Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-05-23
ANNAPOLIS, MD. FRIDAY EVENING. NAY %. 1890.
LOOKING BACKWARD.
Ex-SEN-A TOR CLENGMAA TALKS OF
OLD TIMES IN CONGRESS.

ehe Present Orators who Commanded
Attention IN the Old Hall OF Reprcsensa-
tives- Webster and HIs Contemporaries.
Nearly every day when the House
meets gray, gauht form is seen upon
the floor, an old man with white hair
fringing a barren crown, and scant,
white whiskers on hollow cheeks, bright
eyes deep in their sockets, a hong neck
encased in a high collar and stocks,
bony fingers and form as straight as
an arrow and appearing tall beyond
actual measurements by its slender pro-
portions-he moves silently and aim
lessly about the hall like the shade OF
some dead and hygone Congress moving
among strange people amid familiar
scenes. With dignity he walks along
the aisles as one who has often walked
that way before, but no look of recog-
milton passes over his face and he meets
members here and there and the MEM
bers look at him with blank faces, with
no quick light Of recognition, no words
OF welcome. Interest and curiosity fix
many eyes upon him as he strides
through the aisles. Time moves SO
swiftly and changes come so fast that
statesman OF the time of Webster, Clay,
Corwin, Calhoun. one who has visited
Jackson in the White House, cannot ex-
pect TO meet many familiar faces in the
Congress of to-day. If Clay or Webster
were to come back they would probably
move about in this way and look
strangely on the scene. And this old
man Is of their day and generation4-a
superfuous statesman, lingering still to
see the work of time a link between
the present and the past Young in the
old and old in the new generation of
statesmen, he acted with those OF years
gone by and watches with experienced
eyes and observation quick to criticise
the present generation of men
Clingman, whose eloquence sounded
through the halls that still vibrated with
the voice of Webster, who spoke in tho
old hall, where now only marble statues
stand, who walked by the side of Presi-
dent jackson down the aisle of tIle
House to hear Adams speak OF Lafayette
-he, the statesman Of past time, now
wanders through the halls and corridors
Of the Capitol, coming suddenly on tho
scene like resurrection.
Hardly day has gone by this session
that he has not been at the Capitol He
walks about In the House a while each
day watching the proceedings with q
critical sort of interest; sitting now in
seat once occupied by one of his old
time friends; now lounging in cloak
room now slceping on sofa--living
again in he scenes which are full of as
sociations to him, which no other man
In the hall can quite appreciate. In
Banke only, does he recognize an old
colleague. A stranger to them all, he is
more familiar with the place than they.
OF course he is not an absolute
stranger; they all know, who he is; they
have read of him in legislative history
his speeches may have furnished them
examples Of eloquence, the delivery OF
which they practiced In their schools.
But now he Is only among them, not of
them. Sometimes he Is seen in the Sem
ate sometimes In the House. He dt-
videB his time between the two, but is
generally in the House. In which ever
house be 70 his bearing Is always that Of
q man familiar with the place but not
with the people He Is seldom engaged
IN conversation with any of the SEN
atoFs or members.
He entered the house in 1043 and
served for thirteen years in that body,
and than he served In the Senate until he
was expelled by resolution, together
with other Southern men, for taking
part la the rebellion. His services all
antedate the war; In his way he was
one Of the orators OF Congress, and his
powerful ringing voice is still retained,
but IL sounds like the voice from past
generation-all out Of time with the
voice of to-day. He Is still a bright and
interesting talker In conversation. His
familiarity with men we have learned
to venerate In the distance OF time, Is
odd and refreshing Instinctively he
compares things as he sees them now,
with what he was familiar with In the
days of his activity, and his preferences
remain with the old time, when he sat
on the arm of Clay's chair, with one hand
on that statesman's shoulder, while lis.
tening to the famous Webster speak
@There Is marked difference between
then and now, said he toa Star reporter.
There was much more order and de-
corum then than now. When sit In
either house now, cannot help but
draw thecontrast with the men Of my day.
When Webster and Clay and their many
distinguished colleagues, were In Con-
gress, there was less boisterousness than
now. Members and Senators did not
81 q Al.
gentleman who had the floor. There
wers sharp passages Of arms, and some
very lively times, but members kept
their seats when not entitled to the hDor.
The man who arose to speak occupied
the floor until he had finished. II q
speech Of interest was bsdng made they
listened, or II they were not interested
they wrote at their desks or talked in
whispers They kept their seats and
showed respect for this body Of which