Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-02-15
Wit OF PUBLIC MEN
w alter Veiiman has Searched the
Records Tor hepaFtse.
Fix0CS SENATORIAL BOZ xOIS
th~ itss Distaia. the ssbltass Froas
ths hialeaioss stsftss P~Ftls1sly Mar
FOs-Jsk~s that have tarasa A~4y
tAs wrath VI slatssAsa

A few DAYS ago ~ hal fine examp.s OF
the nArros aess Il ths border line which
somstifnas exists begwsen The sublime
and the Ridiculous. NJ. Lewis. Of Mis-
sissippi. Ia replying - structures II Mr..
Kelley. u Kansas. on the former state,
sad some people were continually gong
up aad down the land disturbing the
peaceful and calm and industrious with
false cries of "harter' murdsrl mCr-
DER AZ this moment. when the feel
iugs 81 mo spectators had been worked
q a hgh pitch BY the dramatic manner
u tho speaker, old Gen. Splnola sung
cut, Cal the poileeF Ia twinkling
tragedy was changed - comedy, AMI
everybody roared
Two Or three weeks ago. during de-
eiayo roll call on the election bill--a
critical histori, moment, when senators
and spectators were Ia state Of sup
pressed exeis-fnont-Scnator Dixon, Ia
asking a transfer Of his pair from Sen
atOr Ransom - Senator Hampton, de-
nure.y Remarked that after TINS ex-
change % courtesies between the sen
sbor from North Carolina and the
senator from south Carolina be could
vote-an aliusion 10 a good old joke
which filed tho senate chamber with
IuerrlInenE
Instances OF sudden change from the
sublime 20 tho ridiculous are by no
means rare Ia congress. Congressman
Bedford. OF Colorado. a few years ago
was exoortsting a fellow member with
all his powers OF eloquence. There ne
sits" exclaimed Bedford. shaking his
finger at the object of his wrath, mute,
silent and dumb."
Yes" shouted a wag, "and he is not
saying a word"
This WAS even heater than Gen. Spi-
nola's call for the police. Gen. Spinola,
by the way. is full of sharp rcpartee.
lie Is noted for his old fashioned high
collar, which tickles the lower lobes of
his ears One day n rash young member
made some sneering ailusion 10 Spinola's
collar. whereupon the old man retorted:
1T would require collar fifty times
higher than ,nine 10 hide the ears of the
gentleman
Another member. on another occasion,
attempted n mako pun at Mr.. SpinOla's
expense. The old warrior having replied
rather holly TO some remark, the pun
ster sand:
''Oh. web, you needn't get your choler
up"
Quick rs a fash came Spinolas retort:
Il Away have my collar up; and adj
wise tine gentleman TO take care that the
other end OF tho garment To which his
collar is fastened Is kept down"
One of the sharpest bits of repartee we
have had in congress in many a day was
that OF young Senator Wolcott to Sena-
tor Power. Wolcott hai Just voted
against his party. and Power was taking
him 10 task. Its great mistake, VOL
cott," said he, "a great mistake. You
have ruined your reputation" You go
make one" retorted Wolcott.
Not long ago there was n little til. be
tween Reed and Springer which brought
forth a nea- repartec. The speaker said
something which Springer said he had
failed 20 hear.
Il think you can hear web enough to
catch nv idea" said Reed.
IL can't catch the speakers idea" re-
sponded Springer. without hearing
what he says, and frequently / can't
catch it when do hear what he says"
When congressman become bitterly
personal trey talk about each other )
record" A record" is a terrible mat
ter ~ debater. IL touches his integ-
rity and consistency, and often provokes
fierce answer Sam Cox used to tell a
story about two statesmen from the
Egypt district of Illinois who went ut
each other IN this fashion: You cannot
assaal my record" said one loftily.
NO; / do not care to go into small mat
ters," was the retort. That Is where
you and differ. do 90 into small mat
ters. for I shall answer you Then
discuss yourself and magnify little
things"
A convenient form Of repsrtee or sar-
cnzm is reference 70 the predecessor of
ones antagonist. During the debate on
the rules in the last session one Of the
Democratic members spoke Of Speaker
Reed As the man who ratified around IN
the seat formerly occupied by John q
Carlisle, which was not happy. inasmuch
as Reed Is physically three times "a big
rs Carlisle. and their corporal dispro-
rrrtionatenass was 80 once IN every one
mind. notwithstanding the members oo-
vious Intention 10 compare the men in-
tellrtually.
Much better was ingalls, subtle, deli
cate sarcasm a few Years ago in the
game line. He was cast eating Mr.. Hoar
in q polite. parliamentary manner for
that senator's alleged devotion 20 Assss-
~hu.atts can't. senator Dawes carae
into the chamber Just in time % hear a
few words and. rising. asked II tAf
words were intended for him
IT refer now said Ingalls,. ''to the
rncr~ssor II Charles Sumner and not t.
the successor II Daniel Webster
This debcately cruel way Of hosiine
IRE two >eoAtTxs from Massachusetts, NJ
70 comparison with sumner and Web
sssr brought grin 20 The face Of every
o-s In he chAmhsr. Senators Hosr and
Dawes sioue excepessi
Nora vicious was John Randolph
ras at the sause method many yesrs
.r1 Randolph and Nathaniel Macon
wsxe fX<t trends. When Macon went