Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-19
COX AND HIS HUMOR.
The sobriquet of Sunshine More Ap-
propriate Than Sunset.
HIS THRUSTS NEVER HURT MUCH.
A Falling Out With an Alabama Judge
Settled Over Peach Brandy.
SOME SPECIMENS OF HIS STYLE
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATcH.l

famlllarlI known; though the s0Drlquet o.
Sunshine" would more nearly express the
character of the man, whose genial wit scat
tered sunshine so often through the pre-
vailing mistiness of the House.
Cox was always brilliant. He was DOS
sessed by nature of a rare sense of the
humorous. and seemed to take life in all its
phases as joke rather than serious mat.
ter. He was the laughing philosopher Of
the House, but nevertheless was possessed
of an underlying stratum of solid sense
which the CLEANS Of his wit never failed to
reveal His speeches, while enlivened with
humor, contained an amount of solid matter.
which showed that he was an omnivorous
reader and possessed of a prodigious
memory.
His political career was exceptional in
American history think. Born in Ohio,
he was elected to Congress for two success
sive terms from that State, and then, NOV
ing to New York City in 1865, was not long
resident there till he was again elected to
Congress for six terms in succession, with
but a single bleak.
Could Be Elected Anywhere.
He seemed, like some of the English
statesmen, to be able to stand successful for
any borough. This is an unusual mark of
public appreciation when there are so many
patriotic citizens ready to immediate them
selves on their country's altar through Con-
gressional service. The wonder is that he
was not sent back from Turkey, while our
Minister there, as its representative to the
United States, as Burlingame from China,
and is only to be accounted for on the sup
position that the Turk has not the same ap-
probation of joke that the Chinaman has.
He was undoubtedly kept in Congress so
long, and from two separate States, because
there was a place for him to fill there that
no other man could so fitly occupy. His
mental kodak caught and retained every
thing humorous within its reach, and re-
produced it in vivid lineaments. Every
thing ludicrous was grist to his intellectual
mill to be ground into the fine sifted -four
of unadulterated wit, with no ingredient of
sarcasm in it, such as characterized Stevens
or Butler. He was
The Most Genial and Lovable
of all the public men of nv acquaintance.
He reveled in humor more for the enjoy
ment it afforded him than for the disconl-
future of his adversary. He has well,
though doubtless unconsciously to himself,
portrayed his own character, when he says
in his book, "Why We Laugh" that
'Humor has no sting. 1t is not poisonous
like the Stygian waters, which no other
than a mule hoof could hold. The humor-
GUS man is, from his very sensibility. likely
to be gentle and pathetic, but not malignant.
He can rain tears as well as bring smiles"
Nothing can better illustrate his char
acter than an incident related by Judge
Pelham, who was a native Albanian.
elected to the Forty-third Congress as Re-
publican. Cox had unwittingly said some
thing in debate that so offended Pelham
that he was determined to pay him back
Shortly afterward Cox volunteered one day
to take the place of reading clerk at the
desk to relieve one who had become hoarse
This was occasionally permitted, but re-
quired unanimous consent. Pelham OBJ
iected. His friends tried to prevail on him
to withdraw the objection, but he per-
sisted, and Cox was shut off
Settled With Peach Brandy.
Pretty soon he came to Pelham's scat
md said: "Judge, life is too short for you
md to spend it in personal animosities
If have offended you it was unintentional
and beg your pardon, as freely extend
7ou mine, Les US 60 over to the Con-
yressional Hotel and bury the hatchet with
ceremonies
here Cox asked him what it would be- The |
Judge said hs proposed to take peach
brandy and honey.
''That's new to me-" said Cox. 'T will
nv the same"
He professed to like it 80 well that they |
emphasized the burial of the hatchet in a |
couple Of more glasses, and their broken |
was firmly cennented. After that |
Cox always addressed Pelham as "My sweet |
peach" and Pelham called him "Honey."
His wit was never studied like that of the |
English humorists Of the last century, who, |
t is said, forged it in private and kept it |
'eady to fire off when opportunity should |
'fer, and, if the opportunity did not offer,
t would be apropos, and then '1et her |
oose" with all the appearance of being i'm
Cox's Wit Always Spontaneous.
This method never would have suited |
Cox. As he has again said In the book from
which I have before quoted, "The best |
lumor is that which springs out of the sur
No jest, depending merely on |
trikes hard. Besides, studied invective |
IMPLIES malice aforethought, and no ma
icious man was ever yet great either in wit
,r humor."
CoX's wit was as spontaneous as Stevens |
arcasm, flashing like lightning from the
,louds, because SO surcharged with it that it
must findsvent, and he was Indifferent as to
whom it struck, knowing perhaps that its
7ictim, though he might be blinded by it,
yould not be killed. And it was in the ex-
itement Of debate, when mind clashed with |
mind like flint and steel, that the sparks
lashed brightest. His mind was no well |
rom which the waters must be pumped, but
living spring from which they gushed
orth; every drop sparkling with light, and
inted with rainbow hues. He was the yery
i, no mere bufoon; no jumping Jack with
ap and bells; no mere trifer playing his
art for the amusement of the gallery gods.
How Ben Butler Took Him Down.
He was always in the advance of the
kirmish line opposing heavy guns with
life shots or light artillery. His wit was
ever cruel or brutal; his cuts were keen
nd sharp as those made by a Damascus
lade and were given in such perfect good
umor that his victim never harbored any
sentiment His great forte was in ex-
debate, in which the readi-
ess of his wit and quickness in repartee
ave him the greatest advantage; and he
Tas never non-plussed, as the phrase is, ex-
ept by Butler, whom Cox was badgering
nth questions and interruptions until But
er turned on him, and, with acontemptuous
rave of his hand, said ''shoo fly, don't
other me-" He was self-possessed without
onceit, and confident in his powers without
rrogance.
AS might be inferred from what I have
aid, and from what he himself has said, he
7as not SO happy in sustained effort of
IL 81 r |
hort of Proctor Knott in this particular.
9 pnod ON illustration of his STYLE in this |