West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-12-19
Among Our Exchanges.
The speakership OF the House.

Counting Thomas b. Reed, just
elected, there have been in all, since
the organization Of the house Of Rep
resentatiyes on April ], 1889, 81
Speakers. This does not include
Speakers elected pro tempore. Al
though Reed is still a young man,
having just returned his fftieth
year, he is, with three exceptions.
older than were any OF his predeccs-
sors at the time of their election.
Jonathan Trumbull, Of Conaccti-
cut, Speaker of the Second Congress,
was one year Older ; Theodore Sedg-
wick, of Massachusetts,, Speaker of
the Sixth Congress, was three years
his senior when he took the chair
December 2, 1899, and William
Pennington, Of New Jersey, who
presides over the Thirty-sixth Con-
gress, was fourteen years older,
Fifteen Speakers were under 40
years of age at the time of their
election. The youn gest Speaker was
Robert VI. T. Hunter, of Virginia.
who was but 30 years of age when
chosen to preside over the Twenty
sixth Congress. Next to him came
Henry Clay, who was in his 34th
year when called TO the chair by the
Twelfth Congress, November 4th
1911. Howell Cobb, of Georgia,
Speaker of the Thirty-first Congress,
was "a; Jonathan Dayton, of New
Jersey,the third Speaker, was IS:
Francis a. Muhleuborg, Of Penn
sylyania, the first Speaker, was 80.
Robert G. Winthrop, Of Massachu-
sctts, and Galusha a. Crop of Penn
s~ylyania, were 38. Nathaniel p.
Banks Of Massachusetts, the first
distinctiycly Republican Speaker,
was 40 when he assumed the gayel,
February ,, 1856, after Il prolonged
contest with Aiken, of South Caro-
lima. Banks then had q striking
presence and Il full, rich, rotound
voice, which filed the hall of the
House. Schuyler Calfax. who pre-
sided over three successive Congress
es, was 20 when elected, on Dec. z.
1868. His successor, James c..
Blaine, was Il year younger, 80.
The Oldest speaker in the line was
William Pennington, of New Jersv,
who had passed his Gath year when
elected to preside over the Thirty
sixth Congress as n compromise
candidate, after an eight weeks
struggle, which has no parallel in
the annals of Congress. Then it was
that John Sherman came within
three votes of election, having been
supported by a majority of Repub-
licans after which the withdrawal of
Galusha A. Grow, Thomas S. Bo-
cock, of Virginia, received most Of
the Democratic votes.
Kentuckey has had the Speaker
ship longer than any other State
twelve terms. Horny Clay served
six John White, n ; Linn Boyd,
two and John G. Carlisle, three.
Virginia and Massachusetts, have
each had four Speakers, with seven
terms for the former and five for the
latter. Of the seven terms for Va,
Andrew Stevenson served four, be-
ginning with the Twentieth Con-
gress. Indiana has had three Speak
ers-Dayis, Colfax and Kerr A; Colfax
serving three terms. Pennsylvania
has had three Muhlcnberg, the
first Speaker, Galusha A.Grow and
Samuel j.. Randall. OF the three
Randall was the longest in the chair.
James G. Blaine was the first, and
until Mr.. Reeds election, the only
Speaker from Maine. lie presided
over the Forty-frst, F-orty-sccond
and Forty-third Congresses.
The great State of New York has
had but one Speaker-John W.
Taylor, who died in 1Sj4.--Nafiona1
Democrat.