The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-12-20
Sopoyoro on Senator Dest

Thurman used to say. "I'm moi
going to die just yet; it would af
ford too much satisfaction to my
friends, my very good friends al
home," is remark credited tc
Senator George G. Vest, of Mis-
souri,, three years ago. Of course,
it was bandinage, and the humor
of it was for the men who expect
to get his shoes when he leaves the
Senate. Senator Vest has an enor-
nous head and a rotund body; but
his legs are like the "Old
Roman's"-they are quite shaky.
Senator Vest has returned to the
capital very much improved in
health, and that is welcome news
to ten thousand visitors who will
crowd the corridors and throng
the galleries of the big house on
Capitol Hill the present sess ion Of
the Fifty seventh grand inquest of
the mightiest people our planet
has known. A year ago Senator
Vest was quite feeble, and his
friends were alarmed because of
the state of his health, but daily
he attended the sessions of the
Senate and frequently he contrib
uted his grace Of diction and force
Of thought to the debates of that
most ponderous of deliberative
bodies. Last winter Vest used to
wabbIe into the Democratic cloak
room every morning about II,
divest himself Of an enormous
overcoat and many elaborate
wraps, and fall on d sofa. There
| be would be surrounded by his
fellow solons of both houses, con
gregated TO hear him talk of men,
things and events, and few men
are left in public station or private
life who equal him as a converse
tionallst AS he uttered his wit
ticisms, balIasted with homely
wisdom, and gave expression to
humor that pointed thousand
arguments, one thought of the
Salon Of Scarron, or the villa Of
of Twickenham. 1t was in the
spring Of 1880 that Tom Young,
then a member Of Congress from
one Of the Cincinnati districts,
took James A. Garfield by the arm
and marched him from the House
lie into the Senate Chamber
Escortlng him to the empty chair
of Thurman, whom Garfield had
been chosen to succeed, Young
said: "It il a big pair Of shoes,
Garfield. Do you think you can
Fill themgn Garfield was doubt
full, and so expressed himself.
When Vest goes he will leave q
big pair Of shoes. 1t will take a
big man to fiji them. For many
long years there were three ssY's"
on the roll of the Senate Vance,
Vest and Voorhes. The two stall
wart men are gone. Vest remains.
And SO it was that Samuel ]. Til
den survived Thomas "A. Hem
bricks and John Kelly. Man Is
immortal till his work is done.
Vest is now past three score and
ten. He may pass, and let US hope
be will pass, four score.
Vest entered the Senate in 1870.
| OF those he found there only Hoar,
! Allison, Jones of Nevada, Corkrell
and Morgan remain. He has sery.
ed 10 that great body twenty two
! years, and il Inns been distinguish
ed service. Judged by her repre-.
senfaiion IN the SenAte Mis-. onri is
4 most conservative State. The
combined service Of Vest and
lCockrell ID date il forty eight
| years. 1t has been exceeded but
once. When EdmLnds resigned
| ia 1891 he and Morrill, had repre-
sented Vermont in the Senate for
lsy hine years. Should Vest live
It'll the expiration Of bis term, aud
| Cockrell survive also, their com
bined service will exceed that Of
the two Senators from Vermont
lust mentioned And why should
| not Cockrell suryiges He was one
lof Confederate generals laid out
! for dead on the porch Of 4 farm
lhouse the bloody day 81 Franklin.
Tenn., and ha alone o. them alt
survived 10 view with martial eye