Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-24
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OLD TIMERS REMINIsCENCEs.
An incident That Took Place During
the Wcbster-Hayne Debate.

An Incident That Took Place During
the Webster-Hayne Debate.
One OF the most venerable members Of
the Senate chamber, writes the Wash.
ington correspondent OF the Cleveland
Leader, is an old, bald-headed man with
a fringe OF gray hair about like that of
Edmunds' running around the back OF
his ears and bordering the crown. He
has long, gray beard, and his general
mlen is patriotic. lt is Capt. Isaac Bas-
sett, who has been connected with the
United states Senate as one of its en-
ployes for the past fifty years and more,
who came into the Senate as a page boy
appointed by Daniel Webster, and who
now. an old man, presides over the pages
Of the Senate. Capt. Bassett talks verv
Interestingly about the great men OF
the past, anu he hopes to write a book of
"reminiscences from them. He remembers
| the speech between We bster and Hayne
and he tells an incident which occurred
| Just before 1t, which fixes IL firmly upon
his memory. 81 had been page but q
| snort time" SAID he, land | was very
! anxious to do well At this time ladies'
were admitted TO the floor Of the Senate,
and upon great occasions the whole floor.
! except that taken uD by the Senator's
! desks, was flied up with ladies. IL was
| known that Webster was TO begin his
answer to Havre at O'Clock, and when
the Senate met al ~ the chamber was al.
| ready full OF visitors. Along towards I,
| when every one was watching the clock
! for the speech TO commence, a Senator on
| one OF the back rows called for glass OF
! water. and ! as page had TO bring 1T to
| him. In crowding past the ladies hap
pened TO step upon the pet corn OF one OF
them, when she threw her hands In the air
and shrieked again and again, He has
J To haa h
Killed meP There was a great commotion
and halt the Senators started to their feet.
| The business of the Senate was stopped.
and the crowd rushed to the woman 10 ask
what was the matter. When it was
| found that IL was nothing but wOman's
corn utter went through the audience,
but the President had to announce this
fact from his seat before quiet could be-
secured. OF course every one looked at
me, and blushed exceedingly IN my en-
barrassment. | do not suppose appre-
clated the great speech which Webster
then delivered, but this adventure fixed
the date firmly upon my mind. and the
shrek of that woman rings in my ears to-
! day.
"ln olden days candles we're used In the
Senate, and sperm candle in a common
brass candlestick stood on each Senator's
| desk. These and two large brass oil lamps
on either side OF the Vice President formed
the whole light OF the cham Der. l had to
/ fill these lamps every day, and we pages
| had To put the cardles and c0udlesticks
| on each Senator's desk. The PAGES had to
go around the Senate during the evening
and snuff the candles. F0rathis WE used
! btR fron snutiers, ana during the long
! night session we would use two candles,
and in the middle OF il we would have to
take out the old ones ana li2ht new ones.
| A Dixht session OF the Senate In the past
| fnFnnaA ypntrI NfnL
shadows would fall upon the senator's
face as he spoke, and when the lieht
| burned low forms would be hardly dis
tinguisbable. The mellow lamps cast a
s0ftened lignt over the marble OF the
chamber and made the whole look like a
ghostly Senate, presided over by spec
tral Vice President.
! "The House and Senate restaurant
were not nearly so fancy as they are to-
day, though their food was just as good
and their drinks were better. The old
resta urant OF the Senate was In one Of the
rooms below, and food was all cooked to
order. The eating was done in the same
| room in which the cooking was carried
| on, and the SGaator sat at q pine table,
covered with fine white cloth, and
ordered steak, chop or oysters as he
! desired. The cooking was done on a
! great fireplace at the side OF the room.
and the Senator could sit and watch his
meat sizZle as he waited for 1t. The
HoIe-in-the-wal was just of the library.
and It was a round, circular place lined
with shelves, which was started at first
! as cold lunch stand, but was afterwards
| turned into more Of a drinking place. At
! first only bread and butter and ham were
kept, but toward the end 1t dispensed
champaign and turkey and all the deli
oacies of tho finest bar AT this time wine
WAS kept in most OF the cOmmi tee rooms,
| and l had QhaTpQ of that haloupfnn IN
! Webster.
"Charles Sumner was sitting in his
| seat in the Senate writing. IL WAS on the
back row Of she chamber, ard be was
bending over his desk. when Brooks en-
tered with K~itt and Richardson. The
two latter were armed, and Brooks had a
! light rubber cane IN his hand. He raised
this as he stepped up beside Mr. Sumner,
and said: i intend 10 chastIse YOU for the
insult you have given my relative, Mr..
Butler.' He said these words rapidly,
and before be could move Brooks struck
him on the head with this rubber cane.
Three time he brought the cane down,
putting all his strength into the blows.
The second blow stunned Senator Sum-
ner, and with his head all bloody he
| fell UNCONSCIOUS upon the floor.
All who were in the Senate, myself
among the number, rushed up, and
| remember that Gen. Lewis Cass
suffered ds ne ulu 30, ms IS sndme.'
| Cass always suffered a little before he
began sentence. We raised Sumner up
and carried HIM into one OF the commit
tee rooms, and was sent to get a basin OF
water TO wash his head. As 1 passed Qua
of the Senate Chamber after it saw Press
ton Brooks and he said: Il meant to ehas-
tise Mr.. sumner, not 10 kill him. Brooks
was then member OF the House. He
was expelled for this attack upon Sum-
ner. and he died about a year later here
in Washington.
"Jobn Randolph was in the House when
| was page in the Senate. He came
into the Senate occasionally, but he was
very weak at tn time, and he had to be-
brought in In a chair. / remember when
he came TO near Henry Clay's farewell
address. He was very much emaclated,
and very feeble, and be did not look aa-
though he could live very long tlme."
Mr.. ClcVeiand's Grandfather.