The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-24
Henry Clay Took His Seat at the Age
OF 29.

been consulted, and great deal OF rum
| maQing Of old records has ensued. AmZi
Smith, chief of the senate document room
who has "A most prodigious memory, and
who is rarely to DO mislod about a histor-
ical fact thinks there were two cases OF
senators elected before they had reached
the age of 80 years prescribed by the con.
| stitution, but who became of constitu-
tional age before taking their seats. Mr..
Smith cannot remember the names of these
senators. Clifford Warden, another OK
pert In senate history, tells mo that Hon.
ry Clay was the youngest senator. On
looking up the records the following facts
are found; Mr.. Clay was born April H.
1777. In 1906 he was elected by the legis-
lature of Kentucky to I'LL the unexpired
term of j. Adair, resigned. Mr.. Clay took
his seat Nov. 10, 1896. At that time he
was 30 years and months old, and there
fore had not yet reached the age prescribed
by tho constitution. Some question was
raised Informally as to this, and Mr.. Clay
said, 81 refer you to my constituents. ."
No formal action was ever taken.
A Brilliant Career snuffed Out.
1t has been claimed that William
Sprague, who married Kate Chase now
the object of so much sympathy on ao-
count Of her financial troubles, was only
80 years old when elected to the senate.
But this is mistake, and the error grows
ont of typographical error In an old con.
gressional directory. In that book Mr..
Sprague is set down as taking his
seat in tho senate I'm 1861, and if that
had besn true he would have been
only 30 years old at the time. But
1851 in this case Is a misprint for
1868. In 1861 Mr.. Sprague was in the
army fighting for the Union. He was at
that time supposed to have before him
brilliant career. He was scion of a dis
tinguished family which had already given
two or three senators TO the United States,
was enormously rich and on his marriage
TO Kate Chase, then the acknowledged so
cial leader at the capital, became the en-
We'd of all men. His sudden disappear
ance from public life, his financial and
family troubles and his long career as
recluse in Rhode Island are well known
to the public.
Mr.. Warden, who has made careful
study Of matters connected with the his
tory of the senate, calls my attention TO
the fact that John Sherman has now sat
longer In the United States senate than
any other man ever sat in that body. II
has been generally supposed that Thomas
respect, but this is mistake Mr.. Ben
ton excels only In length of contiguous
service. He sat for 30 years without q
break Mr.. Sherman finished his 30 yeers'
service In the senate last June and Is now
more than goo days ahead of the record.
His service has been continuous except for
the four years which he spent In the cabi-
net of Hayes as secretary of the treasury.
Probably there is not another city in the
United States i'm which the American flag
may bo seen flying in such profusions as
in this capital of the nation. The stars
and stripes are displayed over the sem
ate chamber and the house Of repre-
sentatives while tho two bodies are
In session, over the library Of congress
while that institution Is open, over the
White House while the president is in the
city and over all the great executive de-
partments from morning till night. Fol-
lowing this custom, nearly all tho hotels
of the city and many private concerns and
factories run up the national colors In the
morning and leave them there till night.
Much Ado About Bricks.
A Washington man has entered upon
curious speculation. A few days ago he
went to the contractor who Is tearing
down the old Blaine mansion and bought
OF him several thousands bricks out OF
that structure. Ho made his purchase
upon condition that the contractor should
give him an affidavit that all these bricks
were out of the Blaine house. In addition
TO this affidavit the purchaser was shrewd
enough to call In several noted men, who
Joined in attesting the instrument. Each
brick was marked as IL was taken up and
piled into the wagon, and then the whole
purchase was stored away In safe place.
After the lapse of n year or two the specu
lator will put his bricks on sale at the ho-
tells and other public places. On one side
of each brick will be a copy OF the certifi-
cate of its genuineness and on the other
picture and historical description Of the
mansion from which 1t was taken. The
speculator expects to sell his lot Of bricks
for half dollar each, and If he does he
will reap pretty profit
Mliionaires In the Senate.
An interesting discussion has arisen
here as to the number of millionairos In
the senate. One authority places the mum
Der of men possessed of that amount OF
money and occupying seats in the senate
at 13, thus giving some confirmation tc
the general theory that the senate Is q
club of millionaires, though 13 out of q
PoonibiO on 10 NV ~ NOiy haSh PAOPoAeAoh.
Even this number is much too great in
the Judgment Of some members of the sen.
ate with whom I have talked. Leaving
out all doubtful cases, 1 should class the
following senators as millionaircs: Sher.
man of Ohio, Brice Of Ohio, Cameron OF
Pennsylvania, Mcmillan of Michigan,
Washburn of Minnesota, Proctor Of Yer.
mont, Perkins of California, Jones Of Ne
vada and Smith of New Jersey. 1t Is be.
leved this includes all the men In the sen
ato who are the actual possessors of 81, 0o0,.
900 apiece. To this list some observers
add German Of Maryland, who has made
great deal Of money during the last few
years; Quay Of Pennsylvania, who has
had somo lucky speculations; Murphy Of
New York, who has large brewery inter
osts; Mitchell Of Oregon, who was once
more than millionaire, and Stewi rt OF
Nevada who has made and lost two on
three fortunes and acquired still another,