Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-12-12

the constitution. When the summons
came young Henderson, then in his
twenty-first year, promptly volunteer
ed as a private in Company c, Twelfth
regiment of Iowa volunteers. In 1863
he was wounded, lost his leg and was
toretire from field service. He |
to duty as soon as practicable,
and served continuously throughout the
rest of the war.
After the cessation of hostilities he
returned to Iowa, applied himself to the
study of law in the office of Russell &
Shiras and was admitted to the bar in
the fall of 1865. In 1869 he was appoint-
ed assistant United States district at
torney for the northern section of the
state and soon afterward entered ac-
lively into the field of politics..
His career in public life is associated
almost entirely with his services in the
house of representatives. During the
fourteen -ears he has been member
of congress he has impressed himself
sensibly upon national legislation and
has won and kept the respect, affection,
confidence and admiration of large
majority of his republican associates
and democratic opponents.
General Henderson may not be easily
compared with any of the great speak
ers of the house of representatives. He
has not the unfailing intellectual poise
which characterized the first really
great speaker OF the house, Nathaniel
Macon, whom John Randolph of Roam
America" 1t is not probable that
he will rule the house with Macon's
simplicity, quietness, gentleness, or de-
cisiveness. Nor can General Henderson
be likened to Henry Clay, who was the
first to introduce the dramatic element
into the speakers chair.
In one respect only is he like the
great Kentuckian-General Henderson
is STEPPED to his lips in pugnacity.
Whenever there was fight on in the
house, like the Irishman, he wanted
''to be in it," All the pleasures of the
lobby couldn't keep General Henderson
Off the floor if there was any prospect
for an all around rough and tumble
debate going on inside. He would be
first to thrust his head through the
open doors and cry "Mr. Speaker" at
the first opportunity. but in no other
respect does General Henderson sug-
gest the characteristics which made
Henry Clay in his day peerless as a
parliamentary leader.
1t 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 unapproachable person
al magnetism. He has not Randalrs
clear cut intellect and nice discrimina-
ton in defining political issues and
shaping public policies. He does not
measure up to Carlisle's judicial tenn
per, power of statement and compre-
/ hensiye grasp of delicate and difficult
situations. He has not Crisp's reputa-
ton for on-partisanship. He lacks the
political resourcefulness, the;unyielding
tenacity and the profoundly intellectual
force which combined to make his pre-
decessor, Thomas b. Reed, in many re-
spects the most remarkable speaker in
the history of the house OF representa-
tives.
4 And yet General Henderson will, in
| all probability, by his character, sue
coed in impressing himself upon the
members of the house and upon his
countrymen generally. The new speak
/ er to be, is essentially and eminently a
| sincere man. Sincerity is the key note
of his character. No one can know
him without realizing at once that he
4 is near personality which empha-
sizes the actual, not the ostentatious
and which is impatient of sham and
4 pretense and duplicity in any and ey'
cry form. 1t is this royal character.
i istic, sincerity, that has stood Genera
4 Henderson in good stead Throughout
his somewhat stormy congressional
career.
/ General Henderson is an exceeding
I ly humane man. He has the strong
Impulses of human nature. His early
Il training and education and the expert
ence of his young manhood tended tt
cultivate the humane quality in hi.
nature. He brought out of his foul
;, years service in the army maturet
characteristics which have dominated
his political life. Ardent devotion IL
what he believes to be right and just
lieves to be wrong and unjust.
There is no dividing line with Gen
eral Henderson. He is not master il
the art of splitting hairs. Casuistr,
he scorns. He tries to think clearly
: and he feels deeply.
General Henderson has the Scotcl
tClhJCl Liz Wlldb III. Jon u
; son would call ga good hater." III
hates intensely, but not always dis
crininately. His passion at times get
the upper hand. Like Washington, h
has "an imperious and impetuous TEN
per" but unlike the Father of Hi
Country, General Henderson has no
perfect control of it, In the run
ming fire of debate he is, when har
put to it, apt to say and do thing
which he cannot look upon with con-
placency after the storm has subsid
ed. He carries to the house of repre-
sentatiyes the rough and tumble tao
tics of .'the hustings." His discussio
Eof public questions is apt to be emo
tional rather than philosophical-pre
JUDGED rather than judicial. With tn
advocates faulty he is unable to Sc
but one side of the case-his own sid
and would, if demonstrated with, re
ply as Charles Sumner once die
'.There is no other side!"
For these reasons, General Hendel
i son has in his day made temporary er
emies on the floor of the house. BIT
they have been only for the iime-tl
. upshot of impulse instead of intentio
l. y -