Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-02-18

! not IN orator. but there il IN sarnestness and
vigor in his style that sweeps you along. and
you lose sight Of the speakers defects. His
points of order are invariably well taken,
because he il master Of parliamentary hv.
He hates shaos and pretenses, and deiighss
in sticking pins in viDd-bsss. He u IN
doubtedly the coming man from Naine.
He has fine Law practice in Portland, and
will 1t no distant day stand q the head OF
tie profession 10 his native State. He won
distinction - Attorney General when he
vas only 81 years of age
Hiscock resembles Reed neither in appear
ance nor intellectual qualities. He possesses
. different order of mind Hiscock IL Q
square built, vell-proportioned man. His head
10 square, angular. and il firmly set on col
umn-like neck which rises gracefully from his
veil turned shoulders. His luxuriant growth of
black hair, veil sprinkled With silver, u neat
ly trimmed, and harmonizes with his veii-kspt
full beard His face wears quiet, rather SAD
look but the eyes are bright and the whole ex-
preston 10 very pleasing and attractive. Ii
10 kindly looking face and inspires confii-
dence. There 10 not . Bit of vanity in Frsnk
Hiscock's composition, and, therefore, it will
do him ne harm to tell the truth-he 10 one
Of the handsomest men in the House OF Rep
resentatives. He 10 always cool and level
headed, and never loses his equanimity. j
never say him display any temper in COM
mittee discussions or lose his head ia debate.
He 10 . careful, methodical lawyer, and if
had occasion 70 need advice in An important
case would 20 With implicit confidence in
Hiscock. we'll knowing that would be safe
in his hands. He 10 not brilliant advocate
or . sharp, rafting cross-examiner, liks Reed,
bat he handles . witness nth great skill. and
l. l.. L. ELI
ind them out. He studies every point 10
case and makes his attack or defense scientific
ally He il Q most dangerous antagonist 10
court. There 10 judicial fairness and
mental equipoise that cannot fail to impress
both court and jury. As . legislator he 10
considerations, lsborious, and fair-minded.
He has clean record. He 10 not great in de-
bate, and Is rather . prosy speaker st all
times; but be 10 Q logical reasoner, and
makes . clean-cut, forcible statement.
As . politician Hiscock 10 philosophical. He
studies politics - he does . law case. His
information 10 always exact He never FERNS
opinions until he has canvassed the whole sit
uaiion. It will be urged - against this view
Of Hiscock's judgment in politics that he
made an egregious mistake in supporting
Greeley IN 1872. But that was . mistake Of
the heart and not Of the head. He is aot q
bitter partisan. He belongs to . higher order
of statesmen and 10 4 man Of sentiment and
feeling. have rarely found his judgment at
fault when canvsssing with him the political
situation in his State. His judgment Of men
10 most admirable. As q committee man he
judgment to the consideration of every sub
ject in preliminary Investigations. and is not
satisfied with q superficial inquiry. In this
respect he il n model legislator
have had rare opportunities to observe the
growth and development of Reed and Hiscock.
have seen them put to their mettle on many
occasions, and watched them critically in
contests with some of the ablest men in Con-
gress. Reed was often pitted against Ben
Butler and John McMahon on the famous
Potter committee. He always held his own,
and not infrequently came out ahead. Nc
Mahon was a very clever lawyer. and unusa
ally quick and sharp at repartee. and he had
manv 4 bout with Reed. Occasionally both
Of them forgot their dignity and sometimes
lost their tempers, but il was always brilliant
cut and thrust intellectual fencing. Reed,
Butler and Nc Mahon followed much the same
methods in cross-examination. They nagged
and worried witness. rode him with whip
and spur, and woe betde him if he endesv-
ored to talk back or tried to give as good a.
he got. But both Mcmahon and Butler
caught tartar when they tried conclusions
with Mrs. jerks. Women and negroes make
the best witnesses when they are really smart
and want to avoid direct answers.
Hiscock was altogether different in dealing
with a witness. He watched him closely dur
ing his direct examination and selected the
points of attack. He moved on him in cross
examination like an engineer drawing the
lines of approach in q seige. If he failed to