The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-20
BEATS RECORD.
Senator Morrill, Has Been
30 Years in Senate.
Facts About a Remarkable
Legislative Career.
Self Consciousness of Famous Men.
Even Cicero Was Vain.

WAsHINGToN, April 20.--[ Special. =
| Justin :. Morrill,, the veteran of the SEN
Gte, told me tho other day that one of his
| great regrets was that ho had never writ
ten an autobiography. If he had kept
notes OF his experiences, he said, so that ho
could now place his hands upon the ma
toIial and compile it without TOO much ex-
ertiOn, no felt suro he could produce u
work which would be read with interest
by great many people. IN this Mr. Nor
rill was doubtless correct His remarkable
career leads him back TO the days when
the country was agitatcd about the admis-
sion OF Kansas TO tho Union the Missouri
compromise the firs6 whispers Of soces-
sion. It was In 1856 that MIR Morrill, first
came 10 Washington as n congressman, or
A. years ago last December When he ap-
peared upon the sceno OF action, Mr.. Pierce
was president Mr.. Morrill, has been here
long enough 60 SEQ n dozen presidents in
the White House beginning with Pierce
and ending with Mckinley. lio has seen
Ia new states admitted to the Union. He
has seen tho population Of his country con-
siderably more than double. He has seen
great war, the reconstruction, the COM
pleto obliteration of all the bitterness that
war caused. Mr.. Morrill's present term
will not expire till 1903, and he is in such
good health that he confidently expects TO
serve it out.
Denton's Record Beaten.
The Vermont veteran has broken all REQ
ords for continuous service in the senate.
March last he completed his thirtieth
year in that body. 1t has been generally
supposed that Thomas II. Benton Of Mis-
souri, served more than 30 years, but the
truth is that Bonton's term Of service fell
four months short OF 80 years. Mr.. Nor
rill has the record.
1t is not generally known that the patri-
arch from Vermont Is already an author.
Some time ago ho prepared and had print
ed for private circulation among his friends
u novel book entitled "Self Consciousness
OF Noted Persons" In this volume the
old senator told many anecdotes illustrat
ing his general premise that all great men
are moro or less self conscious and even
vain He quoted from the writings Of sew
eral hundred great men Of past ages 10 es-
tablish this theory, including such as Paul
the Apostle, Demosthenes, Themistocles,
Xcnophon, Horace, Napoleon, Dickens,
Macaulay, Scott, Walt Whitman, Jefrer-
son, Webster and many more. One of the
most interesting quotations was from
Xenophon, who said of himself that he
was to eloquence what Alexander the
Great was to arms. Bold enough was the
declaration which tho car Paul is said to
have made when some one spoke of having
received an order from an important person
at court. There il no person OF impor
tance here, - said tho car, Except myself
and the one TO whom L happen to be talk
as I am talking Co him."
All Is Vanity.
Cicero was as vain as any modern orator
In one of his addresses he went on for SOW
eral minutes rccounting all his own vir-
tues and exccllences, and then concluded,
much as latter day campaign orators and
candidates are wont TO do, But will say
nothing Of myself" Oddly enough, Sen
ator Morrill, quotes from the Thirty
Years View" written by Thomas III.
Benton, tho man who comes nearest OF all
the great men Of tho past 10 equaling the
NermOntCrs record for continuous service.
In his introduction Benton repeated what
MacaulGy had said OF Fox and Macintosh
and applied It To himself, Had spoken
history, acted history and lived history
This impressed Mr.. Morrill, as being quito
self conscious. It Is "a great pity the vet
eran senator did not bring his examples Of
vanity in noted persons down TO the pres
ent day. With his familiarity with all the
great men OF our country during the last
40 years he could doubtless narrate some
anecdotes which would be even more In
teresting than these Of the great men of
the past.
Society people in Washington are glad
10 observe that between the president and
vice president Of the United States and
their families tho most cordial relations
exist. Asa rule, In this capital the man
who Is president aad the man who has not
much else To do but to wait for whatever
tho fates may have in store for him do not
stand very close together. Just why they
should drift apart is not clear but the
history of the last 30 or 40 years shows
that, as n rule, they do. Now, however,
Vice President Hobart IL often seen at the
White House. lie and the president are
She best of friends.
Pertinent and Personal.
BY tho way. Lafayette square is regain.
ing its formcr dignity rs the presidential
court The White House, you know, faces
this historic park from the south. Now
Nicc President Hobart has taken the house
owned by former Senator Don Cameron,
which stands on the east side of tho square,
adjoining the rev theater, which occupies
tho site uf the old Blaine mansion, one OF
the famous spots in Washington. IL was
there Henry Clay lived for a long time.
There Seward narrowly escaped assassna-
tion at the time Lincoln was shot. The
Cameron house Is quite famous too. Ii
wns once owned by Colonel Taylor, SO
cial leader In the old days. General Algcr,
The new sccrc,ary Of war, lives on the
north side If Lafayette square, and a mum
bor of senator's also have their houses
around this historic park, which once was
Davy Burns orchard, i'm which he and
George Washington Walked and quar-
relied when they were trying TO arrange
terms for tho location Of the capitol here
by tho Potomac
Senator Hanna, hear from some OF his
cronlcs, has new ambition. lie wants
to become nm orator. Having made his