The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-03-30
CONGRESS -HAIL OF FAME
How Soisa W. Dasle Secured a '-Scnc-
cu-res-Cssso<aian of the Hail Of
Sfaf1ex

ffoW Sonu W. DaG1e Secured n -ScHCa
cu-rces-Castoslian of the Hall OF
Sfatnrx
When the WINGS OF the capitol at
| Washington had been completed. and
the senate and house of representa-
tfvcs had moved to the commodious
quarters newly provided for them. the
old senate chamber seemed exaetfy
suited TO the uses OF the supreme
court. which hitherto had occupied a
! DIT OF n hole-in-thc-wall below stairs:
but what TO do with the gaping space
left hy the exit OF the lower house
became for two or thre years n oues-
ton This was settled. Ike many 9TH
er matters Of moment. BY the meresf
triviality
There changed To be n venerable
hanEer-on about the capital. turning
ms nand to such odd Jobs as the SER
geanfs-af-arms and doorkeepers might
hnd for him. and very we'll known and
very much esteemed by everybody. OF
the name of Dade-"John w Dnde of
virginia. sub, and don't you forget
IT.! Colonel Dade had n nose for n
good thing Indeed. he had something
OF history. Sprung from an excel
(
John Tyler at college. the intimacy be-
Ing so close that they were commonly
referred TO IN The Two Jacks" and
J in lsff. when Harrison and Tyler had
/ come In. Dade repaired to Washington,
-Four weeks later Harrison died and
Iyier was president. Now" said
/ Dade, I'm fixed" and stYaightway
called at the White house. when some
thing like the following passed.
/ Huilo. Jack" said the President.
What brought you here?''
An office" said Dade. laconicalIy.
/ What kind OF an Office
A sine-eu-reet" Dade replied. still
Well" said Tyler you know
am president now. Jack. and I must
b" careful Before I appoint a man
TO office j must be able to give the
! public some evidence OF his qualiiica-
! u"ns Have YOU any letters OF rec
1 oFnmendauon from people who know
| you where you live: any proof Of YOUR
| character and fitness? In short 10
you bring the president any petition,
/ or letter of credit?'
The best in the world" said Dade.
Let me see" said Tyler.
Thereupon Date put his hand I'm his
inside pocket and drew thence a bulky
piece of writing detailing at length his
many virtues The writer declared that
the one thing in the world which would
make his happiness complete would be
the appointment OF his lifelong and
dear friend. Colonel John W. Dade. to.
Whatever place he ight apply for. IL
was addressed to William Henry Har--
rison. President of the United States
and was signed. John Tyler"
The president read IL deliberately to
the end. turned without n word To his
secretary. and ordered n commission to
be made out for John w. Dade of Vir-
ginia, as keeper of the federal prison.
then. and sull. located in the District
or Columbia There. Jack said he.
that's the nearest to a .sinc-cu-ree /
know of"
Dade took the oath of office. assum-
ed his now post OF honor and duty,
and had the prisoners summoned into
the prison yeard before him, Ladies'
and gentlemen" he said. Il have been
appointed by the president of the Unit
Ell States to preside over this honora-
BILE institution. In the beginning, L
want To inform you that / shall treat
each and every one OF YOU as n Vir-
ginia gentleman should treat a body of
ladies and gentlemen. and the first SON
of-a-gun that departs from that calling
shall be turned away from the govern
meRts bed and board and compelled to.
work for his living"
The story goes that Colonel Dade
made a most efficient and acceptable
superintendent
Twenty years later, still wearing
knee-breeches and a ruf1ed shirt the
last survivor OF the regime ancient, It
came into the resourceful mind OF this
old public functionary that the desert
ed hall Of representatives might be
utilized as hall of statues that this
hal OF statues would need q keeper
and that he was just the man for tho
job. Congress thought so, too. II was
so ordered, and. to the end OF his days.
which proved to be long In the land.
Colonel John Wade of Virginia was
the custodian of what was during his
day an empty but imposing semi-circle,
hut which is now know as the recep-
tacle Of two effigies in marble allotted
each state of the union for designated
worthless and officially described as the
hall of statues
Such briefly. is how the government
happened TO come by a hall OF fame OF
its own.-Courier-Journa