White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1858-03-11
HON. aAIUsHA A. GROW, TIE REruBri!
CAN LEADER IN THE HOUSE.

CAN LEADER In THE 6OUSE.
The following brief biographical sketch Of
Hon. Galusha A. Grow, Of Pennsylvania, the
man who knocked Keitt down, is from the col
umns Of the Boston Bee, to which it was COM
municated BY one who knew him well:
Mr.. Grow, who represents Wilmot's district
in Pennsylvania, was born in Windham county,
Connecticut. He was left fatherless at three
years of age His mother, widow with six
children, the eldest seventeen years, AID the
youngest but three months, was left with prop
erty barely sufficient to pay the debts of the es-
tate. When ten years DID, his mother left Con-
necficut to seek new home in the West, and
located in Northern Pennsylvania. His reading
prompted desire for liberal education, and
his eldest brothers, observing the rapid improve
ment he made, unaided By any tutor, resolved
to crafty his ambition, and accordingly sent
him to school. At seventeen he entered the
Freshman class at Amherst college, being poor
" fitted, though it was as good as the schools
Of his region furnished. In 1874 he graduated
with high honOrs, and being acknowledged by
tiers and extempOraneous speakers in college.
During his senior year in college, he made his
first political speech, at meeting in Amherst,
Mass, which was the first Democratic mass
mesting ever held in the town. On graduating,
after his return home, he continued to take an
active part in the canvass for Polk and Dallas.
In 1913 he was admitted to the bar. In the sum-
mer of 1850, the Democratic Convention of his
county nominated him unanimously for the Leg
islature, which he declined. In the fall of the
same wear he was first elected to Congress by 4
singular accident in politics. The Democrats
of the district were divided, and had two can
didates in the field, each claiming to be the reg
ular nominee. Eight days before the election,
both agreed to resign if Mr.. Grow would be the
candidate He had left his law Office, the fall
before by reason of i'll health, and was spending
the summer, working on farm, blowing, peel
ing bark and surveying. He was waited upon
in his retirement by friend of each candidate,
as a committee, to ascertain his feelings. They
found him with set Of hands upon the public
highway, rebuilding bridge that had been car
ried away by freshet. He aeceded to their
proposition to be a candidate for Congress, and
both the other candidates resigned, and con-
vention was called, which placed Mr.. Grow in
nomination Just one week before his election
He was elected by 1850 majority, and in 1851
took his seat in the House Of Representatives
the Youngest member Of the thirty-second Con-
gress, and, with one or two exceptions, OF the
thirty fourth Congress also. He is now serving
his fourth term in Congress. The second time
he was elected by 1900 majority; the third time
by a unanimous vote of the district, he having
received the unanimous nomination OF all par
ties, for his able and manly resistance to the
passage of the Kansas Nebraska bill; the fourth
time he was elected BY larger vote than he
received when he had no opposition. His dis
trict, previous to the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise, gave uniformly about $500 Demo
cratic majority, but in consequence ofthe noble
stand taken by Mr.. Grow on the floor of Con-
gress. and upon the stump, before the people,
his district gave Col. Fremont almost 10000
majority.