St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-04-15
TOLD BY STATESMEN.
Charles F. Manderson's First Visit
to the Senate Chamber.
He Was Accompanied by Wilbur F.
Sanders, and Both Afterwarl be-
came Members of the SO-
Called Upper House.
Especial Washington letter.


Stories of statesmen can be made en-
ioyable to readers. but the pleasure OF
listening 10 them and seeing the facial
expressions of the narratcrs cannot be
faithfully transferred from memory
or notes to paper and type.
Ex-senator Charles +. Henderson. OF
Nebraska, who served for IL years.
part of the time being vice president
pro tempore of the United States SEN
ate, was always an entertaining gentle
man, and is always welcomed by many
friends when he visits this city. He vol
unfairly retired from public life, say
ing. at the time to the writer: Il have
spent about $4,000 more than my sal
airy while I have been member OF the
senate; ard If it had not been for my
income as lawyer l would De bank
rupt now. propose to retire TO private
life and try to accumulate enough to
take care of myself in the sere and yell
low leaf of life
This superior man recently visited
Washineto ton. and called upon his old
friend Senator Shoup, of Idaho, who
lives in the same hotel with the corre-
spondeEt OF this paper. Having been
invited to join the gentlemen for the
evening. three hours of genial compan-
icnship ensued, during the course OF
which Senator Henderson narrated
many instances of his busy life. He
said:
.The first time / entered the senate
chamber was on the afternoon of March
3. 1861. / had come here with party
of young fellows from Canton, o.. to
witness the Inauguration of President
Lincoln. In the party was Wilbur +.
Sanders, a tall, raw-boned fellow, who
afterwards went to Montana, and be-
came q United States senator when that
territory was admitted to the union.
SANDERS and l sat in the senate gal
lery on that afternoon and listened to
debates by the intellectual giants of
that generation until late suppertime,
whenSwe went down to the senate res
taurant and satisfied our appetites with
some of the best and cheapest edibles
ON the bill of fare. When we went up
BUTTS oduOtIS SdIl HN WIS EoAh
upon the floor of the senate, rules or no
rules.
AT tba: time, the confederate states
congress was in session at Montgom-
cry. Ala. passing secession ordinances
and all sorts of bills. l protested
agairs. Sanders trying to go upon the
floor of the senate, but he pooh-poohed
my remonstrances. strobe up TO the
door. and was entering, when a watch
man inquired: "Are you a member OF
congress-.
"'Of course am responded Sanders
as he swept along. a member of the
confederate congress at Montgomery
Ala
The attendant was surprised. amazed.
knew not what to do. as times were then
precarious, and he stepped aside. while
Sanders went on in. l stood there a
moment, irresolute, and concluded that
two of us couldn't work the same game.
So went upstairs and secured-a front
seat in the gallery. i saw Sanders sit
ting down there on a sofa in the rear
of the senate, and nobody seemed to
pay any attention to him. / presume
that he was understood to be an en-
ploye of the senate. Shortly before
midnight caught Sanders eye, beck
oned to him, and he came up to the gal
lery. He said that il we wanted to wit
ness the Inauguration On the following
day. it would be well for ms to be going,
and get little sleep.
Il had fine pair of tight-fitting calf,
skin boots. which had hurt my feet SO