The herald., 1897-04-15
Observations of an Hour in
the Senate Chamber
THE Fathers OF THE HOUSE
HARRIS OF TENNESSEE is A
LENGTHY LANDMARK
Morgan and Hoar Have Each Served
Twenty Years-James Smith
and Heitfeld

WASHINGTON, April 9.-The honor
Of being the Oldest senator does not
seem to be properly appreciated That
distinction probably belongs to the ex-
confederate soldier, Isham G. Harris of
Tennessee, but wild horses could not
draw from him the date of his birth.
He is as sensitive on that point as
spinster of certain age, and carefully
refrains from giving any information
that will lead up to it, even in the au-
tobiographical sketches that grace the
conversational directory. However, one
may come within gunshot of the mark
by figuring out the years of his public
service. For instance, he says he began
the practice of law in Al; supposing him
to have been "a years CT age at that
time. he would now be S0-but he was
probably nearer 80 when he acquired his
profession, in those early days when
| education was not so easily and rapidly
J obtained as now. When Zachary Tay-
ior and Lewis Cass ran against Martin
Van Buren, he was a presidential elecitor,
we'll on toward middle age. 1t seems
to me that such a long life, which en-
braces much of the worlds history, is
thing to be proud of, rather than dis
into the world at an early date were
an indiscretion of which one ought not
to have been guilty. But then we all
have our weaknesses, yeu knew, and
that of appearing ashamed of length
| of years is not confined to the senator
from Tennessee. When he was born
| King George w was on the English
throne, and Napoleon I had not passed
L. -t1rx &c MAJ
days when there were less than 10, 1000, 900
people in this baby republic, which now
boasts its 10000, 900 and more; when
Virginia-now considered down-at-heel
was the center of population, wealth
and aristocracy. and Philadelphia the
frontier of a wilderness bordering on
the bowling, and all the country west
of the Ohio a terra incognita, repre-
sented on the map by yellow blotch
called "the Northwest Territory" De-
spite his weight of years and few
bodily infirmities, Senator Harris is by
no means like a word dat somebody
done said and den forgotten" as the
aged darkey expressed it, but is as Wig
orous mentally, if not physically, as
many of his colleagues whose memo
ries can reach back no farther than
/ ItW years DtlO tilt wall III tiiS NSi
nacular of his section.
MORGAN OF-ALABAMA.
Next in years in the United States
senate is the eX-confederate brigadier
general, John T. Morgan of Alabama,
whose name in the directory, like Abou
Ben Adhem's in the famous poem, leads
all the rest. He was born in "a, just
two years ahead of Senator Hoar, al
though he looks a score of years younger
than the latter To look at him you
would be read TO swear he couldn't be
a day older than 65. That comes of be-
ing naturally small, spare and wiry of
frame and phlegmatic of temperament
and no doubt longevity is a heritage
from his Welsh progenitors. His father
died at 94 his grandfather at 81 and his
eat-grandfather at 9S. Senator Nor
gan says: Il remember feeling quite
chagrined because my father did not
| live to be a hundred. He really ought
to have done so, and might as we'll as
not if he hadn't been a crank on the
subject of total abstinence. In his later
days his physicians told him he must
/ take stimulants. But he obstinately re-
fused. saying that he had lived all his
life without touching spirituous liquors
and he was not going to begin in his old
age. He thought he had lived long
enough anyway, and went peacefully
10 his rest like one who wraps the
drapery of his couch about him and lies
down to pleasant dreams.
JOHN T.'S ESCAPE.
This remarkable southern gentleman,
who cheerfully curtailed a few years OF
his life rather than indulge in mild
daily tipple, designed his son John I
for a minister of the Gospel. But the
son had other views. He determined
to be tinsmith, and actually went to a
mechanic Of that guild and asked to
be apprenticed. In an interview the 9TH
er day Senator Morgan said to me: u
did not go against my fathers wishes be-
cause / did not believe in the tenets oi
the Christion religion. l have always
been a firm believer in the Holy Scrip
lures from Genesis to Revelations; but
I had formed most exalted idea of the
life and duties of a clergyman, and
feared that l could not come up to the
mark" A compromise was finally ef-
fected between pater familias and him.
self in favor of the law. So lawyer
lie became, and good one, too, although
to again use his own words: Il never
stepped foot upon a college campus In
my life until one day during the wal
| had occasion to take my regiment
behind the brick walls of the campus
of William and Mary college, on the
Virginia peninsula, to find protection
from the mimic balls and rifle bullets
that We're whizzing in our direction"
He was admitted to the bar just fifty
two years ago and says that in looking
back over the years of his law practice
it gives him the greatest satisfaction to
remember .hat of the fifty-seven mer
charged with capital offenses whom he
defended, only one was hanged. Wheth'
er any of the others deserved to be is
not the question. In the south it is a
natural transition from the bar to poll
tics.
TWENTY YEARS SERVICE
General Morgan took his seat in thu
United States senate in 1877, and ha
been in cotinuous service ever since, hi
present term expiring in 1901. HE wifi,
died some years ago, but he still keep!
an ideal home In Washington, with hi
grown-up children. His house Is
roomy, substantial structure, far from
the fashionable West End and op
posite the church which Pres
dent Cleveland formerly ATTENDED
and near to the district court and pen
sion buildings. The family love 1t be