St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-04-02

poga ] can 0ee him now Just. - b
looked. He was . tall, thin, soldierly
man. who rode around on horsebacl
over the swamps which are nov
covered with houses Presidents hsvl
driven in coaches generally since then
sometimes behind four.in-handA
have been present 1t every inaugura'
ton since Jackson's and have had Z
speaking acquaintance with every
president who has followedhim. Presi
dents Harrison and Arthur ! knew IN
the senate. Who were the greatest
men I have known? That would b
hard to tell Clay WAS . wonderful
man. and 20 was Calhoun. Clay waa
the most eloquent speaker ever
listened to I have seen the whole
senate in tears from the power Of hid
eloquence and pathoa"
'How do the public men Of to-day
compare with half century ago Capt
Bassett:"
the attitude Of the people toward them
has changed Statesmen used 70 Be
regarded with greater reverence. Per-
haps il is because there are moro great
men in this generation than there used
to be. We never used to see such
young men in the senate rs In these days.
The senator without q gray head was
. notable exception. They used to be
more careful Of their remarks In de.
bate than senators nowadays Hot
words meant call out TO BladensburR
in those timea I can recall several
political duels. When Cilley was
brought back from his famous meet
ing I saw his body in . boarding house
which stood where tho capitol grounds
are. The days before the civil war
were crowded with exciting events.
was one Of the first to reach Charles
Summers desk after he was assaulted.
I helped to bind mp his head. and ]
have . piece of the cane that was
broken over his shOulderA I heard
Jefferson Davis make his farewell
speech in the senate, and saw tho
withdraw. Many whom I
Is boys have seen grow up
TO be prominent men Senator Cor
man often speaks Of the days when I
playfully boxed his cara He il the
only man who ever climbed mp from .
pages seat ON the steps to . senator's
desk"
"How many times have you turned
back the hands Of the senate clock?'
Il can't count the occasions. he re-
piled. smiling Ut the allusion. "The
clock has been stopped at the close Of
every session since 1874. and no ono
has ever done it but myself Some
times l have turned it back only . min
ute or two Of time, aud once gave tho
government an extra half hour to carry
On its business" -
"Are you ready to tell where Web
ster sat in the senator" the veteran
was asked.
mot yet I am the only man who
knows that It's my secret Perhaps
I will tell it in my book. Ihave been
taking notes all these years. and they
will be Published some time in the near
future Ii not while am alive then by
my children How would Sixty Years
in the Senate sound ~ the title of .
book?" Capt Bassett asked lsughingly.
Seventy years would sound better"
was suggested.
perhaps so he said. "but all Of N
must 20 in time. / am . plain man,
and never injured my constitution BY
dissipation. Seventy-two years Is .
Iong life to look back over. and that
number Is behind me now"
They have been very easy years. too.
lespite the stirring scenes he has wit
,essed and shared in, If Capt Bassett's
placid face reflects the current Of his
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