New-York tribune., 1870-04-09
ANS0N BURLINGAME.

| TRIBUTE TO HIS MEMORY BY vICE-PREsIDENT
| COLFAX.
| Vice President Colfax contributes to Tie
Independent this week article the life and charac
ter OF his friend, the Anson Burlingame After
ferring TO the significance OF the selection Of Amer
to be ambassador from four hundred millions Of
people to the rest Of mankind" Mr. Colfax describes
his first meeting with Mr. Burlngame and recites some
OF the incidents Of the XXXIvth Congress:
| first met Anson Burlingame at Washington, in No
vember, 1855 We had both been elected To our first
terms In Congress-; there was but few months diner
the great issue just then assuming such large proper
Itwas the opening Of the XXXiVth Congress, which,
after nine weeks struggle the Speakership said TO
the Slave Power, for the frat time in our history,
| "CHECK"
The inner history OF that prolonged struggle has never
! been written. nor shall attempt to write It, But
| it will surprise many who were then members
| Of the House when state that during it's
| from different parts OF the Union, without any
special appointment commission except their love for
the cause met privately at each otuers rooms every
other night to compare notes as TO tho varying aspects
danger OF break in the column OF Io which bad been
concentrated Banks 0or break would have surely
preserve and maintain that united action necessary
the final success which this unity at last achieved OF
With him were Ehu T. wa,hbuTne Of Illinois now Minis
ter to France; benjamin stanton OF Ohio NOW Of West
Israel Washhurne jr Of Maine, now U s Collector
MORGAN Of Aurora, n " and think C. C. Washbnrne Of
Wisconsin My recollection is that at more or less of
these private consultation meetings Justin 5. Morrill,
Vermont. Uuited states Senator Aaron II. Crsgn,
United States Senator, and Mason W. Iappan OF n.
an @ treasurer Of the United States, we're PRESENT
But the conception Of tho plan was due 10 Bur ingame
ncessant and persistent There was too, vital
necessity for these abors, which the contest, as it
progressed developed. The l07 were composed Of men
Of all shades OF opinions. There were among them
AS as Demoea 6aSg 1sa With
principles, like Timothy G. Day Of Ohio, and
erac than "anii-sayeTy; and wings" whose hearts
with the old party. then passing away, than
the party, just rising up TO more than nil s
place. often some InemIer wearicd with the length Of
the struggle, not heartily accord with It, would de-
and vote some else. But the rext day, when he
entered the hall he would show TO bis associates tee-
grams from his leading friends at hOe adjuring him 10
"stick TO Banks" and the threatened danger was
timely appeal made by aborous Committee through
the graph to distant constituencies who watched
and conspicuous among those whose selfassured abos
proved SO effective was Anson BurlrnGame.
TIE PROPOSED DUEL WITH BROOKS.
OF his dneling episode with Preston Brooks the
whole country thoroughly informed that need but
barely aude il. He told that he expected that
New.Engand hostility this relic OF barbarism" might
drive him private life but he thought that there
70 sacrtice his Iife or his prospects suryivcdJ
earlessy meet those who regarded as the only test or
aim from his early training in the forests of the West,
aud his senatorial friend whom Brooks had so
brutay treated. he risked all by accepting tho proered
challenge TO a encounter, which fortunately did
not result In bloOdshed or death.
MR.. BURLINGAMEs DIPLOMATIC LIfE.
Defeated for Congress 1860 President Lincoln ap-
pointed him Minister Austria. But this not to be
his destiny That empire taking umbrage at speech Of
his favor Of Italian nationality, his appointment was
changedto his disappointment at the tmeGto the re-
attained there among his diplomatic colleagues welded
for the trnc interests OF Chna the steps OF pro-
gress he urged upon the digDaries Of that ancient
people, Development. improvements and adoption OF
markabe adoption to diplomatic duties, evidently n-
pressed them powerfully And when he announced TO
they surprised him with the proler OF mission from
their nation not TO America only, but To all CHRIST
epdon Hestang for some time as to It's acceptance,
he finally yielded, aud started ont that
which will be SO long remembered in history
shall never forget the scene when met again, In
our 1t in the early Summer OF 1868 IL was
moasly the Representatives of the American people had
rendered public reception and welcome TO the Chinese
sergeantatArms as they entered the main door, an.
nounced Their presence. The thousands in the crowded
galleries. and the Senators and Representatives, upon tho
floor rose 70 their feet And down the aisle Of that Hail.
which had often rung with tho eoqueRSe Of tne e ,
his Chinese colleagues escorted by Robert C. schenck
Brooks Of New-Yors'
Converslng with him often while he remained at Wash.
ington gave evening personal experience OF
his resulting from his novel aud unprecedented position
has 1sen as before he m the
Of ASIA he saw q newspaper which bitterly denounced
charged to lucrative appointment from foreign
In e wess d n s 0nS s
bsforS he they
| tunes. almost uncomfortable Us 1t not possible" he
acceptance Of this foreign trust as selling out OF my
sentine to take it, in the interest of civilization
| humanity progress, and international goed,wiA But
he knew too, how harshy and uniustly public men are
sometimes Judged aud he told me, when the steamer
sailed up 10 tho wharf Francisco ho was in state
Of feverish excitement The wharf was densey crowded
wondered II II possible that, inhamed by hostile
criticism. they had come there to jeer and insult MIN
had swung round its place was porter or baggage
| man. who. Of course, did not know him. Buriingame
asked him, coolly as possible, what all this crowd
meant. why" answered the man, the whole city Is
here welcome the new Chinese Minister ana he ely
was over and he told me his heart never throDDeu sh
| ccrer Thank God!"
lie went from triumph TO triumph, with uD.
broken succcs The circuit Of the globe completed. he
stood AZ last before the Russian Czar whose possessions
,tended 10 the realm for which his last treaty with this
powerfu neghbor Of China was to be made lie felt that
hs work was on the eve OF accomplishment aud his eye
and heart turned toward that home. In one OF the most
haniifnI valleys Of California. where he expected to
spend the remainder of his life. Welcomed 50 coraaiY
aud fclicously by the Emperor OF az ,no h uSSaa ~ n
citizen he that his success thero Wouu crown
his abors with brilliant eulnnaiion' pus :. was nos 70
hr Never again was he 70 stand In our Chpol' never
again look joyousy at the flag he had always loved,
never again dwell In tho land go near anu uor 10 s
heart la the hour OF triumph, on tue very pnnhce vi
1"e the dread summons came. Tho cord, 80 long
stretched to Its utmost tension DIoke ,h hne p.,"iaa
mm in The incessant eYcements through which hc had
passed disappeared The mists Of death ammed ns
| hlshing eye. The bounding pulse was e''''' ""N
| truly, as was written OF another
From the top Of Pane, ladder he stepped 10 the 'iy
| --~
William +. Day, n well known lawyer. died