a skillful and inspiring orator was renewed in the nation's capitol. Fighting "pension buccaneers" Roddenbery was a conservative on fiscal matters. He earned a reputation for taking on powerful interests which fought to expand the retirement benefits of certain groups which Roddenbery labeled as "pension buccaneers". He was particularly militant in his opposition to increasing the pensions of Civil War Union veterans, while thousands of surviving Confederate veterans in Georgia, a state that endured some of the worst destruction of the war, were ineligible for Federal pensions under the 14th Amendment. Georgians were adamantly opposed to having their tax dollars subsidize the pensions of former enemies. Skilled parliamentarian Roddenbery was known as a skilled parliamentarian, who was given to filibustering when faced with legislation he opposed. At the time of his death, he was considered to be one of the top three parliamentarians in the United States House of Representatives. Anti-miscegenation amendment Roddenbery's most lasting reputation was as a passionate opponent of miscegenation (interracial marriage), views that were on the more conservative end of the spectrum even in the early 20th century. The marriage of African American boxer Jack Johnson to white woman Lucille Cameron motivated Roddenbery to introduced H.J. Res 368, in January 1913. The bill proposing a Constitutional amendment to outlaw interracial marriages in the states where it was legal and ban it nationwide. In his appeal to Congress, Roddenberry stated that: Private life Roddenbery married Johnnie Butler on November 5, 1891. They had five children. The year after Roddenberry's death, his wife received a federal appointment to the position of postmaster (now "postmistress") of Thomasville, Georgia. She held that post through successive four-year appointments under three Presidents: Wilson, Harding, and Coolidge. The last appointment was announced on December 20, 1928. Retirement and death A heavy smoker of cigars, Roddenbery's political career was cut short by throat cancer that forced his retirement from active participation in Congress only a few weeks after the failure of H.J. Res 368. Seemingly unaware of the gravity of his illness, he returned home to Georgia only days before his death, telling colleagues that he hoped to return after a period of rest. Memorial addresses given in the U.S. House and Senate were published. Influenced by Roddenbery, anti-miscegenation bills were introduced in 1913 in half of the twenty states where this law did not already exist, though only one, in Wyoming, passed. References