The Van Buren press., 1893-01-07
CAPT. ISAAC BASSETT.
"Reminiscences Of the Nestor Of the
United States Senase.
For Over Sixty Years Ilc Has Been a
Trusted Empioye of the Upper House
His Appointments by Dan
lel Webster.
IsnccIal wasbinston Lctterl

lSpecidl WdSHltSlOn ilcIleF.l
From time to time, in letters concern
ing the senate, the senators, the EN-
ploycs and habitues of the capitol, men,
ton has been made of Capt Isaac
Bassett, the Nestor of the senate; but he
has never been formally introduced to
my readers. No description of the sem
ate would be complete without some
reference to Capt. Bassctt. r. you come
to Washington when congress is in ses-
sion, you will certainly visit the senate
and be seated in the gallery. You will
see the vice president in his chair with
the little ivory gavel in his hand; and
At the same time, sitting below and
about six feet to the left of the presid-
ing officer you will see handsome old
gentleman with snow-whitc, luxuriant
beard, and a very thin crown of sillsen,
silver hair He is always in his seat,
save when a message is received from
the president or from the house. Upon
such occasions the venerable chief page
stands in the center aisle and an
nounces to the vice president and the
senate that message has been deliv.
cred to him.
No man in all the United States has
a more valuable aggregation of sena-
torial incidents and legislative
anecdotes than Capt. Isaac Bassett. the
venerable attache of the senatc-the one
man in the employ OF that body who
can hold his place in spite OF changing
majorities and ehamcieon-iike admins
trations. AS reservoir OF interesting
information Capt. Bassctt is unique.
He is also nearly unique in another
sense-he is the only man in several
million who politely refuses to talk
about himself. For this there are at
least three reasons: he is extremely
modest; he doesn't think il good policy
TO talk about senators, and he hopes to
publish his great collection of expert
ences and impressions in book FORM
The latter reason by itself would be
sufficient to keep the mouths of mcst
men closed. But there are times when
the amiable old gentleman chats
affably ''of the days of auld lang syne''
and smiles when the scenes of more
than half a century glide panoramically
before his mental vision. You may well
Imagine what a treat it is to sit quietly
beside the personified past, and listen
70 the recital of the scenes of long ago.
~ can sometimes scarcely rcalize."
said Capt. Bassett, THAT have spent
sixty-one years of my life in the United
States senate. Although ! am painfully
conscious of the fact that am grow
ing old, sometimes feel us though it
was but little while since La young
ster Of twelve years-first entered the
senate. Do You know was the second
page the senate ever employed? The
first one was Grafton Hanson who left
the senate soon after arrived. He was
too big for the place, and page is not
acceptable when he commences to grow
into manhood. My appointment came
through Daniel Webster; it took big
man to secure such an appointment, for
there were but two pages then. When
! entered upon my duties found Han
son wearing suit of blue cloth adorned
with brass buttons. My new suit was
precisely like it, and for time it looked
blue and brass would always
nihecessary parts Of d pages uniform.
req habit OF wearing such clothes
in sed, however, and since then the
n so hngsters have worn almost any kind
= garments they liked best. The pages
. "that time had more to do than their
*. tccssors have now. We never had
,n,1 1ch idle time when the senate WIS in
q, ,on sion. We two boys had to file
w the bills, doing one side
while my companion did the
,ther. That was good deal of a
lob, although the senate was much
Imaller then than it is now. A duty Of