Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-03

eral Henderson be likened to Henry Clay.
/ VINO was the nrst to introduce the drama
/ tic element into the Speakers chair.
In one respect only he is Ike the great
/ kentuCkian- General Henderson is steep
ed 10 his lips in pugnacity. Whenever
there was "a fight in the House. like the
Irishman. no wanted to be lin it," All
/ the pleasures Of the lobby couldn't keep
General Henderson off the floor If there
any prospect for an all around rough
and tumble debate going on inside. He
would bo the earliest TO thrust his head
| through the open doors and cry MIR.
Speaker at the first opportunity. But
in no other respect does General Hender-
son suggest tho characteristics which
made Henry Clay in his day peerless as
| a parliamentary leader.
Ii would be unfair also TO compare
General Henderson with the eminent
Speakers since the civil WARMTH Blaine,
Randall. Carlisle Crisp and Reed He
lacks Blaine's wonderful versatility and
uAapp-o3cn bic personal magnetism. lie
has not Randalrs clear cut intellect and
nice discrimination in defining political
issues and shaping public policies. He
does not measure no 10 Carlisle's judicial
temper, power OF statement and compre-
hensive grasp of delicate and difficult
situations He has not Crisp's reputation
for non-partissnship. He lacks the poliu-
cal resourcefulncss. the unyieding tena-
city and the profoundly intellectual force
which combined TO make his predecessor.
Thomas B Reed. in many respects the
most remarkable Speaker in the history
Of the House Of Representatives.
And yet General Henderson will. in all
probability, by his character. succeed in
impressing himself upon the members
Of The House and upon his countrymen
generally The now Speaker 10 be IS
essentially and eminently a sincere msn.
Sincerely is the key note Of his chafac-
ter. 10 one can know him without realiz-
ing at once that he Is near q personality
which emphasiZes the actual not the
ostentatous and which is impatient OF
sham and pretense and duplicity In any
and every form II Us this royal charact-
orisuc sincerely. that has stood General
Henderson I'm good stead throughout his
somewhat stormy Congressional career.
General Henderson is an exceedingly
humane man. He has the strong Inn
pulses Of human nature. His early train
Ing and education and the experience OK
his young manhood tended 10 cultivate
the humane quality of his nature. lie
brought out Of his four years service in
the army matured characteristics which
have dominated his political life Ardent
devotion TO what he believes 10 be right
and just. Uurclonuug hostility 10 what
he believes TO he wrong and unjust!
There is no dividing line with General
Henderson. He IS not a master I'm the
art Of splitting hairs Casdis-ry ne
scorns. lie tries 10 think clearly. and he
feels deeply.
General Henderson has the Scotch high
temper lie is what DR. Johnson would
gr,tn To-
but not always discriminatory. His
passion at times gets the upper hand.
Like Washington he has IAN imperious
and impetuous temper" but unlike the
Father of His Country. General Hender-
son has not perfect control Of it, In
the running fire of debate he is, when
hard put 10 IT, apt TO say and do things
which nc cannot look upon with compla-
cency after the storm has subsided. He
carries 10 the House Of Representatives
the rough and tumble tactics of "the
hustlngs." His discussion of public ques
tions is apt TO BE- emotional rather than
philosoph rather than jul
dicial. With the advocates faulty he is
unable 10 see but one side Of the case
his own sde-and would. if demonstrated
with. reply as Charles Sumner once did,
"There is no other side"
In politics General Henderson IS. by re-
putation. at least q partisan. lie IS "a
republican by inheritance instinct. train
ing. education and by the proved exp RI
ence Of nearly sixty years" as he himself
puts il.
His partisanship has manifested itself
omphaucaily on an pension tariff and
currency legislation. He has always tav-
ored liberal expenditure Of public money
for civil war pensioners lie has never
been able 10 understand how any one
could oppose appllcatios from all alleged
widows. orphans and other dependents OF
the men who fought to make and keep
the nation what II IS. on the pension
question he has made his worst enemies.
on the money question he has always
been consistent sound money. anti-in-
1ation. gold currency republican.