The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-01-31
WERE BORN TO LEAD
Historic Quartette of Giants in the
Thirty-Fourth Congress.
Sumner. MOrrill, Brooks and Breck-
enridge Were. Physically ard
Mentally. the Greatest Men
of Their Day.
Especial washington letter.

[lT TOLD you all about the fires
days when | was a fireman"
in Washington in the early
said Calhoun Clark. the retired vet
eran fire-fghter. AT the same time l
promised to tell you about my eX-
periences as a little page boy in the
old house of representatives. Tonight
l am in a humor to fulfill that prom
Use.
ut was in 1855 that I was appoint
ed. and | guess you and your readers
were babes in arms then; | mean the
eldest of your readers, as well as your
self | was a lively little lad then,
and these gray whiskers were not even
sprouting, while this bald head was
covered with a thick growth of dark
brown hair. l was only one of about
dozen page boys, but l was very
observant of everything about me, be-
cause | had been told that | must
study the men, and know how to an
ticipate the desires and wishes of all
of the statesmen, if | would make my
self popular and keep my position.
"My vivid recollection of that time
is the fact that the most handsome
and distinguished-look men in the
house were the four giants-Morrill,
of Vermont; Sumner. of Massachu-
setts; Breckenridge, of Kentucky, and
Brooks. of South Carolina. Two of
them were from the north and two of
them from the south. | do not be-
lieve that at any time in the history
of congress four men of such magnifi-
cent physique and intellect have APP
peared in the house of representa-
tives
Brooks, of South Carolina, was
about six feet tall, and as perfectly
formed a man as ever lived. Morrill,.
of Vermont, who remained in public
life until he passed away about two
years ago, was by far the handsomest
man of them all, but not quite so ro-
bust physically as the others. He
had a classic face and his power of
utterance was marvellous. Brecken-
ridge. of Kentucky, was about Nor
rill's height. but heavier. The biggest
was about six feet five inches tall
and must have weighed about 200
pounds. There was no fat about him.
He was all big bone and muscle
He dressed well, too. He was the
best dressed man in congress. He
dressed to show off his physical pro-
portions. He was an athlete. and kept
little gymnasium in his apartments
He swung dumb-bells and Indian
clubs every morning, and he took long
walks every day.
Il can see Sumner now, walking
down Pennsylvania avenue to the cap
itol. in creased trousers, with cutaway
coat and white vest. He always wore
a white vest. They call it waistcoat
nowadays. but it was a vest then, and
it would make a dress coat for man
of ordinary size. | have seen prize
fighters in recent years, and | believe
as | told you before, that if Sumner
lived to-day, and were a scientific
boxer, he could take Jeffries, and Cor.
bett, and Sharkey, and bump Their
heads together He used to walk
down Pennsylvania avenue alone, and
everybody looked at him as a physical
wonder. 1t was not very long until
they were also pointing at him as an
intellectual prodigy, AS southern
boy, | did not like HIM. because he
was always hammering away al