John Cochrane of New York was only a first-term Congressman when Harper’s Weekly profiled him in its pages. Although the paper said he rarely spoke in the House, it nonetheless praised his speaking ability as possessing “those rare gifts of nature, the copious diction, the graceful action, and the spirit of the orator.” Articles and illustrations of prominent statesmen were becoming common fodder as the new illustrated news journals sought to find a niche in American readership.
History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives, “Hon. John Cochrane, Member of Congress,” https://history.house.gov/Collection/Listing/2010/2010-033-001/ (May 23, 2022)
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