Evening star., 1944-12-24
Capital Sidelights
BIZ viii P. Kennedy.

By viii P. Kennedy.
Many members of Congress, who will
not be returning, have been making
farewell speeches, commonly referred to
as swan songs" This has raised the
question: why are such speeches so
calied?" The Standard Dictionary says
that a swan song is "a last or dying
work, as Of poet or composer; in allu-
sion to the song swan is tabled to sing
when dying" Carlyle in his story OF the
French Revolution calls st. Pierres
book, Paul and Virginia" "the swan
song Of old dying France" The Read
er's Handbook explains that "the swan
die, and sings most melodiously." Pliny
In his Natural History" records that
Swans, little before their death, sing
most sweetly." The Readers Handbook
further narrates that "Fionnuala,
daughter of Lir, was transformed into
swan, and condemned to wander for
many hundred years over the lakes and
rivers of Ireland, till the introduction of
Christianity into that island" Thomas
Moore. in 1914, wrote a poem in his
Irish Melodies" entitled THE Song of
Finnouala":
Silent, o Moyle, be the roar of thy
waters,
Break not, ye breezes, your chain Of
repose,
While, murmuring mournfully, Lir's
lonely daughter
Tells to the night-star her tale OF
woes
When shall the swan, her death note
singing,
Sleep with wings in darkness furl'd?"
The swan is called the bird of Apollo
the Swan was instituted by Frederick II
of Brandenburg in commemoration Of
the mythical Knight of the Swan"
Thon1s in his Early English Prose
Romance" 185S) Identifies the Knight
of the Swan" as Helias, King Of Lyle
forte, son of Otiant and Beatrice. This
Beatrice had eight children at birth,
one of which was daughter The
mother-n-law, Matabrune. allegedly
stole these children and changed all of
them, except Helias, into swans. Helias
spent all of his life in quest of his sister
and brothers, that he might disenchant
them and restore them to their human
forms. Because the House of Cleves
professed to be descended from the
Knight of the Swan" the Swan Tower
of Cleves was so named.
Ben Johnson called Shakespeare
Swan of Avon," and Archbishop Fene-
lon was designated Swan of Cambray" :"
At least two members Of Congress, and
one of them a Vice President. had
their names changed by law. Henry
Wilson was a Senator from Massachu-
setts, born in New Hampshire in 1872
who had worked as farm hand. His
parents name was Colbaith, and his
name was jeremiah Jones Colbaith un-
til he was 81, when he had it changed
by the Legislature to Henry Wilson
He learned the shoemaker's trade, trav-
eled in the South, taught school, be-
came shoe manufacturer, owner and
editor Of Boston newspaper, succeeded
Edward Everett in the United States
Senate, where he served 18 years; raised
and commanded a regiment in the Civil
War, was elected Vice President on the
U. S. Grant ticket and died In the
Capitol Building
Robert Barnwell Rhett, Represent
ative and Senator from South Carolina,
was previously Robert Barnwell Smith,
born in 1900 and served under that
name in the State Legislature and as at
torney general of the State. While serv-
ing his first term in Congress, by action
Of the State General Assembly, at his
own request, his name was changed to
Rhett. After serving in the House IL
years he was elected to the United
States Senate as successor to John c.
Calhoun. He was delegate 10 the
South Carolina secession convention and
to the Confederate Provisional Con-
gress in 1861. He was chairman OF the
committee that reported the constitu-
ton Of the Confederate States.
Charles Tracey, who served in Con-
SIcSS llOlH 1901 W 1000, previously QdQ
served in the Papal Zouaves In Rome
when he was between 20 and 23 years
Of age Q867-187O. He was aide-de-
camp to Gov. Tlden of New York in
1877, subsequently was appointed man
ager of the House of Refuge, Hudson,
N. Y, by Gov. Cleveland and reap
pointed by Gov. Hill.
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An attempt was made to assassinate
Representative Thomas D. Arnold, serv-
ing In the Twenty-second Congress, as
he was descending the west steps Of the
Capitol, but he survived to serve again
in Congress decade later. Arnold, born
in Virginia, enlisted as a drummer boy
at the age of IA, taught school and prac-
ticed law in Tennessee before coming
to Congress. He was brigadier general
Of the Tennessee Militia and was presi-
Dental elector on the Wing Harrison
and Tyler ticket
A Warming