Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-04-29
Rem Wade of Ohio.
IFrom an Article BY Sam. WiIkeson in the I
dependent.l

IFrom an Article BY Sam. WiIkeson in the In |
dependentl
Massachusetts, gave this man birth,
IN the year 1900. Hewas the youngest
of ten children. His father was sol
dier. who fought in every revolution
ary battle from Bunker Hill to York
town. His mother was the daughter
of q Presbyterian clergyman, a woman
Of vigorous intellect and great force of
character. She fed and clothed her
brood while the father was in the army
The family was one of the poorest in
New England. A portion of its scanty
property was library of twelve books.
This eventually became Benjamin's
possession. Tie read the volumes
through and through, and over and
over, after his mother had led him so
far into an education as to teach him
to read and write. When Ben. was
eighteen, he tearfully turned his back
on the old plough and the old home
stead, and, with seven dollars in his
pocket and bundle of clothing on his
back, he started to walk from Spring
field, Mass, to Illinois, to seek his for
tune. He footed it to Ashtabula coun-
ty, Ohio. There, the snow falling, he
determined to wait for spring to finish
his journey; hired himself out to cut
wood in the forest at so cents per ccrd,
and snatched hours from sleep at night
to read the Bible by the light of the
FIRE on the hearth of the log-cabin.-
Both the old and the New Testaments
are at his tongues end. Spring came,
but the journey to Illinois and fortune
was suspended by a summer work at
chopping, logging, and grubbing, fol-
lowed by a Yankee winter at school
teaching. The journey was suspended
by a second year of such work, and was
finally lost in an experience Of driving
a herd of cattle. Wade led the ''lead"
steer of drove from Ohio to New York.
Six times he made this trip. The last
OK he led took him to Albany. Twas
winter. OF course, the droYer there
expanded into school-teacher. When
the frost was out of the ground, scholars
and teacher went to manual labor
The Erie Canal got the teacher. During
the summer of 1926 Wade shoveled and
wheeled. "The only American KNOW"
said Gov. Seward, in speech in the
Senate, "who worked with spade and
wheelbarrow on that great improve
ment" Another winter of school
teaching in OHIO. and the persuasions
of Elisha Whittlesey, and the friendly
offer of tavern keeper, who had got
to loving Wade, to trust him bed and
board without limit, drew Ben, at the
age of twenty-six, into law Office to
-, r.. II y, !
two years. He waited another year
for his first suit. He won that, and in
winning it won the sympathy and faith
of the lawyers of the district by his
zeal and hard work for his client. The
mans hand was on success moth
ing but death could detach it. Juries
in northern Ohio, got to be his way of
thinking, and there was a growing
coincidence between Wade's arguments
and the judgments Of courts. He be-
gan to be a man of property, and a part
of his estate was the opinion that pre-
vailed all over the western Reserve that
he was an honest, just, benevolent,
brave, and wise man. That of his
estate in Ohio has been accumulating
at compound interest. 1t is very big
now.
Soon after taking his seat fire eating
SoutherneI in debate, grossly assailed a
Free State Senator. As no allusion was
made to himself or his State, Wade sat
still, but, when the Senate adjourned,
he said openly if ever a Southern Sena-
tor made such an attack on him or Ohio,
while he sat on that floor, he would
L II
the ears of the Southern men, Sena-
tor took occasion to pointedly speak, a
few days afterward, of Ohio and her
people as negro thieves. Instantly Mr..
Wade sprang to his feet aud pronoun-
ced the Senator liar. The Southern
Senators were astounded, and gathered
around their champion, while the
Northern men grouped about Wade
A feeler was put out from the Southern
side looking to retraction, but Mr.
Wade retorted in his peculiar style, and
demand an apology FOR the insult offer
ed himself and the people he repre-
sented. The matter thus closed, and
a fight was looked upon as certain
The next day a gentleman called on
the Senator from Ohio, and asked the
usual question touching his acknowl-
edgment of the code.
81 am here" he responded, sin a
double capacity. 1 represent the State
of Ohio, and 1 represent Ben Wade
As Senator, | am opposed to dueling.
AS Ben Wade, recognize the CODE"
my friend feels aggrieyed," said the
gentleman, sat what you said in the
Senate yesterday, and will ask for an
apology or satisfaction"
81 was somewhat embarrassed" con-
tinued Senator Wade, "by my position
yesterday, as l have some respect for
the Chamber. | now take this oppor-
tunity to say what l then thought and !
you willif you please, repeat it. Your
friend is a foul-mouthed old black
guard"
Certainly, Senator Wade, you do
not wish me to convey such a message
as thatp
"Most undoubtedly l do; and will
tell you, for your own benefit, this friend |
of yours will never notice it. ! will /
not be asked for either rretraction, ,expls-
nation, or a fight"
Next morning Mr.. Wade came into |
the Senate, and proceeded to his seat, |
deliberately drew from under his coat
two large pistols, and unlocking his
desk, laid them inside. The Southern |
men looked on in silence, while the
Northern members enjoyed the fire
eaters surprise at the proceeding Of
the plucly Ohio Senator. No further
notice was taken of the affair the day
before. Wade was not challenged; but
ever afteTward was treated with polite
ness and consideration by the Senator
who had insultingiy attacked him.
The Bankrupt Law and Who
May Take Advantage of IL.