Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-08-17
.QDbio|, !. Stat&',sjn)rrIai'lr,rt. i rIi'l I
Chapter From the forthcoming Volume Now
being Published by Apletons.
EIGHT YEARS IN CONGRESS:
o. Memori and Speeches.
BY 8. s. cox.

90 Memoir and speeches..
| 'H'' BY s. s. cox.
| gs... CONTINUED
| In the House, the elements of disunion
can be discerned lying like geographical
strata in sections and States. The State of
Maryland furnished no member who was a
secessionist per Sc; although of the delega-
| ton Messrs. Kunkel and Hughes.seemed to
| be most sympathetic with the South. The
same may be said of Kentucky; though
/ since, both Burnett and Symmes have been
1 Confederate Senators. They were both ca
ger for compromise during the winter of
| 1850, and Burnett even returned to the next
Congress in 1861. He is now under bonds
| for treason. Virginia had Garnett De Jar
nette, and Edmundson, most disposed to-
ward Southern Confederacy. Bococke,
| Smith, Jenkins, Leake, and others, were de-
termined to go with the State. They did
not labor to foster compromise. Pryor was
at times with, and at times against us. do
| not think he was as eager as he seemed for
a separate Confederacy. His career is
| known, with its vicissitudes. The fate Of
Jenkins, who was classmaJe of mine, was
what might have been expected. He fought
bravely and died courageously at the head
of his cavalry. Rich in patrlmony OF splen-
did farms along the Ohio and Kanawha sur
rounded by friends who elected him to Con-
| gress when barely of the constitutional age,
Just married to daughter of the diplomat
| ist Bowlin, of Paraguayan memory, and
coming from that part Of Virginia where
secession was the exception, his fate has
seemed to be as unnatural as 1t is sad. Ex-
Governor Smith, of Virginia, was perhaps
the most remarkable in the delegation. He
was fluent debater ready at rapartee, and
brave to fault. / am indebted to him for
aiding in the special exchange OF prisoners.
Since the war, when could get little or no
aid from Congress or our own Government,
and scarcely vote ON my resolutions urg-
ing exchange, till too late to save the lives OF
thousands, | received prompt and generous
aid from this inveterate insurgent, which
President Lincoln, when informed of it by
me, reciprocated with the remark that she
would not be outdone by Extra Billy in
extra Kindness" But the man among Vir-
ginians who labored most nobly for the
| Union, was John S. Millson, of Norfolk
Boteler began the same good work by NOV
ing for the Committee of Thirty three
but to Millson, more than to any one, did
we owe the vote of Virginia in favor
of the Union given in February, 1861. l
franked, at his request, many thousands OF
his unanswerable speech to Virginians.-
1t was complained of us, by some OF the
Hotspurs, that we had the census copied, to
flood that State with Millson's speech. This
was true. In this work no one gave to Gen.
Millson more effectYe aid than Sherrard
Clemens, of Wheeling, whose eloquence
never did better execution, whose zeal nev-
| er tagged, and whose Unionism never wa
vered. In looking over the names OF mem.
bers from other States, wish l could find
more than / do of whom this may be said
Not,counting Tennessee, led by Nelson and
MAYNARD, Kentucky with Mallory at its
head, and Missouri, led by the gallant
Phelps; saving Joshua Hill of Georgia,
Houston and Cobb of Alabama, Gilmer and
Vance of North Carolina, Bouligny of Lou
isiana, Hamilton OF Texas, and excepting
such men as Branch of North Carolina,
Reuben Davis OF Mississippi, Boyce OF
South Carolina, Rust OF Arkansas, and Tay-
lor of Louisiana, distrusttul OF secession as
the cure for Southern ills, though less pro-
nouneed in their sentiments-except
these and few Others not so conspicuous,
the whole array of Southern talent, led by
Miles, Gartrell, Pugh (of Alabama), Boz
cooke, Garnett, Smith, Pryor, Crawford,
Curry, Hindman, McRae, Barksdale, La
mar, Wright, and Keitt-nearly all, except
Pugh and Smith, young men-was thrown
in favor of precipitate 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
dsunion sentiments of their districts, cow
cred before this band of Southern talent and
the pressure brought to bear from their
homes-inspired by hopes ofindependence
The wives, daughters, and other female con-
nections of Southern members, were In the
galleries constantly, to cheer by their pres
ence and smiles the fervid efforts of these
secession orators. For impetuous debate
there was Lamar, of Mississippi, schol-
arly and defiant; for logical humor,
Governor McRae, of the same State, sue
cessor to General 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. fol
courteous and beautiful elocution, Alex
ander II. Boteler, of Harper's Ferry; fol
staggering bravado, toned with an elegant
i phraseology, there was the vain and clever
Keitt; for smooth and trenchant dialectics
there was Porcher Miles, of Charleston
who earned his place in Congress by his
care of the sick In the fever-stricken city
of Norfolk in 1866; for statesmanlike and
vigorousdebate, there was Branch, of North
Carolina; for broad wit and hearty blows,
\ there was Gilmer, of North Carolina; for
4 subtle ratiocination of the Calhoun pattern,
there was Pugh, of Alabama, who had all
i the pith, without the artistic polish, of his
colleague Curry; for offensive and vivacious
readiness, there was Hindman, who almost
alone of these leaders has been conspicuous
in the war. Branch, Ruffin, Keitt, Jenkins,
Barksdale, and Rust have had important
commands, and have all met that death OF
which they vaunted so much, rather than
submit to the Federal authority.,safe
In looking over this roll, cannot but re-
gret that SO much OF genius, enegry and
ruin and that of their States Among the
most eloquent of this remarkable bodyInot
1 thus misled, was Nelson, of Tennessee; the
| most eccentric and indomitable genius for
politics, was Emerson Etheridge; the clear
| estheads for political economy, inetaphysi-
| cal refinement, and historic Research, were
| William w. Boyce and John S. Millson.
I IF we 60 to the Republican, side of the
House, we find Corwin, of Ohio, incom-
parable for his fun, his pathos, and his soul
stirring eloquence;- Charles Francis Adams,
with no readiness as a speaker, but pro-
found thinker; Eli Thayer, as practical
as steam engine, but with all his
vast motive power occasionally getting out
of order; Morrill,, of Vermont, whose skill
In tariff calculations never tagged during
4 the excitements of the war; Roscoei Conk-
ling, with rare gifts Of ready and pure elo-
| cution; John Hickman ofo Pennsylvania,
\ straiphtforward and fashiri2! with n schol-