The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-03-18
The Retirement of Mr.. Wade.

y. IcD. ~ WefOn, Oh IGHnSyIVa-
MIA, might be awarded this honor if
'@o merely took The earliest date of
service. He entered the Senate in
1S45, while Sumner was elected in |
1851. He has therefore only served |
ten years in that body, having re-
signed to go into Mr.. Lincoln's Cabi-
net before the close of his second
term. Summer now enters upon his
fourth term, and if he should live till
its expiration he will have given
Massachusetts q quarter Of a century
Of Senatorial labor. &s Il
When the AAAiid Congress as
sembicd, on the 1st of December, 81,
five new Senators took the cath of
office--Mr. Fish, of New York, Mr..
Geysr Of Missouri, and Mr.. Wade, of
Ohio, as Wings; Mr.. James, of Rhode
Island, as Dem ocrat, and Mr., Sum
ner as Free Soiler. His name
stands out in odd looking capitals,
among those OF Salmon =. Chase aud
John p Hale, as the only three "Free-
Sellers on the list. Looking back
through the eighteen years that have
elapsed, il seems a poetic significance
that he should have been among the
Senatorial! pioneers of Republicanism.
1t was a distinguished Congress in
some respects. Henry Clay still rep
resented Kentucky, although death
had set its hand upon him. Douglas
was there from Illinois, young, fresh
and hopeful. Bayard sat in the seat
of his fathers. King represented
Alabama Hanlin, rccniotraut
Democrat, was ilnpatiently waiting
to break his chains. Cass and Sew
ard were Senator'S. In the House
were Stephens, and Toombs, and
Breckenridge, Andrew Johnson, from
Tennessee Thaddcus Stcrere, from
Pennsylvania, and Joshua r, Gid
dings, from Ohio. Tho parties were
singularly divided. There was the
great Wing party on the point Of dis
organization by reason OF its coward
ice on the !avery question; and the
great Democratic party, menaccd
with its Free Soil secession. Here
and there we had doubtful, timid
gentleman, who didn't know which
way to go, and who allowed himself
to be called "Unionist." A few such
men as Rhett, Hunter and Butler,
of South Carolina, boldly avowcd
their sympathies and treason, and
claimed to be States Rights men,"
Between Democracy and Whggery
there was nothing but truce. Their
names were scarce y useful as party
designations, The only Congress-
men really bold in the expression of
their convictions, and vino foresaw
the real question Of the future. were
the three men who called themselves
'Froe Soilers,' and the seven Sena
tors who foreshado rebellion by
their devotion to estates Rights"
Mr.. Wade came into the Senate
when he was passing the meridian OF
life. He has given his ripper years to
the countrj. he leaves it an old
man, upon the verge Of that "threc
score and ten by which the Psalmist
numbers The years Of man, He was
the representative Of the progressive
earnest radical sentiment of the
West, just as Summer is the type OF
the scholarly, philosophical and cul
tivatcd radicaIism of the East. He
was modern New England Puri
tan, strengthened and broadencd by
the rude experience of Western pio
neer life. a native CT Massachusetts,
like Mr.. Sumner he sought the West
when he came to manhood, and f ]
forty years he has been prominent
and dominant leader IN Ohio politics
He has that vigor Of character witt
which men love TO associote friendly
phrases implying strength and te
nacity. They call him "bold Ben
Wade!" and ''blutf Ben Wade!" ant
"honest old Benz seeing in him t.;
true descendant Of the men who O..
tablished New England, and Tough
for liberty in the early days of tn,
revolution, and brought to Massa
chusctts something OF the spirit o
Cromwell. When the treason o
President Johnson led our friends tt
feel that it might become necessary
to seek a successor by the process 0
impeachment, two Republican Sena
tors were deemed fitted for the Office
In calmer times we have little doub
that the Presidency of the Senat,
would have fallen upon Mr.. Fcsscn
den, of Maine; but the danger ahead
the necessity Of Il perfect assuranc,
Of tealty to extreme radicalism, GU
bitter experience with the rccrcan
Johnson, controlled the Judgment 0
a disappointed and troubled party
and led to the selection Of Wade
| This compliment shows the real valu,
of the man to the Republican party
lie will not be remembered us tn,
President OF the Senate. He wa
not Parliamentarlan, nor Il logician
not skilled in refining phrases ant
CONSUMING odd points Of law II,
was simply bold and bluff Ben
Wade from first to last GRAY,
Senators have sometimes been rest
less under his rude decisions, but the,
felt that if disaster came, and tn,
safety Of the Republican party shoe
rest upon him, as its President, h,
would be as true as the rocks OF hi
native Massachusetts.
And now that he goes from US, re
tlrcment mus be welcome to one o
his years and labors. We wish hin
peace and happiness, the rest tina
must be sweet after so much unrest
the love, confidence and the admira
ton Of his people. 1t will be many
years before we have truer Senator
than ''old Ben Wade" With char
actcrtic zeal he tells US that upor
leaving his position as Senator he viii
give his BEST efforts to accomplish the
ratification Of the Suffrage Amend
mcnt by Ohio. He can crown Life
of integrity and honor by 10 noble,
effort. Long may it be before il
comes to him to pass from his career
of noble and intrepid service to the
rewards of q higher and purcr life
N. y. Tribune
PISTOL ACCIDENT MAN SHOT AT A
SHow.-A singular accident occarred
at metropolitan Hall, last evening,
during Marines performance. Mr.
}. NJ. Morkley and Sampson Reel