New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-05-09
q I'd q Il Ew Att II A L ERA:

roeatory Of wade's was the most effective
speech ever heard. in the Senate. Con-
found the man! it was ridiculous, and put so
comicaIy knew not what answer to make
him, and became ridiculous myself in not
being able to tell him what was going to do
about it," lE ;ss-ss FL
While the Lecompton bill was under dis
cussion Mr.. Toembs, of Georgia, referring to
the minority, of which Mr.. Wade was one,
said: The majority have rights and duties,
and I trust there is fidelity enough to them
selves and their principles and the country
in the majority to stand together at all haz-
ards, and crush the factious minority"
Instantly Mr.. Wade sprang to his feet and
shaking his fist at ToOmbs, roared out " Have
a care, sir; have care; you can't crush me
nor my people. You can never conquer us
we will die first may fall here in the Sem
ate chamber, but will never make any COM
promise with any such men. You may bring
a majority and outvote me, but so help me
God, / will neither compromise nor be
crushed. That's what have to say to your
threat"
A Southern Senator one day said roughly
to Wade, " If you don't stop your abolition
doctrines we will break up the Union; we
will secede, SIR" Wade held out his hand
and said comically: Goodbye, Senator, If
/ you are going now; pray you don't delay a
moment on my account"
Senator Evans, of South Carolina, very
grave and good old man, one day was exhibit
ing in the Senate chamber and speaking OF a
copy Of Garrison's Liber0tor, with its horrible
pictures of slavery. Turning to MIR. Wade,
who sat near him, he sad 'Is it not too bad
that such paper should be allowed to exist
Why will not the authorities of the United
States suppress such slanderOus sheet? Can
it be possible that any patriotic citizen OF the
North will tolerate such an abOminatiOn Pr
Senator Wade put on his spectacles, and look
ing at the title of the paper, exclaimed in sur
prise: = Why, Senator Evans, in Ohio we
consider this one of our best family papers ~
The Senators roared, but Mr.. Evans, who
had great respect for Mr.. Wade, turned sadly
away, saying: 81 am sorry to hear you say
so, Mr.. Wade; it shows whittier we are
drifting"
Notwithstanding Mr.. Wade's bitter oppOsi-
ton TO the slave power, the Southern men
always respected and liked him. Mr.. Toombs,
the Georgia Thereafter, said of him in the Sen
ate: My friend from Ohio puts the matter
squarely. He is always honest, outspOken,
and straightforward, and / wish to God the
rest of you were like him. He speaks out like
a man. He says what is the difference, and
it is. He means what he says-you don't al
ways. He and l can agree about everything
on earth, except our sable population"
Such was the opinion the fire-eaters enter
tanned of Mr.. Wade.
Senator Iverson, of Georgia, who prided
himself on being able to give answers in de-
bate on which no one could catch him, was
one day making a speech, when he stated
that he was exceedingly sorry Governor CAL
houn had written his letter giving the result
of the election in Kansas ION the advice of
Southern members of Congress-" when Mr..
Wade rose and inquired, Sir, would like
to know if you mean to say that Mr.. Calhoun
proposed to give his certificates Of election on
the advice of certain Southern members here,
or according to the truth of the vote, his con-
science and his oath. Your statement strikes
me as very extraordinary, and wish to know
if correctly understand YOU"
Mr.. IversOn. 81 do not recognize your
right to catechise me on the subject, and i
decline to answer YOU"
Mr.. Wade. ooh! well, won't press the
inquiry, as we all know who gave such adj
vice as you stated. / was wrong to ask you
that question. Don't compromise yourself
on my account"
Iverson explained, amid roars of laughter,
how it was.
1t used to be customary for slaves in
Washington to beg money from Northern
Congressman to buy their freedom. A poor
but smart-lOoking colored boy accosted Mr.
Wade while he was in conversation with a
promiscuous company of Northern and
southern Senators, and began to beg for
money to buy his freedom. :" 1 never give
money to buy slaves" said Mr.. Wade.
When, seeing the pleasant looks of the
Southern men, he turned to the boy and
asked, "Why the devil don't you run away?"
The Southerners glared at each other, and
the darkey started off with new idea in his
head, when Mr.. Wade called him back and
handing him ten-dOllar bill, said, Here is
ten dollars to pay your expenses now, run
away out of slavery, my boy, the first chance
you get"
Wade, on one occasion, replied to Toombs,
of Georgia, in the Senate, and, to all appear
ances, used language which would compel
Toombs to challenge him. Several friends
went to Wade and begged him to desist, but
the old fellow became more and more violent,
until TOOmbs indicated his intention of call
ing him out, when Wade quietly sat down,
seemingly having accomplished what he
sought. The Southern men looked at each
other in establishment, and it was manifest to
all Wade had deliberately provoked quarrel
with Toombs.
That night a friend of the Southern Senator
called on Mr.. Wade to know if he would re-
tract the offensive words he had used. mo,
l won't take back ID word" was Wade's
emphatic reply. ''Then," said the friend of
Mr.. Toombs, &c it will be necessary for Sena-
tor TOombs to challenge you to mortal COM
bat" "That is just what want, and we
might have got to the point without all this
palaver," said Wade.
"YOu surely can't be in earnest, Mr..
Wade," said the Southerner
"Why, of course l am, man. You see,
sir, we Northern men don't fight often, or
like to fight. Now, am opposed to the
code, and SO are my constituents, but you
fellows have broken Summers head, and we
must spunk up little Or you will break all
our heads. The shortest way to end the
matter is to kill off few of you, and have
picked on old Toombs as my man. He will
have to challenge; then, of course have the
choice of weapons, and I'll take my old rife,
and d--n me if don't bring him down at
the first crack!''
When ToOmbs heard of what Wade said,
he was nightly disturbed, and replied
"Well, l suppose will have to let it all GO
l can't challenge him; if do the old rascal
will kill me sure enough. 1t appears Wade
and Toombs had been out together shooting
with rife several times, and while Toombs
could shoot very well with pistol, he was
poor rifle shot. On the other hand, Wade
was an old hunterand an adept with The rifa