The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-01

| Marshall S associates was Justice WASH
| ington. The favorite nephew of the frs
! President. appointed by Adams in 1898. he
sat on the Supreme Bench for thirty one
years, and was the subject of many n pi-
quaint anecdote long current at the Capital
Small and thin, and deprived by excessive
study of the sight of one eye. he was q
| rigid disciplinarian and great sticker for
| etiquette. But he had also the saving gift
| OF humor. One day. as the Justices were
| disrobing, after having heard Senator Is
ham Talbot, of Kentucky. argue q case with
extraordinary rapidity of utterance, Wash
| inston dryly remarked: Well person OF
moderate wishes could hardly desire to
| live LONGER than the time it would take
Brother Talbot to repeat moderately that
four hours speech We have just heard
When Congress First Met.
Congress met for the first time in Wash
i ington on November II, 1900, and five days
later President Adams appeared before the
two houses in joint session and made the
customary annual speech" Both House
and Senate, the latter then leisurely body
given to short hours and frequent adjourn
ments, found their original meeting places
| lily constructed and uncomfortable. but
after the reconstruction of the Capitol in
| 1917, they were amply accommodated in
fine halls. The present hall of the House
was occupied on December &c. 1857. and
the present Senate chamber on January 4,
1883, since which time the old Senate
chamber has teen the home of the Supreme
Court.
Here and there in the memoirs ard dia-
ries of a hundred years ago one ca cles
gilmpseS CT curious legislative customs long
since abandoned and now well-nigh for
gotten. Members of the House sat with
covered heads, and this practice was not
discontinued until 1928. AS many OF the
legislators were habitual snuff takers, urns
flied with choice quality Of the article
were placed in each house and officials
were charged with the duty of keeping
them replenished. Until steel pens came
into use there was an official penmaker in
each house. whose duty it was to mend the
goose QuillS of the members; and there
were also ohlcial sealers. who were en-
trusted with the sealing of letters and
packages with red wax
The Senators and Representatives Of 1900
were. for tho most part, a beardless but
oewiggcd and bepovdered lot. The barber
and hairdTesssr was therefore an impor-
tant individual. and many Of the shops
which soon began to dot Pennsylvania Ave-
nue. were devoted to the practice of this
art. each morning rendezvous for per-
sons holding coagenial political views In
large cupboards with glass doors there
were freshly dressed wigs in readiness for
the daily visit of their owners, who would
exchange them for others which needed the
comb and hair powder When every high
backed chair was occupied by some one
in the hands OF a barber and the seats
around the shop were filed with patient
fai
dial assurances that their turns woult soon
come. willis tho fresh bits of gossip were
narrated to secure good humor.
The Senate in 1900 contained a generous
spTinsling of Revolutionary veterans
Thomas Jefferson, who as Vice President.
presided over its deliberations. had writ
ten the Declaration of Independence. and
borne mighty part in the events that
followed. John Langdon. OF New H;.1.p
shire, now near the close OF his second
and last term in the Senate, had fought
with Sullivan, and had pledged his last
dollar to equip the brigade with which
John Stark won the battle OF Bennington.
Samuel Livermore. Langdon's colleague,
had been a useful member of the Con-
tinent3l Congress. James Hillhouse, of
Connecticut, for ten years 10 come one of
the most foTceful of the Federalist leaders
in the Senate. had served as a captain OF
foot guards against the British General
Tyrcn
Gouveneur Morris. of New York. who.
SO his friends said. bore a close resen-
blarce to Washington. had been leader
in the Continental Congress. John Arm
strong Morris colleague, had dotted his
students gown to put on 4 patriots uni.
form, and had carried from Princeton bat
tleiield the body of the dying Mercer
Another youthful hero was Jonathan
Trrmbull. CT New Jersey, who had en-
tered service, in 17T6, a STRIPPING Of six
teen, to be mustered out seven years later
with a captains commission and dozen
campaigns to his credit. Henry Lsttimer,
of Delaware. had been a surgeon Of the
flying hospital. while brave and brainful
John Eager Howard, of Maryland rad
participated in almost all of the important
campaigns Of the Revolution. and at the
battle of CoypenS had led the desperate
bayonet charge which assured a patriotic
victory.
Stevens T Madison. Vireinia's witty and
sarcastic Senator has served as volun-
teer aide to Washington at Yorktown. Will
son Cary Nicholas, Of the same State,
stanch friend OF Jefferson and worthy rem-
Der OF family powerful in talents, in
prcbity. and in their numbers and uDion.'
had commanded washingtons lifeguard
IT'S close jesse Franklin, Of North Caro-
lima. had served as a major under Greene;
and Charles Pilchney, OF South Carolina,
enc Of Jcfferson's most active lieuteEants,
had been taken prisoner at the capture Of
Charleston. remaining such until the close
of the war Pincllney's fellow, Jacob Read,
some time major OF South Carolina volun-
teers, had also been long prisoner In the
hands CT the enemy
Abraham Baldwin. a transpanted New
Highlander, who was TO represent Georgia
in the Senate until his death, had been
chaplain under Greene and the latter's
friend ard confidant. John Brown. a
bronzed and wiry Indian fighter. and Ken
tucky's first Senator. had left school to be-
come a member OF Washington's army in
the darkest hour of the Revolution, while
eloquent and masterful Humphrey Mar
shall of the same State. had fought his
way from the ranks to captains commits
sion And finally there was Joseph Ander
SON of Tennessee. who had been cap
tain of the New Jersey line, and who, after
eighteen years in the Senate, was to end
his DAYS as first Comptroller of the Treas
ury.
Three other Senators of the period de-
mand a word Jonathan Mason, of Massa- |
had been student in the low Of |
flee of John Adams. and was now his |
tutors foremost defender in the Senate. |
senior Senator WAS James |
Ross. one of the most amply endowed but |
least remembered men of his time. The |
her was rich and stately William Bling |
ham. husband of the famous beauty, Anne
willing, and father of not less beautiful
who was to become in after years
wife of the founder of the great banking
..use of Barring.
Early Day War Veterans.
Not less notewortfy than their fellows