The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-17
VETERANS IN CONGRESS.
N. p. BANKS ON THE UPS AND
DOWNS OF PUBLIC LIFE.
Himself tho Earliest Of All the Present
Members of congress-The Record OF
Thirteen Years-How Death aud the
Fierceness of Conflict Now Statesmen.
Especial correspondence. ]

Fierceness of Conflict Now Statesmen.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON. Nov. l4.-Congressmar
Nathaniel p. Banks, Of Massachusetts,
active and genial Notwithstanding hi
seventy-three years. was seated in the
anteroom Of the office Of the secretary
of the interior awaiting an audience
with Mr.. Noble, Near by was McKin
lev, OF Ohio. The pair represented gen
erations widely separated. Beside the
veteran Banks. who had been speaker,
as Mckinley aspires to be, the latter
looked like a boy. On the wall over the
desk OF the private secretary hung a
chart published thirteen years ago. and
called THE Centennial Government.
In this chart Mr.. Banks evinced more
than ordinary interest. He looked IL
over and over. rising first on tiptoe and
then mounting a chair in his eagerness
TO scan all the names. II seemed to inn
press itself upon him as an old friend.
"Ah, Mckinley" exclaimed the vet
eran statesman, what kaleidoscope Of
men, Of human ambitions, Of success and
Of disappointment this is. Here arc the
names Of my friends Of thirteen years
ago. | believe that no more than %
OF the 375 senators and representatives
Of the centennial year are still in con-
gress."
SO the veteran Banks and the younger
Mckinley sat down TO compare notes.
Banks knew the old congress and Nc
Kinley the new one.
LET us begin with Name" they said.
They found that OF the seven members
OF congress from that state in the CEN
tennial year but two remain. Hale and
Frye, who were then representatives,
now sit as Senators in place OF Hannibal
Hamiin and James G. Blaine, 1.-TWO men
who have made history, and are still
making it," as Mr.. Banks said. OF New
Hampshire's five centennial statesmen
but one remains. Probably the country
ut large has forgotten Senators Cragin
and Wadlcigh. Henry w. Blair. then
in the house. is now in the senate, and
somewhat famous as the author Of the
Blair educational bill.
Little Vermont is pretty constant"
said Mr. Banks; "she is the only state in
the Union which has here now the same
senators who represented her in the CEN
tennial year. May my old friends Ed
munds and Morrill, be here thirteen
years hence.
"That reminds me-" added the ex-
speaker, "that in talking about Massa-
chusetts' representatives you should not
forget me. have the honor, sir, TO be
the member of the Fifty-frst congress
with earliest experience in national legis-
lation. was a member of the Thirty
third congress, which makes it just thir-
ty-six years since | came down here a
green. fresh statesman. Judge Kelley,
the father of the house, did not come till
the Thirty-seyenth congress, or eight
years later. Senator Morrill,, Of Vermont,
first came to congress two years after
did, and Senator Dawes, Of Massachu-
sets, four years after. But their service
has been continuous, while mine has not.
Only three Massachusetts members Of
the centennial congress are now here
Alr. Dawes. Mr.. Hoar, who was then a
and myself"
Rhode Island has no survivors Of the
period of thirteen years. Both Of her
senator's. Henry B. Anthony
and Gen. Burnside, are dead Connect
cut fares no better. Her senators'were
William w. Eaton and William II. Bar
-. ~ f.---.~--- - --.;- i~~Io- rho |
lied few months ago.
Time has worked magic changes in |
New York. Thirteen years ago Roscoe /
Conkling and Francis Herman repre-
'ented the empire state in the senate.
Both are dead. Fernando Wood, the
next most conspicuous member of the
delegation, is also dead. Samuel Sulli-
IAN Cox passed away but a few weeks
lgo. Strange that in thirteen years all
Il the thirty-five statesmen from that
tate should disappear from the congress
ional roster. Not one remains. A. s.
levitt still lives, but in private life.
William A. Wheeler. then a congress
nan, rose to the vice presidency and
isappeared. Thomas c. Plat was then
he congressman from Tioga. Suisse
uently he entered the senate, resigned
nth Conkling, failed Of reelection. dis
ppeared from public view, and later on
obs up serenely power in his party.
.lbridge G. Lapham, then a representa-
we, succeeded the great Conkling in the
enate. served his term and disappeared
lille Conkling was yet living and IA
ious.
Not one Jerseyman survived the period
nat was composed of years to the I'M
lcky number Of thirteen. OF the nine c
zen in the New Jersey delegation of the I
year, but one, Frederick T.
relinghuysen, subsequently rose to '
igher distinction. q
pennsylvania, conservative and rock a
b5ed, tenacious OF her political views 8
nd favorites. presents a greater number a
survivors from the centennial era d
ian any other commonwealth. Though T
mon Cameron, the Nestor, has disap- T,
jared forever, Samuel j. Randall. Will n
m ID. Kelley and Charles O'Neill re t,
ain. p
A remarkable instance. this. of long +,
ntinued service of a great municipaii- ST
. Kelley, Randall and ONeill have Sc
gether represented the city Of Phila- p
lphia in congress for a quarter Of a fc
injury. Congressman Mutchler and ii
ash are the other survivors in the
delegation.
Even little Delaware, in which the citi-
rs had come to look upon the Bayards ir
d the Saulsburys as life senators. has &c
t the influences of this period of Ina
ange. Thirteen years ago Thomas III
ancis Bayard, the third Of his family It's
occupy seat in the senate, was one Of he
Q most active statesmen Of the dav. co
Nv, after serving eight years more as riC
aator end four as secretary o. state, he Of
enewing his youth as private citizen pu
bridegroom. The Saulsburys. too. a :
re retired to private life. ro;
larylanQ had no renreeart,t;,.os :, o.,