The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-01-31

from the Union In 1861. In 1866 he was one OF
tile Confederate pence commissioners who met
with President Lincoln and his party at Hampton
Ronds In an abortive effort TO end the Civil war;
After Hunter came another kentuckian, John
White then another Virgnan. John ". Jones,
and after him Indlana's first speaker, John W.
Davis. The next speaker was Robert G. Winthrop
OF Massachusetts who, the year after his election,
was the chief orator at the laying of the corner
stone of the Washington monument on July 4,
1S48 Thirty seven years later congress adopted
q joint resolution inviting the former speaker to
perform a similar service when the monument
was dedicated. Winthrop was then seventy-six
years old and. after preparing his speech became
a victim OF pneumonia and was unable to attend
the ceremonies.
In 1849 Georgias first speaker, Howell Cobb
was elected He later became governor Of his
state, served again In congress, then became
secretary of the treasury under President Blu
chanan During the War Between the States
Cobb was major general In the Confederate
army. lie was succeeded on the rostrum by Linn
Boyd of Kentucky who after two terms, was fol
lowed by Nathaniel Z. Banks OF Massachusetts.
whose career rather closely paralleled that OF
Cobb of Georgia. He too, served many years In
congress- was governor of his state and major
general In the War of 1S6l-65, although his serv-
Ice was In the Union army.
Following Banks as speaker came james l.
Orr of South Carolina. William Pennington OF
New Jersey, Galusha A. Grow OF Pennsylvania
and Schuyler Colfax Of Indiana, one OF the two
speakers who became vice president. Then came
the speaker for day"-Theodore NJ. Pomeroy
OF New York who was elected after the reslgna
tion OF Schuyler Colfax and presided during the
closing hours Of one session OF congress-
James q. Blaine, the "Pumed Knight and the
unsuccessful Presidential candidate, ruled the
house from 1869 to 1875 when he was succeeded
by another Hoosier, Nj. Z. Kerr who was fol-
lowed by Samuel ]. Randall. politician who
was something Of an anomaly-a "high-tarff
Democrat from Pennsylvania" and who served
three consecutive terms. The next speaker was
another Civil war general and OhIo's first speak
er-J. Warren Keller He succeeded by
John G. Carlisle of Kentucky. one of the ablest
men who ever sat In the speakers chair. who
held the office for three terms and later became
secretary OF the treasury under Cleveland.
When Thomas Bracket Reed OF Maine took
the speakers chair In 1880 a new era In con-
gressional procedure began. Reed changed the
rules SO drastIcay that the Democrats dubbed
him Gear" Reed and he ruled like czar from
1889 to 1891 and agnin from 1895 to 1879.
In between Reeds two terms as speaker was
another Georgian Chules f. Crisp who served
four years After Reeds second term The next
speaker was David b. Henderson of Iowa and he
was followed by the renowned Uncle joe Can
non of Illinois about whom whole host Of
legendary tales clustered during his four consecu
tive terms Champ Clark of Missouri also served
four consecutive terms and was followed b,
Frederick H. Gillett OF Massachusetts Xeio had
three terms. as did his successor, Nicholas Long
North of ohio. probably the bestlked man who
ever sat In the speakers chair.
After Longworths death in 1881 Cactus Jack
Garner of Texas was elevated to the speakershiI
us the result of the Democratic congressional vic
tories In the middle OF the Hoover administration
and when he became vice president In 1882 tn,
gavel1went to Henry T. Kainey OF Illinois who's,
death last summer paved the way for the ac
cession of the new speaker, Joseph w. Byrna
cby Western Newspaper Union