-confidence, and
exhaustive in the use of every expletive of abuse permitted by
parliamentary usage. In debate he resembled one of the old soldiers
who fought on foot or on horseback, with heavy or light arms, a
battle-axe or a spear. The champion of the North, he divided the
South and thrashed and slashed as did old Horatius, when with his
good sword he stood upon the bridge and with his single arm defended
Rome.

George Kremer, of Pennsylvania, was probably the most unpopular
man in the House. An anonymous letter had appeared just before
the election of President [Adams] by the Representatives denouncing
an "unholy coalition" between Mr. Adams and Mr. Clay, by which the
support of the friends of the latter had been transferred to the
former, "as the planter does his negroes, or the farmer his team
and horses." Mr. Clay at once published a card, over his signature,
in which he called the writer "a base and infamous calumniator, a
dastard, and a liar." Mr. Kremer replied, admitting that he had
written the letter, but in such a manner that his political friends
were ashamed of his cowardice, while the admirers of Mr. Clay were
very indignant--the more so as they suspected that Mr. James Buchanan
had instigated the letter.

Mr. Henry W. Dwight, of Massachusetts, a good specimen of "a sound
mind in a sound body," gave great attention to the appropriation
bills, and secured liberal sums for carrying on the various
departments of the Government. His most formidable antagonist was
a self-styled reformer and physical giant, Mr. Thomas Chilton, of
Kentucky, who had been at one period of his life a Baptist preacher.
He declared on the floor in debate that he was pledged to his
constituents to endeavor to retrench the expenses of the General
Government, to diminish the army and navy, to abridge the number
of civil and diplomatic officials, and, above all, to cut down the
pay of Congressmen. He made speeches in support of all these
"reforms," but did not succeed in securing the discharge of a
soldier, a sailor, a diplomatist, or a clerk, neither did he reduce
the appropriations one single cent. The erratic Mr. David Crockett
was then a member of the House, but had not attracted public
attention, although the Jackson men were angry because he, one of
Old Hickory's officers in the Creek War, was a devoted adherent of
Henry Clay for the Presidency. One of his colleagues in the
Tennessee delegation was Mr. James K. Polk,