New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-28

MT. OAoyg IoilOW00, commencing upon
his speech in frank, but friendly spirit, TO
which Mr.. Wade took no exception. The
speeches were supposed to be printed In
the Congressional Globe. as they had been
delivered in the Senate. They were no tor
anything that Mr.. Wade know. ~ no never
took any pains to prepare his speeches for
publication, or even to revise them when
published. That work he intrusted en-.
tirely to the fidelity of the reporter.
A few days afterward, however, Mr..
Dodge came to him and said, Have you
seen Clayton's reply to your speech on the
homestead bill, as printed in the Globe!
You ought to take notice OF it, rs he has
ascribed sentiments to you which am
sure you never had, and he has put into
yonr mouth language you never uttered"
On looking at the Globe, this representa-
ton was found to DO true, and MIR. Wade
lost no time in calling to it the atten-
ton of the Senate and the public. He
was willing to suppose that the Senator
from Delaware had. through mistake
or inadvertance attributed to him op,n
offensive to his constituents and the cOun-
try. He had satisfied himself that the re-
porter of the Senate had faithfully trans
cribed his language, and he could not &C.
count for the course which the Senator from
Delaware had pursued. 7
Mr.. Clayton interrupted with the re.
mark, accompanied by malicious glance:
when the Senator is through will give
my version of the matter" Mr.. Wade
concluded by saving: ut is, therefore, a
mistake, or something wOrsew Mr.. Clay
Justifying strain. in which he bore down
severely on Mr.. Wade, and took his seat,
leaving the decided impression on every
inind that he had made no mistake, and
that his review Of the speech Of the Sen
ator from Ohio was exactly right. Then
the indignant Ohioan, rising to his full
height with manner of deliberate and
tremendous force, looking Clayton steadily
in the face, declared, '.YOu. sir, sneaked,
into your office and wrote what you knew
to be false!"
This was the signal for the Intervention
OF the presiding officer, and the matter was
at once dropped in the Chamber.
but, OF course, it was anticipated that Mr..
Clayton, as a Southern man, would not let
the matter rest That evening Senator
Pratt, of Mary land, acting as the friend of
Mr.. Clayton, called on Mr.. Wade at his
lodgings to inquire on behalf Of the Senator
from Delaware if Mr.. Wade "was fighting
man-if he recognized the CODE"
r. Free from the restraint Of parliamentary
rules, and from the decorum of the Senate,
Mr.. Wade replied: go tell the damned
scOundrel that if he is tired of life, and
wants TO know my views of dueling, he
can tind out by sending the communication
in the usual fOrm!'
Senator Pratt demonstrated upon the
severity of this reply, and tried to have
him soften it. II do not ask you to act IN
the matter" said Mr.. Wade, "but if you
tell him ANYTHING you will give him my
answer unmodi6ed!" t''
The following morning they met and Mr..
W ade was the first to speak. "Well, Sem
ator, what nexts' "Nothing, nothing at
all, said Senator Pratt, she's damned old
cowardl'" .--
here was no further intercourse between
Messrs. Clayton and Wade for the remain
der of the Senatorial term. When within a
few days OF its close, and Mr.. Clayton was
to retire to private life, he one day came to
Senator Wade, his eyes filled with tears, and
his voice trembling with emotion, and said,
Senator, that affair which has SO long in
terruPted our friendship, has cost me more
trouble of mind than almost any other of
nv whole life i feel that have done YOU
injustice, and that ought to rectify it here
IN the Senate before leave it forever.
Will do so IN any way that you may
suggest And the brave heart, SO quick /
TO yindicate his wounded honor, imme-
liately melted with kindness NO"
said he. 'Mr. Clayton; it would have
yratified me in the day OF it. but it has long |
gone by; the circumstance is forgotten. To |
'eyive it now will only open to the public
IN old wound which they think nothing of. |
It will be uphill business to do it now. Let |
t rest in oblivion, where we have consigned |
~ They grasped hands. and tears fell |
Town. Such. was the magnanmity which |
covered the fault Of a fellow-man.
These qualities of mind and heart made |
lim respected even by his most violent poll
zeal opponents in the Senate far more than
many Northern doughface, whose subser-
'iency they both employed and despised
utter these things they were really better
riends than if he had truckled to their die
alton, or failed to show that he would
rock no isolence and would hold no malice
n truth it became quite customary for
entleman from the South to pay him
ublic compliments, and the matter went
0 far that one day when Senator Mason
ad been saying some very nice things of
i'm. be, with some pleasantly. repealed the
raise, responding to the Senator from
'irginia: "Sir, if You do not stop saying
1ese things of me it Will injure me at home"
1t became quite the habit with some
outhern memEers of Congress, about those
avs, to show their independence Of North
m markets and manufactures by wearing
hat they called homemade clothing. In
lis matter Senator Mason was quite con-
'icuous. He appeared one day 10 the Sen
Re chamber clad from top to toe in gen
me suit OF Virginia gray. Wade accosted
IN. well, Senator you are we'll dressed |
day at the same time inspecting the
'stume somewhat closely. Yes said
ason, 81 mean to do justice by the South, |
I'd by my own State in particular. We
i'll show that we are not dependent upon
Q North for shred OF anything !"
'ade, looking full of mischief, stepped
} closer and, taking hold of a button
MasOn's coat, cried out: "Oh yes, of
urse you will do that; in what part of
9 South did you obtain cheese buttons"
ley were. in fact, Connecticut buttons, |;
d Mason's face fell at once, as he growled :
t, well, l swear, nobody but Yankee
,uld have found that ont
Senator Evans, a bigoted Episcopalian, ]
South Carolina, once came il to the !
nate chamber, and taking his seat, lifted =
a copy of the Ani .Stuvery Standard, |
itch some one had placed there in his y
sence, and then turning to Mr.. Wade, =
10 was standing by, observed, "Who :
lld have put this vile thing on my desk" !
Ihy,' said Mr.. Wade, sit is a most ex-
lent family paper, Mr.. Evans Ugh" =
ed Evans, Il would no sooner touch it :
in would touch a toad!v At this Wade =
ghed heartily, and left the old gentle !.
u in bis tribulation. t-
IN another occasion, at the very close of 2
session, Mr.. Evans was in great trouble |,
'ut some bill, Of no general Importance, | h
in which quite a number of his constit- o
It's were particularly Interested. He had &
N trying all winter to get it passed; but | ST
wv hours remained, and his anxiety was If
ensitied. 1t was late at night; Senator I,
,t, OF Vermont, was noddng in the chair. IN
2 Senate had been in continuous ses- n
1 for two days and nights. Probably G.
quorum would have been found 4
sent if there had been call of the m
Use. Some were absent, some sleeping, al
10 in the ante rooms eating, some drink M
i, some smoking; only few who could m
the floor were attending to business r
lis 1isfreaa he CHANGED To seq Senator | -