Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-17
CONGRESSIONAL PICTURES.
MIR. Randall Hard Mt It-How Illness Has
Changed Him-The Old War Governor
Charms Circle on the Floor-Other


Charms a Circle on the Floor-Other
Veterans Cause Flutter in Congress.
rFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, D. c., January l6.-Not day
passes now but Randall is in his seat and CIV
ing as enthusiastic attention to business as be-
fore the breaking of his health. He has not
quite regained his former vigorous appearance,
but his movements show that he yet has i'm
mense vitality. He is shade paler than be-
fore, his fingers are not SO plump, but his eyes
are bright and his action muscular. de en-
dures the fatigue of a days session without
tagging, walks to his modest home near the
Capitol and dimes with good appetite, sleeps
well and awakes thoroughly refreshed. 1t is
said that the result of the election greatly re-
Vived his spirits and can readily believe that
for it was in the nature of q vindication OF his
course.
AS l WRITE, sitting in the very excellent
chair allotted to THE DISPATCH in the front
pew of the press gallery of the House, the "old
War Governor" Andrew Gregg Curtin, enters
the hall, and, in the lobby behind the screens,
near the big chimney, with its fire OF logs OF
wood, is Immediately surrounded by bevy OF
members, most of them Southern brigadiers."
S<AAsoS
the perfect antipode of Curtin; the one with his
rugged, brigandish, cowboy countenance, grim,
half-wicked expressions; the other of ideal
classic type, one of the finest specimens of a
harmonious, magnificent combination OF the
physical and intellectual ever seen in the
United States. The Governor has evidently at
once flashed some witty story or remark upon
the circle around him, for they throw back
their heads and laugh heartily, though the
Texans face looks rather blank as though he
had not quite caught the point of the joke.
AS he withdraws from this circle he is caught
by other ex-Confederates who seem to have
special affection for him because of his liberal
opinions following the war. Martin follows
him up, attracted, fascinated, as Orpheus
charmed the tigers and hyenas, and when the
Governor remarks that he wishes to see Ran
dali, Martin ungracefully, but sincerely and
worshipfully acts as his escort. The Governor
walks down the aisle among the members.
There is a vacant chair beside Randall. The
two Pennsylvania veterans shake hands heart
lily. Curtin settles into the vacant chair, and
then follows long chat The Governor passes
much of his time in Washington. His income
is sufficient to keep him comfortably. Helives
at John Chamberlain's, where everyone lives
well, and may often be found there in the
genial smoking room, slipping glass of some
thing hot, putting at good cigar, surrounded
by the most brilliant of the habitues of that
popular place.
ANOTHER ex-member has just made his ap-
pearance on the floor, 'Silver-bill'' Warner,
formerly of the Steubenville o., district.
Warner had the name of being crank on
reform" and he made himself something too
busy but he was earnest and sincere. He is a
man of stalwart physique, and was noted for
his bravery and endurance as Northern
brigadier. Why Curtin went over to the DEM
ocrats is well known, but the cause of Warmers
flop, early after the war, has never cropped out
to the public. remember him when he was
the principal of the public schools in Mercer,
Pa. He was an excellent teacher, but an
awfully harsh disciplinarian, who used to whale
the fractions boys numerically. Apparently
he is knocked out of politics finally, but no one
can bet on that, for a man who likes to hang
around Congress after he has passed out of it
again always has his return buzzing in his head.
ANOTHER Pennsylvania veteran who at
tracts some attention to himself is Charles r.
Buckalew. He sits little back of the center
of the Democratic section, between Archie
Bliss of Brooklyn, and Martin, of Texas. He
is ssmooth-faced, slender, his hair thin and white
and holds his head constantly little to one side
of the perpendicular. He pays very close atten-
tion to the proceedings, and often speaks, es-
pecially on questions involving constitutional
law, but usually to "a small audience. as his
voice is very weak. He was a chief figure in
one of the most exciting of Gubernatorial cam
paigns in Pennsylvania in 1872 and there suf-
fered the disadvantage of being constantly
charged with having made speeches during the
war expressive of sympathy with the rebels.
He is a Bourbon of the Bourbons. E. w. L.