Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-23

DLIND HOMER. WHO SANG IN THE
I'D camps OF Greece when David was lad
among the iocks OF Israel. uttered one line in
the ODYSSEY that many a thoughtful boy, read
ing has never forgotten:
Pew sors are better than their fathers many are
The shepherd boy in his song said: THE
DAYS Of our years are three score and ten. and
II By reason Of strength they be four score
years vet is their strength labor and sorrow.
Neither Homer nor David, If they were TO visit
the Capitol some day. would see much to dis
credit their estimate OF human wisdom. 1hey
would look down on body of men at either
sni OF the Capitol whose average age consider
ably exceeds mans physical prime. Dat of S}6
members Of the House 162 are over fifty years
OF age. OF the i2i members Of Senate and
House comprising the entire Fifty-second Con-
gres-. ~, OF over one-half, are fifty and up
ward
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS RIPE OLD AGE
Old age IN pubic places never better
e1emplihed than IN the case OF John Quincy
Adams whs died in the harness at eighty. He
fell st his desk IN the old hall of the House,
now used statuaTy hall, aud Just above the
sofa on which he breathed his last in the little
triangular room now used as the Office of the
clerk OF the HOuse IL "A marble bust Of the old
man eloquent and a tablet COMMUNICATING
the historical interest of the place.
benjamin Franklin in Congress at
eigLty-oue ard was governor of PENNSYLVANIA
at eighty-twO. Tom Benton was seventy-six
when he took to MS bed. and as he was dying
wrote the concluding chapters of his Thirty
Years" the moments and the words syn
chrOnOusly fling out the long service of Mis-
pronounced Ioiliver) of Virginia was in Con-
gress during period OF forty thee years. and
when he eightv-fve was serving his cOun-
try as librarian OF the Treasury Department.
Andrew Jackson was the oldest man ever act
ing as President of the United States. He was
seventy a fortnight after Van Burens inaugu-
rstlon-
JAMES BUCHANAN
was the next oldest. being within twenty days
OF seventy when Abraham Lincoln was inau-
gurated 10 succeed him in 1861. William Henry
Harrison was the Oldest President ever inau-
gursted. being sixty-eiSht at that time. Had
he lived lie would have been considerably
past the three score and ten at the end of his
term ElbrlGce Gerry. who died while Vice
President. WAS seventy. Thad. Stevens was
seventy-six when ne died in his eighth term in
Congress. For years he was carried to and
from his home and the House by two stalwart
employees
Il wonder" he used to say often. .'who will
carry me in here when YOU fellows are dead
and gone" Both these faith full men are Vet in
the employ o. the House. Lewis Cass. when lie
retired from Buchanans cabinet III 1860. was
seycn;y-cigLt- He died at el-Lty-fOur in fail
possession OF his mental faculties and apua-
rently a. sturdy as when in active public serv-
ice Simon Cameron was scyenty-seyen when
h resigned 20 make way Tor his son. Ewing
was seyenty-sIx when he quit public life Cor
WIZ was seventy. Jacob GOllame n = veHty-three.
Gen. shields. vino had been a United States
Senator from three states. was seventy-four.
Reyerdy Johnson seyenty-three. Eichelieu
Robinson seventy. Ben Wade sixty-nIne. Ma
thanlel Macon. who was in Congress thirty
seven years altogether, was seventy-one.
PAST THE Go-DES MILE STONE.
Nine men in tins Congress have passed the
golden mile stone that marks the three score
years and ten Of the psalmist One o: these by
reason of strength has exceeded four score
Senator Justin Smith Morrill, of Vermont
Judge Holman Of Indiana Is in his SEVENTEEN
year. but Will not add the tenth TO the number
OF 1Gu septuaSenarIans until next September
When he was a little hoosier baby six wears
ait.r Indiana ceased TO be a territory Senator
Morrill, was a boy of twelve studying Latin in
the village academy. Between Judge Holman
and Senator Morrill,, among the neu who have
attained the age of three score and ten are
Senators Sawyer of Wisconsin. Dawes OF Mas
sachuset.s. Barbour of Virginia. Pugh of Ala
hama. Palmer OF Illinois. Representatives Scull
OF pennsylvania and English Of New Jersey.
SENATOR MORRILL, ; LONG RECORD.
The Nestor of this as of many preceding
Congresses. Senator Morrill,, will be eishty-two
next April He has been IN Congress since
lSj5 a period Of service longer than any in the
history Of the government except that of Nd
thaniel Macon. Mr.. Morrill, catered the Senate
In l~51. and row that Senator Edmunds has re-
signed Is the oldest Senator When the Yer
mont Senator was baby James Madison was