United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
Search the website
Back to Results

District of Columbia - Members of Congress Endeavoring to Prevent a Personal Encounter Between Messrs. Weaver, of Iowa, and Sparks, of Illinois, in the Hall of Representatives

District of Columbia - Members of Congress Endeavoring to Prevent a Personal Encounter Between Messrs. Weaver, of Iowa, and Sparks, of Illinois, in the Hall of Representatives/tiles/collection/3/3178.xml
Previous Next

Date

1881-01-08

Artist

Jarrod Harrison

Publisher

Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper

Dimensions

16 1/8 x 11 in. (41 x 27.9 cm)

Accession Number

2009.128.003

Credit Line

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

Object Details

This “disgraceful scene enacted on the floor of the House of Representatives” was both illustrated and described in detail on this page from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. A debate on the “Funding Bill” devolved into name-calling between James Weaver and William Sparks—with the article describing the latter as “noted for pomposity of manner and irritability of temper.” Weaver seemed ill-tempered as well, quoted as saying to Sparks, “In the presence of the House I denounce you as a liar.” Sparks then responded by calling Weaver an “unmitigated scoundrel.”

Rights and Reproduction Information

Jump To

View Related Objects

Congressional Row, in the U.S. House of Representatives, Midnight of Friday, February 5th, 1858
Congressional Row, in the U.S. House of Representatives, Midnight of Friday, February 5th, 1858

View Related People

SPARKS, William Andrew Jackson
SPARKS, William Andrew Jackson
WEAVER, James Baird
WEAVER, James Baird
Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov