Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-10-29
THE OLERKSHIP.

Next to the speakership, the most I'M
portant Office in the house of represent
atives is the clerkship, and there prom
ises to be quite contest over it. Very
likely it will go to the south or west. The
record is very interesting one.
The first clerk of the house was John
Bccklcy, of Virginia, who was elected
April l, 1899, and served until May 10,
1877, when he was succeeded by iona
than W. Condy, OF Pennsylvania. Mr.
Condy was succeeded by John Holt Os-
valid, also of Pennsylvania, who held the
position but one year, when Mr., Beckley
was again elected, serving from Decem-
Der T, 1901 to October %, 1907. Neither
of these gentlemen had been members OF
congress.
In 1907 Patrick Magruder, OF Mary
land, was elected clerk. He had served
one term in the house and was the first
ex-representative chosen for the clerk
ship. He remained in this office until
1915 and was succeeded by Thomas
Dougherty, of Kentucky. After Dough-
erty came Matthew S. Clarke, of Penn
sylvania, from 1922 to 1888; Walter S.
franklin, of Pennsylvania, 1888 to 1888;
Hugh A. Garland, of Virginia, 1888 to
1871; Clarke, OF Pennsylvania, again,
1871 to 1913; Caleb j. McNulty, of Ohio,
1913 to 1915, and B. B. French, of New
Hampshire, 1915 to 1917. Up to this
time only one eX-member OF the House
had been honored with the clerkship
But departure from the former practice
is here noted.
Thomas j. Campbell, OF Tennessee,
who had been in congress one term, sue
ceeded Mr.. French and served as clerk
till April II, 1850. Mr.. Campbell's sue
cessor was Richard NJ. Young, of Hi
nois, who had been senator from that
state, but not member OF the house.
Mr.. Young was succeeded December l,
1851, by John w. Forney, Of Pennsylva-
MIA, who was never in congress; Mr..
Forney by William Cullom, OF Tennessee,
February 4, 1856, who had been two years
in the house Mr.. Cullom by James c..
Allen, of Illinois, December &, 1857, who
had served two terms as member OF the
house Mr.. Allen by Mr.. Forney again
February 3, 1860; Mr.. Forney by Emer-
son Etheridge, of Tennessee, July4 1861 !,
who had been six years in the house ;
Mr.. Etheridge by Edward McPherson, Of
PENNSYLVANIA, who had been two terms a
member of the house and who served as
clerk from December 8, 1868, to December
6, 1875, a term OF twelve years, the longest
on record Mr.. Mcpherson by George NJ
Adams, ex-congressman from Kentucky,
December 6, 1875; Mr.. Adams by Mr..
Mcpherson again, December 3, 1881, and
Mr.. Mcpherson by John B, Clark, jr., OF
Missouri, who now holds the office and
who had previously served five terms in
the house.
1t will thus be seen that Of the nine
teen different individuals who were clerks
of the house since and including its first
session, only nine had been members OF
congress and one of these was q senator.
For the first forty-fye years of the govern,
ment only one member OF the house was
chosen to the clerkship. OF late years
the practice has prevailed, with the single
exceptions of Mr.. Young and Mr.. Forney,
Of bestOwing this honor upon ex-repre-
sentatives, and is likely to be continued
unless some vigorous outside opposition
arises to force change, because OF q ser-
tain advantage possessed through con-
gressional acquaintance and influence by
candidates who have seen congressional
service.