Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-05-31
LOOKING BACKWARD.
EX-SENATOR CL.h OMAN TALKS OF
OLD TIMES IN CONGRESS-.

tives- Webster and His Contemporaries.
Nearly every day when the House
meets a gray, gaunt form is seen upon
the floor, an old man with white hair
fringLng barren crown, and scaut,
white whisllers on hollow cheeks bright
eyes deep in their sockets, LONG neck
encased in a high collar am ucks,
bony fingers and form as ST. 1T as
an arrow and appearing tall ueyond
actual measurements by its slender pro-
portions-he moves silently and aim
lessly about the hall like the shade of
some dead and bygone Congress moving
among strange people amid familiar
scenes. With dignity he walks along
the aisles as one who has often walked
that way tefore, but no look of recog-
milton passes over his face and he meets
mem bers here and there and the men,
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 80 fast that
statesman of the time of Webster, Clay,
Corwin, Calhoun, one who has visited
Jackson in the White House, cannot ex-
peot to meet many familiar faces in the
Congress of to-day. If Clay or Webster
We're 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 generation-a
superfuous statesman, lingering still to
see the work of time; 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 the
old hall, where now only marble statues
stand, who walked by the side of Presi-
dent jackson down the aisle Of the
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 the
scene like a resurrection.
Hardly day has gone by this session
walks about in the House while each
day watching the proceedings with a
critical sort of interest ; sitting now in a
seat once occupied by one of his old
time friends; now lounging in a cloak
room ; now sleeping on a sofa-living
again in The scenes which are full of as
social ions to him, which no other man
In thu hall can quite appreciate. In
Bank. 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 lie is seen in the SEN
ate sometimes in the House. He di-
vides his time between the two, but is
generally in the House. In which ever
house he is his bearing is always that of
man familiar with the place but not
with the people. He is seldom engaged
in conversation with any of the Sem
dlOrS or members.
He entered the house in 1S43 and
served for thirteen years in that body,
and then he served i'll the Senate until he
was expelled by resolution, together
with other Southern men, for taking
part in the rebellion. His services all
antedate the war. In his way he was
one of the orators of Congress, and his
fnl nj iS ct
but it sounds like the voice from past
generation-all out of time with the
voice of to-day. He is still bright and
interesting talker in conversation. His
familiarity with men we have learned
to venerate in the distance of time, is
odd and refreshing. Instnctively 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 CIay's chair, with one hand
on that statesman's shoulder, while lis
tening to the famous Webster speak.
"There is a 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, l cannot help but
| draw the contrast with the men Of my day.
| When Webster and Clay and their many
| distinguished colleagues, We're in Con-
| gress, there was less boisterousness than
now. Members and Senators did not
then all stand up and group around the
| gentleman who had the floor. There
were sharp passages of arms, and some
very lively times, but members kept
| their seats when not entitled to the floor.
| The man who arose to speak occupied
the floor until he had finished. If
speech of interest was being made they
listened, or if they We're not Interested
they wrote at their desks or talked in
whispers. They kept their seats and
showed respect for the body of which
they were members. Usually attention
was paid to speeches, and speeches were
delivered differently from what they are
now. Members and Senators did not
read their speeches. They spoke freely
and there was more oratorical effect
than now. ! never saw but one speech
read in the Senate, in my time, and that
reading was so much commented on that
the Senator, thereafter, spoke freely,
without notes. Some members and Sem
ators actually wrote their speeches and
committed them. You could tell this
from the stiffness of their delivery, but
all the great men who figure in history
| spoke on the floor of Congress with as