Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
Veteran Elk Speaker Knocked
a Colleague Down.
In HOUSE BEFORE WAR
WIGFALL OF TEXAS WAS TORE
ADoR OF THE SENATE.
Fessenden and Jefferson Davis
Pathetic Peroration Of Seward Re-
called by old-Timers-

The atmosphere of the holiday season per-
vaded the little parlor where the Reminis-
cence Club congregates and more than
usual peace and good will feeling over
spread the surroundings. Tuscarora, the
efficient major domo, who had been pre-
scented with blue. enameled-backed watch
with red hands. and which must have cost
the "reminiscences at least $11-jO was
chock-a-biock full of smiles and good
humor, while the storekeeper himself, who
had on the afternoon Of that day been re-
galed by his particular 'pard" with din
ner that Lucullus might have envied was
the thorough personifcation of politenesS
and affability.
The dean of the fraternity, who Is beyond
mans allotted three score years and ten.
was the first raconteur Of the evening. HIS
memory went back to the exciting times
before the civil war and particularly to
irritable and exciting scenes in both houses
OF Congress of which he was personal
witness. Lelling back in the old arm chair
that had once done service at Gen. Lees
mansion at Arlington the dean opened up:
You young fellows" and his hearers
grfnned at the compliment, you young fell
lows have not had some advantages Of a
certain kind that 1 have. When / was
young man. and that was at least fifty
years ago, was an almost constant visitor
at the Capitol and / was listener to many
Of the most acriminous debates that ever
disturbed the heart Of this or any other
nation. Discussions on the bill for the ac-
QUESTION OF Cuba. on bleeding Kansas on
the general subject Of the state of the
every day occurrence.
Grow Used His Fist.
II was In the gallery Of the House of
D
memory serve me right, and I think 1t does
there was wrang1e over the Lecompton
constitution. 1t was in 1857 or 1858. At
any rate. Buchanan was present at the
time. Oh. what a night that was. There
were more rows and shindies in three hours
than my friend jeremiah Clere he indi-
Gated by a nod the Hibernian member of
the coterie) ever saw in his life in a whole
season Of Tipperary fairs. 1 saw old man
Grow-I speak with all Difference: he is old
now, though he was young then-knock an
other member down right on the floor Of the
House. This was Mr.. Keitt and he was
a seasoned tfireeater' from
'Oh. from 'Ffreeatersville,' put in Tus-
carora willing to help any man out of a
scrape
well that will go, 'Tusky' I was about
to say South Carolina. The palmetto state
man afterward made most manly apol-
ogy for his conduct on this occasion. He
said he was the aggressor. Grow followed.
AS near as I can remember his reparation
consisted mainly In an assertion Of the
right Of self-defense. 1922 e.
Davis and Fessenden.
There were also some exciting times in
the Senate in those days. listened to a
debate once between two pretty evenly
matched men-Jeff Davis, and William Pitt
Fessenden Both were lean and hungry
Whether they slept at night don't know,
but they were deep thinkers. In this quar-
rel Davis somehow got the notion in his
head that Fessenden said he. the Maine
senator. was afraid of him. Fessenden
however. explained that he was only afraid
of his antagonist In an intellectual sense
Then" the dean continued, II heard
many of the speeches on both sides just
before the southern states seeded from the
Union, and some Of the valedctories Of the
southerners were very pathetic. Judah p
Benjamin of Louisiana delivered a beauti-
full speech in which he declared the south
might be conquered, but could never be
subjugated. Never! Never! Never.!' he
said.
''Wigfall of Texas was the great ranter
of those times. He was the toreador of
the Senate, and seemed to take particular
delight in batting Andy Johnson. Andy
wouldn't be baited. however, and he tod
that his !lJohnsons) two eyes had never
yet looked upon anything in the shape of
mortal man that his heart quailed at. To
another the tailor from Tennessee quoted.
hearted remarks. these lines from Cowper
"A sensible and wel-bred man
Will net insult me, and no other can
Seward and Crittenden.
ITO my mind the two great men in the
Senate about that period were William H.
Seward If New York and John J. Critten-
den of Kentucky. as diametrically opposed
in their political views as any two men
could be. I will never forget the peroration
Of a speech 1 heard Seward make in those
trying times. He said often in the course Of
the debates he had noticed the old secretary
of the Senate. Asbury Dickens. with tear
dimmed eyes and soul of anguish shining
on his countenance as he listened to the
irony, the temper and the bitter tone that
characterized the speeches that were be-
ing made, and he had compared the dis
tressed face OF the aged and well-beloved
officer with that of the page on the dais in
front of him, a face cleaning with excite
ment frightened with smiles and eager to
catch every word Of passion and resent
ment that senators were employing in their
heated oratory.
g This should not be the case said Mr..
Seward. 1t should be reversed. 1t is for
you. old man. addressing the venerable
secretary. to wear the smiles and counte-
nance of gladness, for you, almost ready
to quit all earthly scenes, have witnessed
the glories and the grandeur of a great
people. Let the boy weep. for he Is on the
threshold Of dark and bloody periods in
the nations history. He should sorrow with
apprehension. and the older man rejoice
that he in the sunset of his life NAV not
witness them j,
Il think" said the narrator. that I use
the great senator's words. At any rate,
the dark and stormy time was near at
hand. The old secretary died peacefully
before the strife was at its worst. The
page may have passed away in the din and
conflict OF battle. or he may be living vet. I"
Let Rebel Boat Pass.