Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-02-26
NOTED SENATOR'S.
Pen Pictures Of Some of the Prominent
Men From the South.


Men From the South.
A correspondent of the Chicago 9ri-
BuRe, in a recent letter thus describes
some OF the more prok2inent public men
of the South.
Lamar has no desire to leave the Sem
ate. as has been stated before in this
correspondence, as his physical health
would not permit of his undertaking
the labor of any Cabinet position. He
is obliged at the present time to avoid
everything in the way of excitement.
He, through his great knowledge Of
public affairs and his excellent iudg
ment, has gradually grown into the
position of general counselor to his par
ty in the South. His advice is not al
WAYS followed, but there are few men
in the South who would undertake any
political act of importance without con-
sulting with him. His health does not
permit the amount OF reading which
has hitherto occupied the leisure of his
studious life. He therefore gives up
more of his time to talking with his
friends than he has ever done in his
more active days. In his rooms upon
First street he is nearly always sur
rounded by a crowd. He wraps him
self up in red Oriental dressiug-gown,
and with black silk Mandarin shoes
upon his feet for slippers this eccentric
looking man will sit as a teacher at the
head of a class in political philosophy
l was in his room one day last winter
when there were a number of Mississip-
plans about him. The Senator sat with
a great name of hair falling thicklv
across his face, nearly hiding it, and
twisting his fierce long mustache as the
lower part of his face sunk down into his
long beard He sat listening and talk
ing to those about him until the room
darkened. Suddenly the Senator
paused in the midst of his discourse,
jumped up. and said: "Why, really,
gentlemen, you must excuse me. have
IN engagement to dine. | have only
twenty minutes to dress and get up
town. p" He began tearing off his red
dressing-gown as he few across the
room and disappeared behind curtain
which inclosed a recess opening into
his front parlor. In exactly six min
utes by the watch the Senator returned
in full evening dress, and, with the sim
plicity of a very much younger man,
called his negro servant to light the gas
so that the company could inspect him
in his respondent attire and see if he
would pass muster.
The common sense of Cockrell
amounts almost to genius. He was one
OF the most successful cavalry officers
in the Confederacy. He fought fairly
and honorably during the War, and
when it was over he accepted It's results
without question. He has never asked
Congress to remove his political dis
abilities He came here in 1866 and
got Frank Blair TO 90 up to the White
House and ask johnson to pardon him.
1t was done with the understanding that
there should be no mention of it made
in the newspapers. Cockrell came here
one morning and went home with his
pardon in his pocket the evening of the
same day without saying one word to
any one about it outside of those i'm
mediately interested in procuring it.
Nothing is better illuStratl9e of his
shrcWdncss and reserve than the fact
that he never mentioned the circum-
stance at all until the opposition to re-
stOration of Southern men to their old
privileges was practically done away
with.
Senator Cocllrell is in his 51st year.
He was born, bred, and educated in
Missouri. He is over six feet in height.
His figure is very broad and powerful.
He has a large hook nose, which stands
out sweeping line in harmony with
the next curve which runs from the top
OF the nose over his nearly bald head.
His hair is blush gray, worn at mod
crate length about his thick neck. A
fierce cavalry mustache is twisted I'M
der his hawk nose. A long attenuated
beard hangs as straight as so many
strings from the sharp chin Of his sal
low, high-cheek-bo ned face. His eyes
are pale gray blue, which can twinkle
with humor when he is pleased or can
be as cold as steel when he is in the
opposite mood. He is a lawyer by pro-
fession and prodigious worker. There
is no Senator who looks more carefully
after the interests of the Government
than he. He is always in his seat in
the Senate chamber. and skillfully dis
6NAHNA lliAttNl liiuNi w AAlN JOb HlAtNN NetAA
pass his acknowledgements desk. While
he IS chronic objector to the thousand
and one Jobs which are constantly
springing up under various forms, he is
a most liberal legislator in what really
relates to good government Heis very
democratic in his manners, and when
not at the Capitol can be found at his
house with his wife and children, to
whom he is thoroughly devoted.
Senator Harris Is over 60 wears of age.
He, like Cockren, syas bred and edu-
Gated in his native State of Tennessee.
He has had a large experience in public
life. He was A member of Congress at
one of the most stirring periods of our
history-in 1S49-and was reelected in
1851. He was figure in the debates
Of that period which resulted, in the
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