The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-08-18

ter compromise. Prior was at times with, and
eager as he seemed for q separate Confederacy.
His career Is known, with its vicissituces The
fate OF Jenkins, who was classmate OF mine,
was what might have been expected. He
fought bravely and died courageOusly at the
head of his cavalry. Rich in the patrimony of
splendid farms along the Ohio and Kanawha,
surrounded by friends who elected him to Con-
gless when barely constitutional age, just
married to Q daughter OF the diplomatist Bow
lin of Paraguayan memory, and coming from
that part of Virginia where secession was the
exception, his fate has seemed to be as unna-
tural as it is cad. 'fRx-Governor Smith OF Viz
ginia, was, perhaps, the most remarkable IN the
delegation. He was fluent debater, ready at
repartee, and brave to fault. am indebted
to him for aiding in the special exchange OF
prisoners Since the war, when l could get
little or no aid from Congress or our own Gov
eminent, and scarcely vote on my resolutions
urging exchange, till too late to save the lives of
thousands, received prQmpt;and generous aid
from this inveterate insurgent, which President
Lincoln. when informed of it by me, reciprO-
Gated with the remark that she would not be
outdone by Extra Billy in extra kindness
But the man among Virginians who labored
most nobly for the Union was John S. Millson
Boteler began the same good work by NOV.
ing for the Committee of Thirty three; but to
Miilson, more than to any one, did we owe the
vote of Virginia In favor of the Union, given
in February, 1861 / ranked, at his request,
MANY Thousands of his unanswerable speech to
Virginians. It was complained of Us by some,
of the Hotspurs, that we had had the census
copied to flood that State with Millsons
speech. This was true. In this work no one
gave to Gen. Millson more effective aid than
Sherrard Clemens, of Wheeling, whose elo-
quence never did better execution, whose zeal
never TAGGED and whose Unionism never wa
vered. In looking over the names of mem
bers of other States, wish could find more
than / do of whom this may be said. Not
counting Tennessee, led by Nelson and May
nard; Kentucky with Mallory at Its head, and
Nilsson led y The gallant clip ssS1g
Alabama, Gilmer and Vance of North Carolina,
Bouligsy of Louisiana, Hamilton Of Texas
and excepting such men as Branch Of North
Carolina, Rust of Arkansas, and Taylor of
Louisiana, distrustful of secession as the cure
for Southern Ills, though less pronounced In
their sentiments excepting these and few
others not SO conspicuous, the whole array of
Southern talent. led by Miles, Gartrell, Pugh
(of Alabama), Bococke, Garrett Smith, Pryor,
Crawford. Curry. Hindman, McRea, Barksdale,
Lamar, Wright and Keitt-nearly all except
Pugh and Smith, young men-was thrown in
favor of preeipitate action. without any zeal
and little attempt to compromise. Even such
men as WinsloW, Smith and Branch of North
Carolina, and Reagan of Texas. elected. as
conservatives against the disunion sentiments
of their districts, covered before this band of
southern talent and the pressure brought to
bear from their homes-inspired by hopes of
independence. The wives, daughters and 9th
er female connections of Southern members
were in the galleries constantly, to cheer by
their presence aud smiles the fervid efforts of
these secession orators.
For impetuous debate, there was Lamar, of
Mississippi, scholarly and defiant; for logical
humor, Gov; MeRae Of the same State, success.
scr to Gen. Quitman, one of the happiest OF
speakers, an original slave.trade secessionist,
though educated in Ohio; for parliamentary
skirmishing, there was Bococke of Virginia;
for vituperative philippe, there was Roger A.
Pryor; for courteous and beautiful elocution,
Alexander r. Boteler of Harper's Ferry; for
bravado, toned with an eloquent
phraseology, there was the vain and clever
Keitt; for smooth and trenchant dialectics,
earned his place in Congress by his care of the
sick in the fever-stricken city of Norfolk, In
1855; for statesmanlike and vigorous debate,
there was Branch of North Carolina for broad
wit and hearty brows, there was Gilmer of
North Carolina: for subtle ratiocination, of the
Calhoun pattern, there was Pugh Of Alabama
who had all the pith, without the artistic pol
ish, of his colleague, Curry; for offensive and
vivaciouS readiness, there was Hindman, who
almost alone of these leaders, mas been con-
spicuous in the war. Branch, Ruffin, Keitt,
Jennings, Barksdale and Rust have had i'm
portanr commands, and have all met that
death of which they Wanted so much, rather
than submit to Federal authority.
In looking over this roll, cannot but regret
that so much of genius, energy and goodness
have been misled to their own ruin and that of
their States. Among the most eloquent OF
this remarkable body not thus nlisled. was Mel
son of Tennessee; the most eccentric and in
domitabte genius for politics. was Emerson
the clearest heads for political econ
omy, metaphysical refinement and historic re-
search were VIM. W. Boyce and John s. Mill
son. .t' ' zf't .f ..
If we go to the Republican side of the
House, We find CorWin, OF Ohio. incompara-
bic for his fun his pathos and his soul-stirring
eloquence; Charles Francis Adams with no
readiness as speaker. but a profound think
er; Eli Thayer. as practicable as q steam en-
CINE, but with ali his vast motive power occa-
sionally getting out of order; Morrill,. OF Yer
mont, whose skill in tariff calculations never
tagged during the excitement Of the war;
ROSCOE COnKln, Win rare gifts OF ready ana
pure elocution; John Hickman, of PenDsylvs-
mia, straightforward and dashing, with schol-
airs taste hidden under o toga; Thaddeus
Stevens the Metternich of Republicanism !; Ga
lusha A. Grow. quick in the manual and saucy
in bravado towards his opponents; Stanton,
Sherman and Bingham, from Ohio, all men of
experience IN legislation and leaders of the
then rising party; Colfax, of Indiana, who,
like Grow. rose to prominence by his cham
pioning with much luency and energy the pie
tistic humanitarianisrn of his party; Lovejoy,
of Illinois. who cultivated an ignorance of par
law in order to say the most indie
corous things, and whose ragged vehemence
If not oratory, was taken for It by those who
looked more TO the manner than the SUBJ
stance. These, with the affable Speaker, PEN
dleton, made up the phalanx upon which the
Southern c0hort hurled itself in debate.
As recall the scene which took place at nv
desk between Keitt and Grow during the pre-
ceding Congress, after the hour of midnight,
when the passions of the time were incarpate
in that Congress and at that hour; as repic.
ture the fierce clutch and the glaring eve. and
the struggle between these heavy champions.
there come trooping down the aisles of mcme.
~, e there came trooping down the actual
aisles Of the House, the belkgerens members.
with Washburne Of illinois, and Potter Of wis.
cousin, leading the one extreme, and Barsdale
and Lamar leading the other; then comes the
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