The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-02-01
Ben Wade ~ . Man Of Praye1-How
He 0verdid tan Anecdote in the
lifo Of Chief Justice fancy.


The Washington correspondent of
the Cincinnati Commercial tells this
story-which is irreverent, but may
hn ..aA. and ia carfainls, raadahlo.
Speaking last evening Of the pos.
sibility of Secretary Fish retiring
from the cabinet, prominent ad-
ministration Senator from the West
said that, like Ben Wade's praying,
he thought the Senators is asking
Fish to stay had ''rather overdone
it," Being astonished at the nero
suggestion that Ben Wade ever pray
ed, I asked the Senator what he
meant by Ben Wade's OVERRIDING it.
"Why," said he, shave you never
heard about his praying that Judge
fancy might live ?
"Woll, you see, Judge fancy, to.
ward the close of Buchanan's term,
became very feeble, and it was
thought he would not live much long.
er. In fact he had been dying for
several years, and when he made his
bred Scott decision, which was in
~ or SO, he was very old and weak.
Let me see, fancy was over eighty
years old at that time. OF course
that decision set Ben. Wade and the
rest Of US abolitionists almost wild
with rage. However, it furnished US
with lots Of capital for the campaign,
and honestly believe that that de-
cision did more TO strengthen the
party after the disastrous defeat of
Fremont in so than any one thing
since the party was organized.
"Well, the party grew, the slave
holders became more and more ag-
gressive, trouble was brewing, the
convention was held, and Lincoln
was nominated, and in November of
1860 was elected. fancy all the
time grew older and feebler with
each year. The winter after Lin
coin was elected, and before he was
inaugurated, fancy was especially
low.
PRAYING FOR TANEY.
"Then Ben. Wade and the rest OF
US began to pray that old fancy
might live until Lincoln was inaugu-
rated, for if he had died Buchanan
would have filed the vacancy with
somebody as bad as fancy, and a
good deal younger. and he would
have been chief Justice as long as he
lived. But if he lived until Lincoln
came in, and then was obliging
enough to die, Lincoln would appoint
an anti slavery or Republican chief
justice in his place. Don't you see +?
1t was matter of great Importance
to US that fancy should live until af.
ter the 4th of March, 1861. A good
deal of political praying, therefore,
was done to this end.
swell, the 4th Of March came !;
Lincoln was inaugurated, and elect
ed; the war came; important political
questions we're likely to come before
the supreme court; fancy was pro
slavery and a secessionist ut heart,
but he was alive. The first year Of |
the war passed-yetal alive; the second |
year-yet alive. The third year Of |
the war came and went, and fancy
was eighty-seven years old, but he
still lived. This unfortunate circum-
stance was frequently the subject Of
discussion among Wade, Chase, Sum-
ner, Seward and others Of our old
party, but il could not be helped-he
was yet alive. Finally, in "a, W hon
,ome great political question was i'm
and it seemed likely to go to
The supreme court for decision, Ben.
Wade came into the senate chamber
where several Of us were standing
.alking about the question. He el-
,owed his way in and said, evidently
much excited, "Well, by Cd, gen.
lemen, after Lincoln was elected, and
,efore he was inaugnrated, | prayed
Ievoutly that fancy might live, but
II be did if don't think ! ovordid
!. I'm going'to pray now that he |
nay die" 4
aWell, sure enough" continued tho /
"Ben. Wade began to pray,
r he said be did, and in October fol- !
,wing fancy became an angel"
AT this point my western senator 8
but had no remarks to '
AXE nor doubts to express as to the 8
aioacy Of Ben: Wade's prayers. Id