National Republican., 1876-06-28
OUR NEXT PRESIDENT.
An Excellent Sketch Of Rutherford B. Hay ss.
A correspondent writing from Columbus, Ohio,

great and general desire for information as to his
personal traits and history. Fortunately, 1t 50
happens that this desire may be readily gratihed,
for General Hayes has been not less fortunate In |
his private relations than in his public career, and
the more intimate the acquaintance the people
have with him the more popular he is likely to
become. An outline of his family history has
already been correctly given in the Tfmes, and |
need not now berepeated. His ancestry on his
fathers side were Scotch, and on his mothers
Franco English. 'sThe name Of Hayes" runs an |
old and fanciful tradition, "began by yalor. The
Scotch, being at war, were retreating before an |
enemy near where the head Of the ancient family |
of hayes was at work with his sons in n field. He
said to his sons:
PULL YOUR FLOW AND HARROW TO PIECES AND |
..r FIGHT ...r. . 40 =. |
They engaged and beat their foes The King, |
passing by, observed what had been done. and |
said 10 his defender: Your name shall be Hayes.
He then gave him q large tract Of land for his |
yalor. Therefore, the coat-ofarms for Hayes |
should be pl0w and harrow and battle |
field" .r..-s
George Hayes, "a son Of the ancestor above |
mentioned, emigrated to Derbyshire, in England, |
and afterward to America, where he married and |
had three children born to him. His wife and |
children all died, and marrying again, this time
Abigail pibol, OF Long Island, he settled at
nSsS oG5p hs fmS sSO1s me Haven
father Of the present Governor Of Ohio, was de-
scendant He wasa native Of Windham county, |
VT, and emigrated to Ohio in lsl7. He was
man of ycellent temper, and of moderate though
comfortable circumstances, and was greatly es-
The mother Of Gov. Hayes was Sophia Birch
ard, descended from Huguenot French family,
which took refuge In England and intermarried
there. Her ancestor John Birchard, came over
from England in. 1855, and settled at Norwich,
Conn. Her father, Roger Blrchard, was native
VT. where Sophia Blrchard was born. Both her
grandfathers we're Revolutionary soldiers, one Of
them, Capt. Daniel Austin, serVingas
AN oyFrcER UNDER WASHINGTON
throughout the war. Her other grandfather,
Elias Brchard. died near the close Of the war Of
disease contracted in the service. Her brother,
Sardis B;rehard, uncle OF Gov: Hayes, settled in
leaving large estate. He was publIc-spiriJed
citizen, very liberal in contributions for public
and benevolent enterprises, and greatly beloved
in the community in which he lived. In politics
he vas an ardent Whg and Republican, and he
was enc of the original purchasers OF United
in 1852. Among his intimate friends was Hon. NJ.
r. Waite, present Chief Justice of the United
States, and Of the last acts of his life was to
dictate letter congratulating Mr.. Waite upon
his appointment to that position Gov Hayes was ni
The father Of the Governor died before his son
was born, and Mr.. Birchard, therefore, directed
the education of young Hayes, and had much to
do with the formation Of his character. His
mother was n most valuable counselor, all ac
counts agreeing that she was lady OF extremely
dence of her son-in-law, MIR. VIM A. Platt, OF this
city. She was member of the Presbyterian
education at Kenyon College. an Episcopalian in
stitutiOn at Gambler, Ohio. He graduated there
in 1872 with the hrst honors OF his class OF which
he WAS the youngest member. Among his asso-
ciates in college eere Hon. Stanley Matthews, OF
Cincinnati, now one Of the most eminent lawyers
in Ohio, and Hon. David Davis, Of Illinois, now
of the Associate Justices of the United States
Supreme Court. Young Hayes was greatly es-
teeIned among his sehcol-felloTs for his unassum-
ing,
GENIAL MANNERS,
his mnnlness and his sturdy common Sense. On
one occasion several of the students undertook to
revolt against college discipline, and some Of
part in the outbreak. He firmly refused to be
party to II, though his pride was strongly ap-
TO- BY Ss
to him for this friendly service TO resist the boy
fish madness Of the moment and obey the rules Of
Upon graduating young Hayes received the
usual college degree, and tho institution has since
conferred upon him the title Of LII h,ii;N D. Having
settled at Fremont, Ohio, where he formed part
nership with Gen. Buckland, a prominent ofieer
Congress from this State 1t was not long how
ever, before he was induced by the advice Of
friends whom he consulted to rem9se We 70 Ginein-
count. Here his professional character was
nodded by the contact Of such minds as that Of
Chase, Matthews Storer, Perry, Hosdley, Pugh,
Pendleton, Groesbeck, and many others who
were then prominent and have since become dis
tinguished
BOTH AS LAWYERS AND STATESMEN.
