Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-12-19
SPEAKERS OF THE PAST.
PEN Pictures of the Men Who Have
Used the Gavel

writer in the New York Press.
Next to the President, the Speaker
of the House of Representatives has,
perhaps, more power than any other
officer of the Government. Hence
the Office is sought after as "A great
prize. Yet it is doubtful if any Of
the present generation can recall the
names Of the Speakers even thirty
years ago. Those whose names are
conspicuous, even now, have gener-
ally won distinction in other depart
ments. For example, Blaine is now
known as Senator and Cabinet Off
Ger more than as Speaker. But the
Speakership is stepping stone to
more conspicuous, but not to more
influential posts. Yet the fact re.
mains that only one Speaker of the
House has ever reached the Presiden-
cy, and even this Speaker was so lit
tie known that when he was nomi-
mated for the Presidency he was met
with the campaign cry, "Who is
James X. Polk ?" On the other
hand, the two most marked men who
have been Speakers-Henry Clay
and James G. Blaine-were unsuc>
cessful candidates for the Presidency.
The contest now On for the Speaks
ership in the next House recalls the
States and sections that have been
previously represented. The honOrs
are exactly even. When Tom Reed
retired from the Speakership last
March the South and North had held
that Office for fifty-one years each.
Kentucky heads the list with %
years; next Virginia Is years !;
Pennsylvania, IL; Massachusetts, TO-;
Indiana, 8; Maine, 8; North CARROLL
ma and New Jersey, each 6; Tennes>
see 5; New York and South Caroll-
ma, 3 each Connecticut, Georgia and
Ohio, 3 years each. The odd num-
bers here are due to death or resigna-
ton and elections to fill vacancies.
Only one Speaker has died in Office,
and only two have resigned, Henry
Clay and Andrew Stevenson of Vir-
ginia.
Frederick A.C.Muhlenberg, of Penn
sylvania, was Speaker of First Con-
gress, which met 1889. He was the
son of one of the founders Of the
American Lutheran Church. The
Speaker had himself been a Luther
an clergymen, but he left the minis
try in 1879 and entered politics. He
was a member Of the Continental
Congress. He served during the first
four Congresses, being Speaker of the
First and Third. He was only 80
years of age at the time Of the first
election.
Jonathan Trumbull, of Connecticut.
an old Revolutionary War officer,
was the second Speaker. He served
in the First, Second and Third Con-
crosses, and was afterward United
States Senator, and then Governor Of
Connecticut eleven terms and died in
Office in 1909. Trumbull and Mullen
berg were both + ederalists.
The Speaker of the Fourth and
Fifth Congress was Jonathan Dayton,
of New Jersey. He also had been an
officer during the Revolution and
afterward became a United States
Senator.
Theodore Sedgwick, Of Massachu'
sets presided over the Sixth Congress
l779-1S01. He also had a soldier rec
ord, had been a member of the Con-
tinental Congress and Judge of the
Superior Court of Massachusetts,
The South first secured the Speaker
ship with the Seventh Congress in
the person of Nathaniel Macon, Of
North Carolina. Macon was re-elect,
edSpeaker in the two following Con,
crosses. Altogether he served in the
House and the Senate thirty-sever
years. His popularity was so great
in his State that he was usually chos
EN- without opposition, until, in 1929
he declined to be renominated. He
was perhaps the most distinguished
man ever sent to Washington from
North Carolina, and was the first dis
tinctive and pronounced Democra
who held the Speakership.
The Tenth and Eleventh Congress
Ses elected Joseph Varnum, of Mas
sachusetts. He had been a Genera
in the Revolution and had served
twelve years in the Senate.
Then came Henry Clay with tn,
Twelfth Congress, the most conspic
uous Speaker of them all, and the on,
who held the office for the creates
J,,-.tI, e ILL.,, II, $500, CT IL go,