McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-05-01
GREATEST AMERICAN CONGRESS-.

UhEAIESI AMLhlCAN CuNUhLSSs
An Interview With Samuel Calvin, Con.
gresham in 1S48.
washington at the time of my cleo
ton had about forty thousand inhabi-
tants, and was scarcely suggestive of
the place as it now is. We had then
only the old or central portion of the
capitol. The leading hotels were the
National, Wizards, Browns, now the
Metropolitan, and Gadsby's. OF these
the National took the lead. Omni-
buses piled upon the streets in lieu of
street cars, yet we had familiarity
with each other and with the people of
the place which is unheard of now.
Going into a hotel would know
everybody, but now every face is
strange. Only little while ago grey
haired old man spoke to me, though |
myself failed to recognize one l had
known very well in the old times. In
the house! -ah, there were giants in
those days. Massachusetts sent Win
throp and Mann; Georgia, Toombs,
Stevens and Cobb; Ohio, Giddings,
Boat and Schenck; Pennsylvania,
Strong, Stevens and Chandler; North
Carolina, Stanley. Mr.. Giddings, the
oldest member, once declared in my
hearing that this was the ablest house
of all preceding Legislative bodies, but
that at the same time it was the most
inefficient. The slavery agitation-the
compromise measures-occupied and
distracted the whole time and atten-
ton of the session, which closed on
the last day of September, 1850, after
a continuous session of ten months.
This session was the last opportunity
of seeing the giants together in the
senate. Mr.. Calhoun died in 1850, and
on Fillmore's succession 10 the presi-
dency in July of the same year Mr..
Webster was transferred from the SEN
ate to the state department. Benton's
term expired with that congress, and
CLAY died in 1852. At the same time
Seward, Cass, Berrien, Bell and Doug
las were also members of the senate.
All, what body of men it was!
WEBSTER RECALLED.
ssOf these great men Webster seemed
to me most conspicuous. I remember
him as q large, stout man in appear
ance, about six feet tall, full-chested-
a magnificent specimen physically,
with enormous head, dark eyes and
hair and very dark skin. He was the
most solemnly majestic man ever saw,
I never saw him laugh and scarcely
saw him smile. After the passage OF
the compromise measure, in the sup.
port of which he had risked his status
with the north, he for the first time ir
my acquaintance with him locke.
pleasant. There was nothing person
ally attractive about him, neither ws
there anything pretentious or assuming
in his appearance or manner, but his
innate colossal grandeur overawed and
repealed most men. You did not see 6
crowd around him as around Clay
men would stand back and say, 'There
goes the God-like Daniel Yet l an
told that at his dinner table, wher
thawed by little brandy, he was ex
tremely genial and full of wit and re
partee, all present listening to him il
silence. In speech, as in physica
movement, he was somewhat slow anC
sluggish, but when worked up he wa
awfully grand, using the English Ian
guage in all its simplicity and power
I can't describe Webster's eloquence-
no man can-do that-but lawful gran
deur' comes as near faint conception
of it as L can conceive.
CLAY THE CONTROLLING SPIRIT.
sMr. Clay was much unlike Web
ster; he was remarkably kind, genia
and social, with more personal magnet
ism than any one l ever knew
Wherever found there was sure to be
crowd of men. women or children
about him. His name was on ever,
ones lips, uttered in tones of love an,
affection. He was the great maste
spirit among these men. Although no
intellectually the equal of Webster
yet he was the controlling spirit in ever.
legislative body with which he wa
connected. He was a man of the high
est honor, integrity and patriotism,
man of strong convictions and OF mos
indomltable courage and frmness an
as brave as ever lived, born to com
mand-one of the kings of men.
sin person Clay was tall, over 81
feet, quite slender and, unlike Bento
or Webster, had not great persona
strength. His speech was eloquen
apd fmpassioned, remarkably symps
thetic and magnetic. Webster awe
by his lofty grandeur. Clay excite
love and admiration 1t was said tha
were Webster to lose his head it woul
4. %Lo apd Of hin, lint ~ q ciynil q
mishap should befall Clay ne woul
still be great orator and patriot.
"With Calhoun l had little persons
intercourse or acquaintance. He wa
the great leader of the notification an
secession movement, and /, as an al
dent partisan Wing, was much prej1
diced against him. But his was
mighty intellect; his mind was pre-