The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1909-05-07
RICHARDSON'S TERM LONGEST.
Representative Garrett Digs Up Old
Tennessee Records.

Washington, May l. Representative
Finis j. Garrett, of the Ninth Congress
sional District of Tennessee, who is de-
voting his spare moments from official
routine to the collection of data con-
corning the men Tennessee has sent to
the Senate and the House of Repre-
sentatives, beginning with the first Con-
gress, has dug up some nuggets which
will prove interesting and Illuminating
to the student of the political history
of the State.
At the outset of his prideful task,
Mr.. Garrett discovered something which
he thinks is without parallel in the po-
litical annals of the United States. In
the Fourth Congressional District, best
known as McMillin's s old district, two
special elections and one regular cleo
ton were necessary to procure that
districts representation in the House
of Representatives John w. Head
was elected to Congress at regular
election in 1874, but he died two weeks
later without having entered upon his
official duties.
At special election to supply the
vacancy Samuel M. Fife was chosen,
and three weeks thereafter he was seized
with an illness that terminated fatally
at Hot Springs, Ark. whittier he had
gone in search of health The second
special election was called and resulted
in the election of Yancy Riddle, who,
after serving two terms in the House,
was succeeded by Benton McMillin,
who served all but one month and
twenty-five days of ten terms, or twenty
years.
NICHOLSON RESIGNED.
Another unprecedented fact discov-
cred by Mr.. Garrett was that O. o. 2.
Nicholson, native of Columbia Tenn,
was expelled from the United States
Senate after he had resigned from that
body.
Senator Nicholson resigned from the
Senate in 1861 as token of his alle-
glance to the Confederacy, and later the
Senate passed resolution expelling
him from its membership. The loss of
a seat in the United States Senate. was
only temporary one to Senator Mich
olson, for he was soon made Chief JUS
tice of the Supreme Court of Tennessee,
in which capacity he served with signal
credit and renown.
The expulsion of Senator Nicholson
is the only instance on record of a SEN
ator being expelled after his formal
To the Hon. James D. Richardson
belongs the distinction of having served
longer in the House of Representatives
than any other man from Tennessee.
Mr.. Richardson, who now is the highest
Mason in the world served twenty years
in the House, his record
being approximately only equaled by
Benton AcMillin who served nineteen
years, one month and twenty-five days.
Mr.. McMillin would have rounded out
twenty years service but for his nomi-
nation as Governor of Tennessee.
RHEA RUNS THIRD.
The third longest career in the House
was-rfat of John Rhea, of Blount
County, who served eighteen years.
Two other men served sixteen years,
and eight men served fourteen years in
the House
The Fourth Tennessee District, which
Tor nearly twenty years was represented
by McMillin, now is represented by
Judge Cordell Hull, recently elected for
MS second term. Mr.. Hull took the
in advocacy of the income
AK proposition, which is commanding
he attention of the House and the
senate, and it is to him that the advo-
'ates of that tax in the House are look
ng for leadership Although compar-
ltively a new member, Mr.. Hull is
recognized as a pattern worthy of studi-
,us emulation.
Mr.. Garrett, who is prosecuting his
inquiry into the history of the men who
lave represented the State of Tennes-
zee in Congress from the first Congress
iown to the present time, is orc of the
Representative from any State
n the House and one of the most dill
'ent and studious. His predecessor was
Rice A. Pierce, who left Congress after
learly eighteen years OF continuous
ervice. Since the first Congress Ten
lessee has had 1s5 Representatives and
4 Senators.