Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-01-19
"REMINISCENCES
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The following letter. written TO the
K,ns,bsc Journal. by Hon. II. X. Blk.
er Of H.llowell. contains some OF the
mos, interesting "reminiscences called on,
by the late reunion;
The proposed reunion Of the Legislators
Of the State Of Maine. reminds me Of the
years now loag past. when | WAS
there" II "a, my fortune 70 commence
attending upon the legislature "a re-
porter a. long ago as 1892. For nearly
iwen,y yea, followed this occupation.
mostly IN The House Of Representatives,
bu, one os two sessions Ia ,h, senate.
May = curious and interesting scene
took place ia the House durins my years
Of attendance.
Oae Of the hr., | recall WAS when the
Democratic party was Ia power In both
houses. T. o. J. Smith. thea q young.
looking. bsArdlsss man WAS President OF
the senate Virgil ID. Paris vas one OF
the leading members Of the House. One
d.y the two brsnehe, me, ia joint 'es.
.ion in due form. Smith pre,idins. Par.
ri, had III, seat IN corner Jas' under
the gallery. where there wn draush,
Of air from the open gallery. Etiquette
required the member, Of the House to
be uncovered in the pre'enee OF the Sen
ate. Bat PANS, on aeeoaa, OF the
drsush,. put oa hi, hat. The youthful
Prr.iden, called one Of the pages to his
chair. and .sn, by him a message TO
Pam. TO remove bis hat. The indigna.
ton Of Paui.. who was the elder OF the
two, wa, such q. will no, s,,emP, 10
describe.
A, another time. on some question un'
der debate in the House. Paris was in
the minority. The member, got tired OF
the discussion. and the previous question
vac moved. This excited the ire OF Par.
ri.. who desired to speak further on the
matter Ia debate. Bat the previous
question having been seconded. be could
only give hi. rsason. Why the previous
question should no, then be put. IL was
soon after Joha Randolph made his once
celebrated speech in the U. S. Senate. in
which he paused every little While and
called ou, "Tim'. more porter. Parri'
adopted similar course. lie took JET.
fe,.on'. Manual as bis text, read a para
graph or two. and commented upon IL,
and then cried out, "Psge, bring me
some ws,sr." or some apples, OF wha.ev.
er he happened to think Of. lie would
then read again. and talk as long as be
could, At frequen, intervals calling on
the page for .Oms,hing. This he con.
,inued for about four hour,, TO his own
amusement. II no, to that Of The House.
| was reporting, and wrote out the be',
sketch Of hi. speech ,ha, ! could. being
careful to pu, in al the Interruptions. i,
va. printed In the Daily Journal next
morning. and PARIS ordered large
number Of copie, to mail 10 bis friends.
wa. reporting when William PIT,
fe..enden made his frs, appearance In
the House. lie Was young aud slender
looking, and being 10 the political minor.
i,y. his opponents may have though. 81
frs, ,hA, be would no, prove a powerful
antagonist. The late William Dslssder'
nier was then . Democratic leader. .
man Of some enegy. bu, course and vim
dic,ive. One day he ". In some way
provoked with fessendsn, and insulied
him With q rude illusion 10 his unior,un'
ate birth. Fssendsn made little II any
reply. But the House although Demo
cratic by large msjOri,y, was excited
with a shirlwind OF Indignation. Dsles.
derniers friends had to hustle him out OF
the hall to escape the consequences. The
mex, day, the then Speaker was forced
by the unanimous feeling Of the member'
TO vseA,e the chair. and place Fe''snder
| in IL, where he presided the mos, OF oil
Of that day.
Nathan Clifford Was . Democratic
leader in the House when be aud F,ssen'
den were members. Clifford Was . maj
Of ability and energy. bu, nc, ready o.
aaen, speaker. The party majority
though, proper to bnng forward re'olu'
tions relative to the then U. s. Bank
Clifford reported them. and advocated
them 10 . carefully prepared speech.
we'll remember bis peculiar manner: M
would rise and make gesture with hi
right hand before he said . word. Hi
Arguments were elaborate rather than
captivating. Fessenden replied to him
| He was master OF his subject, and helt
the close attention Of bis audience With .
power Of fascinating sloqusnes, which. !
Il did no, convince, commanded the Cd
miration Of friend and foe. II WAS
party question. and the eloquent 'Pssehs
changed no votes.