Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-06-04
CITY AND DISTRICT.
L TALK WsTH CAPT. RASSETT.
TiEy-thrce Years n senate Empioye.

T:Efy-thrce Years N Senate Employee.
HISTORY OF THE SENATE SNUFF BoxEs-A BIBLE
WORN BY CONTACT OF SENATORIAL LIPS FOR
OVER THIRTY FOUR YEARS.
One of the most familiar figures connected
with the Senate is Capt. Isaac Bassett. the VEN
cradle assistant doorkceper. For nearly fifty
three years he has been an emplOye of that 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 with a STAR reporter Satur-
day said that when 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.
TattnE him kindly on the head,-..My hair was
then right black" remarked the captain, as he
stroked his now silvery Iocks.-and said, MY
sou. how would You like to be a page?" The
boy thOHght he would like it, and his father
gave his consent Mr. Webster" continued the
captain. consulted with Some of the Senator'S
There was only one page then. Most OF the
Se ators said: oh. we don't need another page:
one is enough But Mr.. Webster insisted that
there ought To be two-onp on each side. Ii
was wings and democrats then The sergeant
alarms. Mr. Bailey. was seen by Mr. Webster,
and finally agreed to appoint me at the next
session OF Congress. and on the 9Th of Decem-
Der. 1881. was appointed page. and / have
been here ever since"
TIE SENATE SNIFF BONES.
Have YOU always kept boxes filled with
snuff for the use of Senators as YOU do now?n
inquired the reporter. pointing to the two snuff
boxes. one on each side and back of the Vice
Presidents desk, resting upon the wainscot
moulding.
~. -ba.
Vice President. Ii was nv custom then to
keep a box OF snuff on the Vice Presidents
desk. for he took snuff regularly. Well. the
senators used TO step up to the desk to get a
pinch OF snuff was very common habit in
those dayS-and they would stop to chat awhile
with the Vice President Sometimes two or
three Senators would be standing at the same
time by the Vice Presidents desk. each with a
pinch OF snuff in his fingers and all of them
TALKING To MR.. FILLMORE
One morning the Vice President called me and
said:-'Bassett. want you to take this snuff box
away from here. can't understand what is go
ing on in the chamber. because OF the Interrupt
tiOns and the conversation of Senators who come
here for snuff MIR Fillmore" continued Cap
tain Bassett, suggested that there had better
be box on each side of the chamber / got
those snuff boxes" pointing to the two plain
black ones still in use, land have kept them
filed, on each side the chamber ever since By
the way" asked Capt. Bassett of the reporter
did You ever see that snuff box of mine;' The
reporter replied that he never did and the Cap
tam rose from his seat, saying: Come this
way. In one corner of the republican cloak
room stands an old-fashoned iron safe Capt
Bassett unlocked it, 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 inscription showing
that it was presented to the Captain by the Ser
ators a. testimonial of their esteem and re-
sect Tor him.
FOLLOWING Mr.. CI.AY'S EXAMPLE
do You take snuff regularity" inquired the
reporter
''1es," he replied. land I'll tell YOU how
contracted the habit. When Mr. Clay was In
TIE Serate he used frequently to call. 'Bassett.
bring me the snuff box In taking 1t to him |
would take pinch myself. and in that way got
IN the habit of using it," The CAPTAIN carefully
replaced his silver snuff box. saying he in
tended To preserve it, that it might be handed
down To his descendants
AN OLD BIBLE.
Did yCu ever see this Old Bible:" asked the
Captain. Withdrawing from recess in the safe
IN ordinary looking book. 1t was the Bible on
which every Senator was sworn in from 1927 to
the outbreak OF the rebellion. when the form of
oath was changed. In those days." said the
Captain. every Senator when sworn in used to
Kiss the book. aud look here: (pOinting to places
where the outside binding was defaceCiO YOU can
see where the frequent kissing wore away the
back on both sides
The snuff boxes are but seldom resorted TO in
these days. Both are kept filed. but Senator
Hampton is the only member of the body who is
regular snuff-taker. and he rarely uses the
Senate SNUFF. He carries a small box in his vest
pocket, from which he gets his pinches. Some
RpR Srp 70 tIa
chamber and takes a pinch out OF one of the
boxes. Occasionally Hr. Ingalls, takes small
pinch, and now and then Mr., Edmunds helps
himself