New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-19

4 lovable little fellow, he won the near,
| OF Daniel Webster among others, ana webster took
occasion to see that the boy was not TO be lost 10
| the Senate by having him appointed page ou ne
Isaac was he recipient OF many fay2rs at the nan11
OF DAME Webster The latter would treggedh Ky ca 10
him kindly But Cna1 sasst neyeI carage
and sent Isaac to find II. The boy walked around rd
the CaPito but TIE N tb nnsfe and
going famllarly up To the statesman "hom so many
| held In awe, said =,
| Perhaps Mr Webster thought the boy had verged
| on that Inc where familiarity breeds contempt
suffered in not being able TO leave the Capitol when
| he wished and with the severity for which he was
SO well known greater occasions. said
| Get me a carriage; get one If you have to go to
The rebuke nearly frightened the life of young
streetcars in those days nor telephones communi-
cate with livery stable, but i, If carriase were
wanted It was necessary to md It somewhere. Cap
tain Bassett never forgot how he ran on that oc-
casion here. there eyerywhere wondering wiener
keen out OF his way, nervously looking back to see
e6T We're whG gSins esns nay he got the
| coveted vehicle and Webster was appeased
visitors to the capitoi as has Captain Bassett Far
| generation he has been one OF the sights OF the
| the Marble Room adjoining the Senate or the
echo stones in the old House Of Representatives.
doorkeeper OF the Senate At the assembling OF the
Senate he could always be seen at the ier, na no
| the chaplain asked blessing on the PROCEEDINGS
Names. Tor many years wearing black broad,
cbth Prince Albert coat, his long white beard and
brushel to a marvellous degree Of precision his
serene countenance and ever-w3tcha eye are ienr
uies of his appearance remembered ~ every one ne
VINO has seen the venerable assistant doorkeePer "a
Il was his proud claim that he never missed
single session day or night Of the senate d fly
DURING the night sessions while the repeal OF me
Sherman law was being .eonsidsred Bui ne SUI.
gress that ne had never msse1 the opening OF
Congress for siXtyfour years 1t bore upon Nun
the senate when the Lvth Congress was cal;Sd to
order and from noon OF that DAY nS oman
Bassett one of two men empoyed IN me 9r ser h
name Resides his annual salary of 1904, he has
received 500 by direct appropriatoh , p,aeo+.
nc aH ali of them being instances OF his great
fidelity to duty During the war NJ W. fin% inc the
aesk for r S Occupied by Jefferson Davis They
were hacking the woodwork with their payohetts.
R RaSsf remRrPad rha desk was used by Mr. Davis
but it's the property OF the United states, Snr an
The captains argument was Needed ana t9e lex
remains in the SENATE now bens gsea 1y lover
Of relics Every desk IN the Senate had Of srsa
that they have the appearance or being new. ne
could tel who had used each desk am ms wtb
the senate's property 1t was such things that APP
b business Of the senate ard while he thought little
OF the great political significance OF speech ne
would remember the speech and lis peculiar erect
on the Senate and the occupants OF the galleries.
An Instance occurred about quarter Of century
ago which showed how cool Captain Bassett could be
under trying circumstances; 1t was in onneeton
with that famous and exciting scene which tooH
place in the Senate lobby when Senator wizard
Salisbury to the Capitol in condition which
caused him lose control OF himself; Senator
Salisbury to be quietsd and the inofrenslve
Basse,; was chosen to approach him in order to
pacify him. The former did not quite understand
what Captain Bassett going TO do, and, draw
chest saying In an excited tone Of voice:
If you touch me III kill you"
not fired. When be talked OF the incident which
brought him many congratulations for his GOODNESS,
ne said. But looked at the pistol and saw 1t
wasn't cooked"
favorte theme Oh Captain Bassett has been
his declared determination to write q book of rem
iniscences and II IL known that he has couple OF
his work He IS supposed to have good deal OF
manuscript in shape 10 be published. but being ret
icent about all his actions, there is no one who
has a definite idea OF whai his material consists.
lat!ng 10 personal matters which nave occurred In
the Senate within his memory and Of which nc has
been an eyewitness. As he cared little for pO,lt
ical questions and took no interest In them II Is
not likely that any papers ne has left contain more
than sketches Of personal incidents.
Senator German has always hal an especially
kind place IN his heart for Captain Blssett, whose
acquaintance he made when as page ne reverel
the Captain and regarded him as one OF the greatest
set well In his early days During tho war when the
venerable assistant doorkeeper was elected captain
OF n militia company in tho District OF Columbia.
Young German chosen lieutenant IN the same
command The company drilled by Captain
Basset; and 1t became proficient as one of the
means for defending the Capitol. II vas meyer
service that Mr. rassPtt became Captain" Bassctt,
as he has since been known