Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-03-21
PUBLIC MEN WHO SMOKE.

PUBLlC MEN WIN oMUhE.
IfGeneral Grants use of tobacco was ex
cessive, there are very many men in seem
ing vigorous health of very active habits
who must regard themselves as very intem
perate users of the stimulant. Among pub
lie men it is the exception to find one who
does not use tobacco in one form or another
sometime in two ways, and almost all o1
them firmly believe that tobacco does not
hurt them. Judge Kelley's case has been
cited as one where cancer was caused by
the excessive use of tobacco, but he told the
writer that the cancerous affection of the
cheek from which he suffered was due to
tie habit he had of going to sleep with a
ouid of tobacco tucked into his cheek and
resting his head on that side. Judge Kel-
ley, now seventy years old, smoke d and
used the best fine cut imm oderately for
fifty years. but he has abando ned the habit.
Vice President ColfaX for many years
smoked ten or fifteen very strong cigars
every day. He was suddenly attacked by
q serious vertigo while Vice President, and
he attributed it to the narcotic poison. He
at once stopped smoking; yet Vice-Pres-
dent Wilson, who never used tobacco, was
stricken almost precise y as Mr. Colfax was.
The late Senator Carpenter frequently
smoked two boxes of cigars week.
Ex-President Arthur smokes less than for
merly, lighting his cigar now seldom before
dinner, but when in the late night hours he
cigar, sometimes three or four DR.. Ham.
mond is reported to have once said that
generally three or four cigars after dinner
harmed few men of average constitution,
Mr.. Arthur thought they did him good. At
all events, all of his messages to Congress
were written under the gentle stimulus of
fragrant Havana. Most of Mr.. Arthur's
Cabinet officers were good smokers. Mr..
Frelinghuysen did not use tobacco, though
the Assistant Secretary of State, Mr.. Davis,
liked good cigars and plenty of them. To-
bacco was the only thing that ever made
Secretary Chandler turn pale. 1t was 3
rank poison TO him, and though be tried
many years ago to overcome the evil effects
as became good politician, yet he never
could. But General Gresham was great
smoker. He smoked on the public streets,
at his work. and wherever he could. Sec
retary Lincoln smokes good many pretty
stiff cigars every day, and Attorney General
Brewster liked one with hody 10 it.
General Sherman is o pretty constant
smoker, and he smokes as be does every
thing else, with nervous haste, SO that the
cigar is more than half chewed up. Gene
raj Sheridan likes good black Reina after
each meal. with one or two thrown in be-
tween whiles.
Vice. President Hendricks likes cigar,
but dearly loves the sweet Detroit fine cut,
which he buys in bulk. Perhaps Senator
| Frye is the most persistent smoker of the
Senators. If there be a long session in the
Senate, he will leave his seat several times
| in the course of it and retire to the cloak
room for O smoke. In his committee room
and other places of unrestrant he frequent
| ly lights one cigar at the stub of another.
Poker Jack Bowen, from Colorado, smokes
constantly, and when he can't smoke he
has paper of fne-cnt al hand. The two
New Hampshire Senators, Blair and Pike,
do not use tobacco, nor do Senators Dawes
aud Hoar. The new Senator Chace, OF
Rhode Island, does not smoke, but MIR. Ed.
munds smokes few choice cigars day,
and now and then rolls little pill of navy
plug under his tongue. Both Senators Haw-
ley and Platt, of Connecticut, are constant
smokers, General Hawley not disdaining a
good old-fashioned chew. 1t is hardly pos
sible for any one to smoke more, bigger, CT
stronger cigars than the living skeleton
called Malone does, and his colleague, Rid
| lleberger, is an almost constant smoker.
All of the Southern Senators, except Cor
man and Joe Brown, use tobacco, and most
of them use it in two ways. Jones, OF
Florida, is not particular about the flavor
| of his cigars, and it is a standing joke
| among Senators when they get poor
cigar to send it to him. He smokes it as
happily as though it cost dollar. Jones,
| of Nevada, on the other hand. will smoke
none but the best, and he makes away
with ten or twelve every day. Beck, aside
from few strong cigars day, likes to tit
| illate his no.trils with rinch of snuff now
and then, but he does not do it so publicly
as Senator Thurman did. Young Senator
Kenna is great smoker, and John Logan
puffs fercely at big black cigars. John Sher
man smokes little cigars, light colored, anc
has them made specially for him. Ben
Harrison likes pipe in his Office, but j:
more often seen on the street with cigal
than without one. Senator Conger likes tx
smoke three cigars day. Senator Allisol
would rather smoke good cigar and bluff
out king full than to dine at the most epi
curean table. David Davis was a grea
smoker. Senator Conkling practically gave
up the habit some years ago, but he occa
| sionally cuts cigar in two and cheWs th'
cut ends. Dorsey has been for years con
slant smoker from the time he arose till ~
retired. ;,
Mr. Randall does not use tobacco at all
but speaker Carlisle would be frantic if h
had to go long without quid. He doe
not smoke. Holman chews constantly, bu
does not smoke. Sunset Cox does not u.s.
tobacco, nor does A. 8. Hewitt, nor Cover
nor Dingley; but there are very few mem
bers in the House who do not smoke Q
chew, very many practicing both habits
Congressman Muller, of New York, ha
made many friends with his superb Reinas
and ex- Congressman Morse, of Boston, wa
reputed to smoke the finest cigars that cam