Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-10-23
Horace Greeley's FellOw-Members of
Congress i'm 1883.

Robert 4. winthrop, OF MaSsachu
sets, was the speaker gentleman
acknowledged ability, rare culture, i'm
posing presence. Few men have occu-
pied the presiding chair of the bolster
Gus House with greater dignity OF
greater credit. Abraham Lincoln was a
member, and specially friendly with
Mr.. Greeley. "Mr. Lincoln seemed, I"
said Mr.. Greeley, ga quiet, good ma
tured man, did not aspire to leadership,
and seldom claimed the floor. 1 think
he made but one set speech during that
session, and this speech was by no
means long one. Though a strong
partisan, he voted against the bulk of
his party once or twice, when that
course was dictated by his convictions.
He was one of the most moderate,
though firm, opponents of slavery ex-
tension, and notably of a buoyant.
cheerful spirit. 1t will surprise some
to hear that, though was often in his
company thenceforward till his death,
and long on terms of friendly intimacy
with him, [ never heard him tell an an
ecdote or story"
Mr.. Greeley was appointed member
of the Committee ON Public Lands,
of which the Hon. Jacob Collamer, of
Vermont, was Chairman. Mr.. Collamer
was then as ever, fully entitled to " the
grand old name of gentleman"
Joshua r. Giddings, of Ohio, since
the then recent death of John Quincy
Adams, was the most noted champion
of anti-slavery in the House; and anti
slavery had not yet begun to be popu-
lar. Mr.. Giddings was an agitator,
and he long appeared to the public
quite generally opposed to the agita-
ton of the subject of slavery, as an ex-
ceedingly unamiable and rather disrep-
utable character. On the contrary, he
was person of an unusually large and
warm heart, and of refined feelings. He
and Mr.. Greeley were great friends
from the beginning.
Robert G. Schenck, here referred to,
since celebrated as General andidiplo-
matist, was at this time in the prime of
his manhood. He had robust frame,
powerful voice, and magnificent pluck
He was an orator of great powers of
persuasion, and one of the keenest, most
brilliant disputants of the House in a
running debate.
If Mr.. Schenck were an admirable
specimen of Western vigor, dash, and
parliamentary ability, taking captive
Mr.. Greeley's hearty admiration, he
found in the captivating gentlemanliness
of Massachusetts, qualities which won
his devoted friendship no less effec-
lively. AS Congress was then consti-
tuted, and as it still is constituted
mores the pity,-Horace Mann was
there out of his element.
Among the members of the opposi-
ton, Andrew johnson, of Tennessee,
afterward President of the United
States, became as we'll known as any
other to Mr.. Greeley. Mr.. johnson, at
this time had not won wide distinction I;
but he was recognized in the House as
a man of strong mind and strong will,
and none who knew him then, or ever
afterward, doubted his manly and un-
purchasable personal integrity.
George Ashmun, of Massachusetts,,
was then among New England's most
eminent representatives. He presided
over the convention which, twelve years
afterward, nominated Abraham Lin
coin for the Presidency. A more admir-
able, efficient presiding officer but few
deliberative bodies have ever been for
tunate enough to select. Here, too, as
we have already seen, was John Went
worth, of Illinois, then of the Demo
cratic party. Gigantic in form, he was
universally called "Long john" and
retains the designation to this day. A
skillful debater, an able parliamenta-
rian, he was better liked by Mr.. Gree
ley than any other one of the opposi-
ton. Here, also, Mr. Greeley daily
met Howell Cobb, of Georgia, Jacob
Thompson, of Mississippi, Alexander
III. Stevens, ofGeorgia, Robert Toombs,
of the same State-noted Southeners
then, more noted afterward as leaders
in the war of the rebellion against the
Union. Richard w. Thompson, of
Indiana, and George w. Jones, of Ten
nessee, impressed Mr.. Greeley as among
the most effective speakers of the
House. He thought John S. Pendle-
ton, of Virginia, a splendid specimen
of the Southern gentleman, but no finer
than Abraham w. Venable, of North
Carolina. Mr.. r. Barnwell Rhett was
a member of the House, but already
too much of "fire-eater to be re-
ceived with marked attention by the
editor of the 7rib une. He greatly
liked Green Adams, of Kentucky,
John M. Bolts, of Virginia, both of
whom became somewhat celebrated in
politics, the latter having already, in
deed, nationa, reputation. James
Dixon and Truman Smith were In the
House from Connecticut, both after
ward many years in the Senate. OF
his own colleagues, Washington Hunt
and Frederick A. Tallmadge, were the
most OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Life
and Times Of Horace Greeley.