Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-08
WHO OUR SOLONS ARE
Personal Points About Leading Members
Of The General Assembly.
SOME STRIKING CHARACTERISTICS
How the Presiding Officers strike
One Looking from the 1mher'es-
The Inrgcst and Smallest,
Youngest and Oldest.

Interesting body from many scAhopOin'S'
-, from a personal one IL is eSpeci',iiy
-, Mad. no. as IL is, OF men from all sec
,,ors oe the Commonwealth and from al
most al walks OF life. II is 10 the stoueh,
Of humanity and physiognomy STUDY oil
more than ordinary Interest. Inc rugged
,,,ountatneer and the hardy fisherman
the sun-burned farmer, ana MS more
aa,,ca,a civ brother, are all there. ana
the different types OF manhood presents
q pic,ure well worthy of consideration.
In both bodies there are many new
faces. bat especially Is this true Of the
House. More than half OF the delegates
composing this body are new men. Hesn
from the rural districts. who have not
hitherto had legislative experience. 1"e
majority Of them are, however, represent
tatiyo men, and men of ability ana tne'
viii no doubt represent their constituency
faithfully and well.
The element of farmers In the House
"a rouch greater than II was last ses-
s,on lint the majority Of the agriculturists
are men Of more than the ordinary III
telligence. and they will. no DOUBT prove
n notent factor In framing The laws 10
ne enacted or amended at this session
Ths senate is composed more largely
Of experienced parliamentarlans IMAM lno
House. and Is a representative pouy ~
every sense that the Word inpheS. "a
course. there are leaders In pom DishNnV9'
men 81 long legislative experience me-
ed oratorioL abilities, and whose poWei
IN debates has given them prestige
which their brother soions are not SLOW IN
,scoeniziug. The glib debater Is, however
moi always the most valuable man IN
iegislatiye body His quiet brethren, "hO
serve with faithfulness on committees
and in so doing exercise good Judgment
es 10 the merits or dement's OF a mea-
sure before the body. is oftentlmes lhe
most valuable man, though Is record may
not show II.
striking Figures In the sen"'e'
A person standing in the gallery OF the
Senate and looking down on thal ~
rust body cannot fail to be impresseu
with the different types OF men that come
under his view. If he happens TO drop
In the gallery just about noon, propaply
the sharp rap Of the gaYel VIII hist
draw his attention in the direction OF
the presiding officers chair. In the per
son OF Iieutenant-Cove X. Z. Kent
he will see what VIII at once impress MN
as a perfect type OF the odd Virginia
gentleman" and, If he has ever ialkeu
with the courteous president OF the S-h-
ate, that gent!eman's manner ana court
ly bearing will only strengthen ms oplh-
ion. Mr.. Kent is charming CONVEX
tIonalist; has a soft and well-modulated
voice. and speaks with perfect delibera-
tion. Mr.. Kent was one OF the most
prominent members of the House -FOUR
wears ago and was the author or the
famous railroad bill which bore his name,
and which WAS one of the most important
measures considered by the lower oranch
OF thc Legislature at that session
The bill was defeated. but Mr.. Kent
speech in favor Of the measure VIII never
be forgotten by those who heard IL,
and was one of the most brilliant ana
forcible oratorical efforts that has been
heard in the Legislature during the past
two sessions. Mr. Kent, in personal ap
pearance, is remarkably-fine looking
man. He is tall and Of commanding
stature, aristocratic in bearing, and ne
presIdes over the Senate in the most Dig
nified manner possible.
A soLDIERLY SENATOR.
Captain George A. Mushbach, of Alex
endria. Is perhaps one Of the most hand
some men I'm the Senate. He looks every
inch the soldier that he is; is tall, erect
and well-propor tioned, and wears a
moustache. which by the gentler sex
would no doubt be termed beautiful
Whenever he arises to speak upon
question ne at once commands the atten-
ton OF the body. He is forcible speak
or. and discusses his subject in the
most earnest manner. Every word NJ
utters has its weight, and he uses no
stereotyped. oratorical expressions in CIV
ing his opinion as to the merits or de-
merits of any question which may be
under consideration. The Senator from
Alexandria is the author Of the famous
Mushbach anti-gambling bill, which was
passed two sessions ago and was amend
ed at the last session of the Legislature.
He was one Of the most prominent mem
bers of the committee that investi-
gated the charges as TO the alleged un-
fair election OF Senator Martin. when
that gentleman defeated his distinguishes
opponent, General Fitzhugh Lee, two
years ago He was also an officer on the
Court OF Inquiry. which investigated the
recent trouble In the First Virgni Regi-
ment.
Hon w. Il. McIlwaine, of Petersburg
Is one OF the most level-headed men "
the upper branch of the Legislature. Like
Mr. Mushbach, he Is an earnest speak
ar, not given 10 fights Of oratory. but
nevertheless when he is upon his feet
advocating or opposing a measure, he has
the strict attention of his fellow mem
bers. He is a NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. man
a little above the medium height, and
well built The Senator two sessions ago
was member of the House OF Delegates
and took a prominent part in the dehbe
rations Of that body.
NOT TO BE OVERLOOKED.
Mr. c. b. Keezel. of Rockingham, Is 6
man who would not be overlooked in 6
crowd Indeed. this would be impos
sible, unless the rest OF the crowd STOOD
upon some elevated place. for the Senator
towers giant above ordinary mortals
The average ncwspapcr-man finds II diff
cult 20 interview him for any length q
time without getting a crick IN the neck
There is no doubt Of the fact that Mr.
Keezel IL looked UP to more than am
man in the Senate. He has the distinc
ton of being the tallest man in eithe
branch OF the General Assembly. He II
full OF wit and dry humor and Is ont
OF the most genial OF men. Notwithstand
Ing the fact that no moves in differen
atmosphere from his fellows. he Is one o
the most approachable men in the Sen
ate.
Hon James n. Stubs. Of Gloucester
Is in point OF service one of the oldes
members in either branch. He IS. o
course, thoroughly familiar with ever.
parliamentary rule Of both houses. III
Is quick at repartee. and the senato
who endeavors to cross-fre question:
with him does so at the risk OF receivln
a sharp voley of ready retort that vii
turn the laugh Of the body upon him.
Hon. William Lovenstein. the genla
senior senator from this city. IS. wit
Mr.. Stubs. one OF the "old-timers" il
the Senate. That body could hardly hav
made a better choice I'm selecting 1t
President pro TEN. than in choosing MI
Lovenstetn. The Senator from this cit