Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-07-10
THE STATESMEN wHOTALK.
Peculiarities OF Some OF the Con-
gressional Debaters.


gressional Debaters.
The London Truth has been amusing
itself and its readers by noting some OF
the peculiarities of prominent men in
public life in England. The great men
in this country have their peculiarities
as well as those of other countries. An
hour in the House will demonstrate
that fact to any close observer. For
instance, it is not an uncommon thing
to see member of the house, while in
mis- seat scratch his head, clean and
pare his nails. run his hands through
his hair, tickle his ear with a feather,
or do any absent-minded trife which
might seem out of place elsewhere.
Reagan, of Texas, for instance, the
ex-postmaster general of the Confeder-
acy, is never at his best unless he has
q short string, with the ends tied to-
gether, with which he may employ his
hands, pulling and twisting and work
ing it after the "cat's-cradle" fashion.
If he does not have the string, his next
choice is some loose pieces of paper,
which he tears into bits, scattering
them about him until the floor in his
vicinity looks as though sort of bliz-
zard had struck it.
Hewitt of New York, has queer
habit of crossing his legs when he talks.
He usually gets into an aisle between
the seats, and, putting his hands on
desk at each side of him, crosses his
legs as he stands. When he gets
warmed up he can stand with his legs
crossed without holding on to the desk.
Judge Kelly, who is the central figure
on the republican side, does not talk
much nowadays. He is getting pretty
old, and recognizes this fact The last
time he made speech in the house he
began by saying that he did not know
whether or not his strength would be
sufficient to carry him through. He
has wonderfully strong voice for one
of his slight physique, and can make
himself heard in every corner of the
great hall.
tom" Reed, of Maine, who sits
near Kelley, has very incisive man
ner, and is probably as much at home
on his feet as any other man in the
house. He is never fiurried. He is
not an orator, and does not indulge
much in gestures when he speaks; but
his antagonist is usually glad when he
sits down. He has way of saying cut
ting things, and can be severe as we'll
as witty when occasion requires. Frank
Hurd, of Ohio, has curious manner
of flinging his arms out at right angles
with his body, giving him the appear
ance of a fying-machine. He walks
with cane usually, one leg being con-
siderable shorter than the other, and
finds difficulty in standing without it
on any other occasion than that of
speech-making. When he gets warmed
up in his speech, however. he forgets
cane and leg and everything else, and
the way his arms fly is a caution to
those in reach of them. Holman, 'the
objector," seldom strikes out from the
shoulder in making his gestures, as do
most orators. Nearly all his gestures
are simply by the motion of the hand,
or at least of the arm, from the elbow
down. He has very funny way of
checking up his sentences, spectacles
in hand, with a chopping motion of the
right hand, which is rather amusing to
the observer, but quite annoying to the
gentleman who wants to get little
bill through and cannot because of Hol-
mans objection"
Hewitt, of Alabama, is queer-look-
ing man at best, but when he is max
ing speech he certainly presents o
very peculiar appearance. He has a
way of pinching up his hand as if it
were half full Of salt, and of stretching
it out, in making gestures, as if he were
trying to drop some of the salt on the
birds tail, and of then drawing it back
quickly as if his fingers had been prick
ed. General Tom Brown, of Indiana,
never began speech in his life unless
both hands were rammed down in his
breechcs pockets, and he never takes
more than one of them out at a time
for purpose of gesticulation. But it is
the greatest and only Belford who has
the most peculiar way of his own in
addressing the House. He was never
known to stand by his own desk. He
always takes possession of the aisle
adjoining, and sometimes he traverses
two or three aisles in the course of his
remarks. Belford uses arms, legs,
lungs, coat-tails, and, in fact, every
available adjunct to oratory; and thus
it is, perhaps, that he attracts so much
attention. 1t has so often been remark
ed that his speeches sound much better
than they read. In the senate there
are quite as many peculiarities, COM
paratively, as in the house. A visitor
to the gallery of the senate may often
hear the rattling of a bunch of keys on
the floor. He may be sure that either
Ben Harrison. of Indiana, or Senator
Hoar, of Massachusetts, are sitting
quietly in their seats. Both of these
gentlemen seem to be best able to un-
lock their thoughts by rattling their
keys in listless way. Senator Groome,
of Maryland, has great way of whirl-
ing his chair around so that his back
is toward the presiding officer; thus he
will sit and read or talk, or ponder for
half an hour at a time. Senator Ran
som, q handsome man, by the way,
turns his chair sideways and keeps his
eye on the ladies' gallery. Senator
Sawyer, of Wisconsin, presses his ro,
tund figure against the door-jamb and
drums on the sides of the walls when
he is hesitating between his duties on
the floor and comforts in the cloak
room Toran 10 liant ,,rattv hucu cona-