The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-08-08
THE SPEAKERS.
WEN WHO HAVE HELD THE HIGH
HONOR SINCE WESTINGHOUSE DAY
The Rule of Brother JOnathan-MacOn, who
was "Father of the HOuse-Henry
Cleys Wonderful Career, Etc.

Cley w Onderful Career,
Washington, August 5.-(Special )-On
Monday afternoon next shortly alter -
o'clock Charles +. Crisp, of Georgia, Will
he elected for the second time speaker Oh
the house of representatives. Ills hfSt'
election marked the close of an era. ana the
be ginning Of Il new and better one. lie
was the first man 10 be chosen speaker OF
the house who had served i'll the confederate
army. His elevation to this position, due
as it was largely to the votes OF northern
men, SO emphasized he fact that the war
Is over that the wayfarer. though Il 1901.
could not mistake It's significance. 1t Is
worth noting also that his chief opponent
two years ago had served in the contedcr-
ate army.
Mr. Crisp was not widely known prior
to his elevation to the speakers char. but
it is safe to say that no man IN the United
States now who reads the newspapers
who does not?-but knows who Crisp. of
Georgia. is. The speakers Office. always
important. has within the past generation
come to be regarded second only i'll au-
thority and Influence in our government
though third in dignity. No other officer
of the government wieds such power over
leSlSldtlOn as uocS tHc SptdhtE oi tlie liouSt
This comes from the fact that the business
of congress is chiefly done in the committees
and, that the speaker names the committees
of the house, and under the constitution
all revenue bills must originate in that
body. In the senate the committees are
named by the caucuses of the two parties
The vice president has nothing whatever to
do with their formation The democratic
caucus decides what democrats will 60 upon
the various committees and the republican
caucus what republicans. In the house the
speaker in this matter is supreme. ConSd-
ering the Importance of this great office
and the notoricty. not to say fame which
seems incredible that Il man who had been
chairman of the ways ami means commit
tee and twice elected speaker of the house
of representatives should. when he was
named for the presidency by his party, be
subjected to the snecring inquiry of his
political opponents.
WHO is James X. Poke
Yet this was the case fifty years ago.
The celebrated Sergeant :. Preniss, who,
born in Maine. found friends. fame and
fortune in Mississippi. in a great campai4r
speech at Natchez after Folks nomination
pronounced Il splendid euiogy on Clay, Folks
opponent, aud then repeated that sneernc
question Who is James X. polk?" After
an impressive pause he answered his own
question in kissing accents.
A blighted burr that has fallen from
the name Of the war horse of the Hermit
age"
Mr.. Speaker MuhIenberg
The first speaker of the house was Fred
erick A. Muhlenberg. of Pennsylvania He
was brother of Peter Muhlenberg, who
at the beginning Of the revolution announced
to his congregation of German Virginians
at Woodstock, from his pulpit at the close
of sermon:
There is a time for all things-a time
to preach and time to pray: but there is
also time to fight, and that time has now
come"
Suiting his action. to his word he threw
off his gown and stood arrayed in the uni
form of continental colonel, his commits
sion having been given to him by Washing
ton. Frederick Muhlenberg was speaker
of the house in the first and third con
crosses, and his brother was Il member of
the same house in both congresses The
second speaker of the house was iona than
Trumbull. OF Massachusetts. during the
revolution. and who was the chosen friend
and counselor of Washington. In fact.
the epithct Brother Jonathan now ap-
piled as personi1ication of the United
States owes its origin to Washington's
habit of addressing Governor Trumbull. and
to the phrase he often used when per
picked:
let us hear what Brother Jonathan
says"
Speaker Trumbull himself served on !
Nashington's staff during most of the
revolution as an aide. After serving n
term rs speaker he was chosen to the
United States senate, which position he
resigned to become lieutenant governor of
Connecticut. 1t is impossible TO imagine
United States senator doing ANYTHING like
that these days.
Jonathan Dayton, of New Jersey. WIS
speaker of the house during the fourth and
NTH congresses. He afterwards served II
term as senator. Dayton was Il friend of
Aaron Burr. and was arrested for his al
legged connection with Burr's attemnt 10
overthrow Mexico or found an empire in
the southwest. Twice during Dayton's last
term speaker George Dent, of Maryland.
was chosen speaker pro tempOre during
Dayton's illness.
Theodore Sedgewick, Of Massachusetts.
was speaker of the house during the sixth
congress. lie had been Il member of the
continental congress and was Il member of
The house from its beginning to 1876. ana
then served couple of years as Il senator.
returning To the house in the sixth congress
and being elected speaker. After this he
went upon the bench of the supreme court
of Massachusetts, where he remained until
his death.
For Three Terms.
The first man to serve as speaker of the
house through three successive congresses
was the celebrated Nathaniel Macon, of
North Carolina, he serving in that capacity
during the seventh, eighth. and ninth con
crosses Macon served altogether thirty
seven years in congress, his service being
divided between the two houses. He WAS
the original Father of the House" Ma
con was in public life altogether iifty-seyen
years, and during that long period he never
recommended any of his family to public
office. He was several times offered excclI |
tive positions, but always declined an office
kSt conferred upon him by the direct vote
of the people or their immediate representa-
tives. Thomas III. Benton says Of Macon:
'"That he spoke more good sense while get /