The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-02-02
The Changes of Ten Years in WASH
ingt0n.

It IS we'll now and then to turn
back to the shattered landmarks of
the past and take note of the ravages
of Times relentless seytle. a full
decade has written itsfecorls since
have been more than the casual
and hasty visitor in Washington
For its whirl Of fashion, its struggle
of ambition, its superficial, fleeting
hoaors, and its unsatisfying, unreal,
and often fatal fruition of brightest
hopes, | have never had inclination.
When war came: when fathers were
smitten; when mothers were widow
ed and bereaved; when children were
orphaned with helplessness added to
sorrow, duty to others, which was
then duty to country, made me IA
miliar with the inner sanctuaries Of
power and brought me regretfully
close to the idols we wofshipped.-
There were faces and forms visible
everywhere in the Capital City then
which were familiar to all. The sad
countenance of Lincoln was unveiled
to the people, and his ungraceful
gait was recognized on tile street as
he hurried to and from the army
headquarters, the War and the Navy
and the State Departments, uncon-
scious Of the gaze that followed him.
The nervous step of the great War
Minister might then be seen as he
sought the connsels of his chief, Or
sent holiday soldier to the front by
q wave of the hand or q toss Of the
head. He fashioned armies as if by
magic, and hurled them upon each
other to reap in the terrible harvest
Of death. It was life for country,
and he paused not in the sacrifice
until rebellious armies persisted.
The polished grace and stately form
Of Chase, with his genial, intellectu-
al sunshine and unsel1sh patriotism,
ruled among the money-changers,
and taught them that national honor
and credit are the first attributes Of
national life. Stevens, 'grand,
gloomy and peculiar" fearless to a
fault, able above all his fellows, and
always faithful, even though not al
ways faithful, even though not al
ways wise, WIS the Commoner Of the
Republic-the one position that was
never attained unearned. Wilson,
sensible, practical and safe rather
than profound, wise counselor in
the new issues for which the states
inanship of the world furnished no
preeedents, was the leader who calm
ed the conflicts of passion and ambi-
ton, and recalled men to fidelity
Seward, the brilliant, plodding, hope
full dreamer, whose visions vanished
4 only to nerve him for the long and
bloody conflict, was the ,diplomatist
of his age, and mastered the scienced
schools of statecraft of the civilized
/ world. These, with scores Of others
upon whom the Nation had leaned
, in its sorest trials, have almos,
ceased to be missed in this ever
changing panorama of politica
greatness.
/ looked down upon the Senate to
: day, and was startled as | turned
81 from chair to chair only to NEE
r with strange faces. But / had for
. gotten that since the coming Of thos
5 men in 1861, well-nigh half a genera
e tion had passed from earth, and til
1 sands Of the glass run as ceaselessl
+ in high places as among the lowl
1 and unknown. OF all the men VIII
0 will be remembered as Of those VIII
e builded wiser than they knew for tn
j, disenthrallment of popular govern
J. ment, but few remain, and they al
d bowed and furrowed by the waste (
e years. Hamlin is still in his plac
y but when I.recall that twenty .yeal
h have FASTENED by since, in the Of
It Senate Chamber of Clay and Wei
Y ster and Calhoun and Buchanan al
r. Benton, he proclaimed the resolutie
l. Of his State to the coming puprer
n acy, it is not strange that his eye
IS dimmed and his step unstead
d Cameron answers Senate roll-call
E, he did a third of century ago, b
IS he approaches his four score yea
st with visible sunset shadows gathe
Ie ing about him. Anthonyis yet her
) but withered by the frosts Of mar
% winters, and Sherman, younger tn:
h his fellow-yeterans, has lost the fl
and elasticity of his brilliant leadc
ship in the House two decades ag