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One morning Colonel James Hamilton Lewis, Congressman from Washington, went to Speaker Reed’s room to secure recognition from the chair to call up a bill of interest to his constituents. After some talk, Reed drawled: “Well, I guess I will have to grant your request, Lewis. I am not so ugly as I look.”

”Impossible, Mr. Speaker,” cried Lewis, bowing nearly to the floor; “utterly impossible!”

This greatly amused Reed, though the joke was on him.


Source:

Boller, Paul F. “In the Chair.” Congressional Anecdotes. New York: Oxford UP, 1991. 240. Print.

Original Source(s) Listed:

Watson, As I Knew Them, 37.

Clark, Quarter Century of Politics, II, 211-12.


Further Reading:

James Hamilton Lewis

Thomas Brackett Reed / “Czar Reed”

>One morning [Colonel James Hamilton Lewis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Hamilton_lewis.jpg), Congressman from Washington, went to [Speaker Reed](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Thomas_Brackett_Reed_-_Brady-Handy.jpg)’s room to secure recognition from the chair to call up a bill of interest to his constituents. After some talk, Reed drawled: “Well, I guess I will have to grant your request, Lewis. I am not so ugly as I look.” >”Impossible, Mr. Speaker,” cried Lewis, bowing nearly to the floor; “utterly impossible!” >This greatly amused Reed, though the joke was on him. _________________________ **Source:** Boller, Paul F. “In the Chair.” *Congressional Anecdotes*. New York: Oxford UP, 1991. 240. Print. **Original Source(s) Listed:** Watson, *As I Knew Them*, 37. Clark, *Quarter Century of Politics*, II, 211-12. ______________________________ **Further Reading:** [James Hamilton Lewis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Hamilton_Lewis) [Thomas Brackett Reed / “Czar Reed”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Brackett_Reed)

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