respect for him.
The snuff-boxes are but seldom resorted 70
in these days Both are kept flied, but Sena-
tor Hampton is the only member of the
body who is a regular snuff taker, and he
rarely uses the senate snuff. He carries a
smnl box IN his vest-pocket, FROM which he
gets his pinches. Sometimes Senator Beck
steps to the rear of tho chamber and takes a
pinch out of one of the boxes. Occasionally
MIR. Ingalls, takes a small pinch, and now and
then Mr.. Edmunds helps himself.