The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-03-09

came the private secretary, as 1t We're,
OF Gen. Cass. | was in constant atten-
dance upon the senate and joined with
the other pages IL the diversions that
were open tous. [ remember that we
| the hum and hustle of life above
/ through the underground crypts ofthe
capitol, and each carrying a lantern
and crawling on his hands and knees.
| u visited the subterranean chambers
/ and dark recesses under the massive
building. We entered the crypt in
tended by congress as the mausOleun
OF Gen. y Washington, the final resting
| place for his remains. but which in
tention Of the government was render
ed nugatory by the determination Of
| his family that his body should be in
tered in the tomb at Monnt Vernon.
After quite fatiguing and circuitous
/ tramp we emerged again into the out
er world, and / was only reminded Of
| this funeral visit when IN later years
exploring the labyrinth of the cata-
combs at Paris and at Rome.
We pages often organized a moot
senate in the days when the senate
was not in session, it being usual then
! 10 adjourn from Thursday to Monday
| With one III the presidents chair and
the others in seats Of fayorite senators
we discussed the great and important
public measures then before congress.
and voted according to our individual
opinions.
Oftentimes senators would come in
and insist upon our proceeding, not
withstanding their presence. They
would applaud Us as we made telling
points. Mr. Johnson, Of Louisiana
/ y hig senator. asked one Of our mum
ber, IN the presence Of several Demo
crats. ii he was v hig or Democrat.
and the young fellow atoutly maintain
ed that he was a Whig, though it was
then Il Democratic senate, and ELr.
Johnson laughingiy told him to be
careful or he might lose his place,
but IN those days boys were protected
by the nuWritten higher law OF the
senate, which discarded party pro
scripti0n.
At the first session Of my service
the pay OF page was Sl.5O per day
|
ed Us what was called a compensation
of $500 on It's adjournment to support
Us during the recess. At the close OF
the next session our pay was increased
to s. per day, dating back to the be
ginning Of that long session, and which
with the compensation and final
months pay, gave each OF Us twenty
80 gold pieces III one payment, which
the careful secretary, Mr.. Asbury
Dickens, had sewed up in our vest
pockets, and sent us in the senate mail
wagons to our respective homes.
Other sources OF revenue open to us
were obtaining for the printers sub
scriptions to the speeches made by
different senators, the most celebrated
ones being the most lucrative. because
most largely subscribed for: liberal
commission was allowed Us FOR the col
lection OF the senators printing bills
We also received two or three dol
lars from outside parties desiring au-
tographs OF the senators In their al
buns. but some We're ayer5e to giving
them, notably Mr. Clay and Mr.. Cal
hOun, and 1t took tact and & little di-
plomacy to succeed in getting them.
VI hen Jenny LIND the great Swedish
Nightingale was in this country ia
1890, she gave two concerts In II ash
Ington. and we pages obtained for her
in two albums the autographs OF the
entire senate. She sent compliment
tagy tickets to all the pages, six ia
= number, and you may be sure that
every man was at his post, and being
comfortably seated we were fully a
! gratified as the older dignitaries and
| brilliant audience who had paid THEN
50 to - to hear the celebrated cauta
trice.
But though Mr.. Clay did not part
, cularly like to give his autograph L
q strangers he was always agreeably 50
:, cial with the "iittle pages, and chat
, ted with them Familiarity when meet
;. iug them IN the cloak room OF in thi
:, senate chamber lie would urge u.
! to constant efforts and lofty aims
+ and | think he aroused III some OF IL
= the earnest desire that We might soInt
? day attain the great renoWn that en-
circled the name OF the Mil Boy Q
;, the Siasheso
q He had wonderful knowledge o
Q human nature. An anecdOte is tol(
Of him that shows it. When wha
= was known as the compensation bill
> passed congress fixing the salary 0
: its members at Sl,5OG per year instea,
! Of per diem pay it raised a storm O
/ indignant protest throughout til
! country Mr.. Clay had voted for ii
~ bill, and he found 4 violent oppositio
: 60 it III his own district, which threat
ie ened to retire him 10 private life. BE
IL hevlng the current too strong to stem
he met his constituents in mass NEE
at ing and with admirable tact allaye
a the storm. Instead of defending hi
i vote for the odious measure he saiC
- Fellow kentuckians, if you had
\ favorite rifle and what kentuck
- audience would not listen at the mel
g ton Of aritle-' that had never misse
i fire, and one day that trusty old rif
i should accidentIy miss its mark, wouI
hi you cast it away
n No, no." was the unanimous I
~ sponse.
: Would you try it again?"
l. L tS. ItS. SIOuttN tllS IlulLliuii
:, Then, fellow citizens, [ am th
- ~ trusty old rife that never missed iii
= - and l ask you not to cast me aside, b
- - to try me again
= The effect, delivered as it was in /
~ impressiyely eloquent style, was ele
-. tric, and Henry Clay was returned
~ ~ congress by an increased majorit
ne And what higher tribute to his gre
"a ability could be paid than he receiv
M in his duel with the eccentric Jol
ad Randolph of Virginia. Mr.. Clay ha
us ing fired first, Randolph raised |
ie- pistol and fired in the air, at the sal
ef, time exclaiming, L cannot rob /
eo country Of so valuable life"