Evening star., 1944-09-17
Capital Sidelights
By Will P. Kennedu

Aad1l Jennings Randolph of the
house District Committee a few davs
ago had the pleasure of introducing tn
members of the committee a constituent
OF MS, Tracy L. Jeffords of Harpers
Ferry, w. Va, whom he described as
distinguished jurist, a gentleman of
nigh character, sound integrity, liberal
eoucatlon, wide experience and splendid
legal atta1nmentS"-the clerk of tho
committee S. years ago. That was in
the Fifty-flrst Congress, when Thomas as
b. Reed of Maine was Speaker and
Asher c. Hinds later author Of the
House bible, Kinds Precedents, was
MS clerk; Nelson w. Aldrich. subse-
quently historic tariff maker. was
chairman of the Rules Committee.
James c. Courts was clerk of the An
preparations Committee, James G
Blame, Jr., was clerk to the Foreign
relations Committee; Robert J. Wynne.
later postmaster General In the cabinet
OF theodore Roosevelt, was clerk to the
FatenS Committee, and the late VIII
liam Tyler Page, author of "The Amer
leans Creed" was assistant file clerk.
senator John j. ingalls, OF Kansas, a
noted Journalist and President pro-
tempore Of the Senate, was chairman
OF the Senate District Committee. As
souvenir of his visit Mr.. Jeffords
left with Miss Mabel Haller for the
committee files note on the stationery
USED when he was clerk which carries
the names OF the then members. Rep
resentative William w. Grout of YER
mont was chairman. He and at least
hVe other members of his committee
mad served with distinction in the Civil
VARIOUS E. Atkinson, PENNSYLVANIA.
Philip s. Post, Illinois; w. H. F. Lee
virginia; Samuel p. Snider, Mime
sofa, and William T. Ellis, Kentucky.
Atkinson was a surgeon in the Union
Army, disabled in action. Post was
awarded the Congressional Medal of
Honor for having with his brigade at
tackled strong position at Nashville
Tenn, December Is and 16, 1864, under
a terrible fire OF grape, canister and
musketry, where he was struck down. {"
He was later Consul General to Austria
Hungary. William Henry Fitzhugh Lee,
grandson of Henry Lee (who was uni
versally known as Light Horse Harry"
and who in eulogy of Washington in
joint session of Congress characterized
him as first in war, first in peace and
flrst dn the hearts Of his countrymenD
was born at the Arlington mansion. He
was lieutenant in the expedition to
Utah In 1858, raised a company of
cavalry in 1861 and Joined the Con-
federate service, was wounded at Brandy
Station, captured in Hanover County,
imprisoned in Fortress Monroe and
Fort Lafayette, and, when exchanged,
continued in service until the surrender
at Appomattox. Snider enlisted as a
private and served in Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Georgia, Alabama and Missis-
sippi. He was a railroad builder, agri-
culturist and iron ore miner. Ellis en-
listed at 16 and was in the 1st Kentucky
cavalry, in the celebrated Orphan
Brigade. He became a presidential
elector on the Tilden-H Hendricks ticket
IN 1875 and 20 years later helped to
nominate Bryan and Sewall.
The best-remembered member of that
committee, however, was the late Theo-
dore E. Burton of Ohio, then serving
his first term In the House. Ten years
later he was elected to the Senate. In
and out of Congress from 1889 to 1927,
he held many important commissions
from Theodore Roosevelt through War
rem g. Harding.
At that time, IS years ago, Charles
H. Mann was doorkeeper OF the House
press gallery. Among those in the
gallery were H. B. F. Mcfarland, later
q District Commissioner. Those who
then represented The Star in the GAL
lery were George H. Harries, latef n
command Of the District National
Guard: Thomas E. Noyes and John
p. Miller. The late NJ O. Messenger,
later chief political writer for The Star,
was credited to the Washington Capital.
Eleven years ago (April 10, 1889 SEN
ator, Hatfield placed in the Congress
sional Record a prophetic address by
Mr.. Jefords on the Philosophy Of
National Domains" IN which he fore
saw much Of what is happening today
and warned OF the dangers ahead.
There recently has been much cloak
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