The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-09-22

Beck IN the famed Ashland disirict. ana
was after the seat in Congress. IL Is
probable that Beck would have beaten
hlm-for at tho best he would not have
made a haf sole for the grim old
Scotchman-but IN 1874 Beck gave way
and Blackburn was chosen the Rcprcscn
tative OF that historic constituency. But
it was no primrose path OF dalliance ne
trod 70 victory. His competitor was the
famous I'd Marsha- Of that remarkable
Virginia and Kentucky family which
has contributed % much OF intellect and
brillldncy TO American public he lie
was a younger brother OF Thomas T.
Marshall. the matches orator ana
second 10 him only among the spell
binders Of KENTUCKY. As a master OF
ridicuc. I'd Marshall never met his
match. not even in his brother Tom. or
IN Johu b Thompson. the United states
Senator whose speech on Cuba In 1888
IS an English classic. Marshall served up
Joe daily IN every culinary styie-roasied
boiled broieG. stewed and fried. In
these days the financial question was IN
a hopeless nebulous state. and then. as
ever Blackburn was for more money
greenbacks being the pauacea. as free
silver IS now one day Marshall enraged
him with something Ike this and the
Ashland district has been laughing about
IL ever since.
My fell0w-citizcns when Joe discusses
the broad and expansive question Of 81
nance he reminds me OF a duck sailing on
the placid bosom OF vast lake drawing
something less than two inches OF water
creating not a ripple on the CLASSY sur
face. and blissfuly and dedanuy ignor-
ant OF the fathomless depths beneath
him
JOE GOT VOTES.
Marshall got most applause. but Joe
got The most votes, and so Marshall
again omigrated to California. which
state he had before represented in Con
grcss. and where he became Attorney
General not very great while after his
defeat by Blackburn.
Beginning IN The Forty-fourth Congress
Blackburn had a notable cereer in the
National House Of Representatives as
an orator and even as a leader of
certain sort.
In 1879 he was put forward by the
free traders as their candidate for SPEAK
ar Morrsan and Mills supported him
and he would have secured the caucus
nomination against Randall but for the
conservatism of some Southern members
who did not think the Kentuch1n dis
Greet enough for the place. stephens oi
Georgia and Atkins Of Tennessee, defeat
"a him. Carlisle could have beaten
Randall In 1879 had Blackburn got ont
Of the way. as Carlisle did refcatRandau
I'm 1889 when they forced Blackburn out
Of ;he way as Carlisle did defeat Randall
presiding officer commanding and at the
same time urbane and when I'm the
chair I'm committee of The whole as he
frequently was. he held the floor about
half the time. lie was just as voluble
I'm the chair as he was on the stump.
KILLED THE BILL
tt was sometime in the early eighties
that Gen John S. Williams. better known
as "Cerro GordO" Williams because or
his gallantry in the action Of that name
IN the Mexican war when he was
youth OF U.s. made @ speech in the United
states Senate in advocacy Of q DIN that
the distuers of Kentucky were anxious
TO have passed. "Ccrro Gordo's' speech
much to- his establishment. Killed tne
bill For a long time he had been. and
was then the stormy petrol OF Kentucky
politics. and personally he was popular
with tine masses. because OF his Dre ~
manners and volcanic conversation, as
We'll as for his Mexican and Confcdor
ate records After he killed the Whisker
Din go dead That not even Beck. assisted
iy Blaine could resurrect IT, the business
men of Kentucky set about the discovery
OF a man who could defeat old "Cerro
Gordo" for recollection 10 the Senate.
This would have been an easy matter
had not Carlisle preferred the Speaker
ship to the Seuatrrship. Nobody would
enter the lists against the old fellow
and a majority OF the LEGISLATURE chosen
I'm 1888 were elected with the undcrs tand-
ing that williams was TO be his own
successor. Knott. Caldwell, and Mcken-
zic were urged 10 run. but each of them
refused fatty to engage ln amy such
Quix0lc business Finally, blackpuin
was appealed TO and he consented 90 enter
the lists lie did not expect 10 defeat
Williams, Beck was the man be was ar
ter and he hoped to make a showing just
good enough against Williams TO war
rant him in challenging Beck four years
later But Blackburn had shrewd manag.
ers At the eleventh hour they induced
the late William NJ. Sweeney OF owens
horo 10 enter the race For weeks and
weeks .hc caucus haloted uiehuy-Nl-
uams nfly-odd Blackburn thiriy-odd and
Sweeney tweuty-odd So it continued all
winter. aud in The spring Sweeney with
drew and Blackburn was nominated and
elected He was then at the zenith of
his career.
CIPHER IS THE SENATE
In n tumultuous body like the House,
blackburn mad been ia his element. DID
Gelioerative body like the Senate he was
"a cipher. FOR twelve years-he was Zee
elected i'm 1s.O-hc ycgctated IN that sleepy
old chamber. TO amount 10 anything IN
the Senate a man must Work. lie may
talk without work, but your mere talker
only amounts to- "a tool without a ham
de" as Bazac would say once Joe
got the better of ingalls, IN sco.dins
match. but yoke OF oxen could not
nave dragged him TO that scratch again
and neither could ingalls, drag him 10 IT,
and once. SO ST is related, he lhtedAl
brother Senator out of his chair ana
foted him around a committee room by
the car These are the fruits OF ms
statesmanshiD for twelve years IN the
most august doiiterative body on earth.
lie was fortunate in his colleagues how
overlook. Carlisle and Lindsay-aI
pmttons for work. and all knowing how
20 work.
And now came the day Of trlbulation.
AS long as the Republicans were in power
al Washington. Blackburn mad q life
lease on his seat but when the Democrats
elected the President. Blackbums friends,
who had done so much for him, wanted
him 10 do something for them bn-
fortunately ne was too old to learn how
10 play the role. He had been peted too
lone-too much had been done for him.
lie was lavish of promises, flat promises,
which he ground out as he would grind
out money n he were the government.
re had SO many promises outstanding
.t+ fr 1902 he vas reduced 10 the ne