He rapidly acquired first-rate practice, and his
genial. winning manners made him a universal
favOrite, particularly with the young men, who
were soon bent upon making him their political
he lacks In what are called brilliant qualities,
but his reputation at this time was that Of being
cinnati bar. His style of eloq1enco was impas.
stoned and persuasive, and often drew immense
70 taS aS o S being too
showy than lacking in the qualities that dsEzie
and captiyate. J.
His career in the army began with the war and
ended with t. He enlisted originally as private
soldier, and was appointed major of the 23d Ohio
nina tC scse6t tSat postinn Had he BEEN in
search OF military honors ho could Just as well
have been colonel of his regiment as major; but,
some one who had experience should be appointed
| to that position. Accordingly 1t was given to
S9iOneI, aIieFmaIds MaoI Seaera hTseerhIS. ~ hit
General Hayes mostly served, was comparatively
an unpropitious one for military distinction. Had
nc been assigned TO the Army Of the Potomac or
to that OF Sherman he would undoubtedly, had
his life been spared have risen TO the command Of
ginia the service was arduous but the grand oPe.
| rations Of the war were speedily transferred to
other quarters. The operations in West Virginia
were mostly exrediticnary, and included but few
conspicuous battles. General Hayes never met
the enemy anywhere that he did not distinguish
himself for his courage, skill and coolness, and
this was notably so in the battle of South Noun
| tain, where, with his arm broken by bullet he
fought at the head Of his regiment until, over
come by pain and loss Of blood, he was carried
from the field. But 1t was not until Sheridan's
campaigns in the valley, during the year 1854,
that he had an opportunity to show how much OF
\ soldier he was. His charge across the slough in
the battle OF Opequan was scarcely excelled during
| and the skill and intrepidity with which lie
handled his division at Fishers Hill and Cedar
Creek stamped him as q man Of real military
m rnPu IA
been 80 regarded, and was considered by them one
| Of the finest officers in the volunteer service.
As political leader Governor Hayes has few
superiors. 1t has been said of him.by an opposI-
tion journal that "a better tactIcian never ied
successes he has achieved yindicate the assertion
In each of his three different canyasses for the
GOyeTnOrship Of Ohio none but the highest ability
and prudence In management could have ssyed
his party from defeat. 1t has been often said,
and is stll prevailing belief that he is the only
man In Ohio who could have carried the State
against William Allen last year, and the asser-
tion is perhaps not very extrsTagant. \
II In his discussion @ Of public questions Governor
life that did not win votes 70 his party. He has
| that characterized Abraham Lincoln, and much
| the same, terse, clear and forcible method Of
r e neVer oy sIgeS en- rsa hf PSea
| and never listen to him but with unaffected ro-
spect lie carries with him the air of q man not
Prejudiced or bigoted, but perfectly sincere and
| honest in his convictions, and absolutely
| sweIying in what he believes to be right. His
| speeches always command attention, whether
| spoken or printed, and are always worthy Of 1t.
He never says anything that his friends are sorry
\ for or wish him to take back. His messages and
other State papers are almost eccentric In their
| breylty and pilhiness. He has the rare gilt of
saying what he wants TO In feu words, and the
still rarer one Of knowing what not to say. He
| wastes no time In skirmlshing around his sub
| lect, hut
| GRAPPLEs WITH 1T IN HIS VERY FIRST SENTENCE.
He is a good scholar, an industrious reader, and
| a man of large and varied information. He Is
especially fond OF pioneer matters, and probably
| no man in Ohio has such thorough knowledge Of
the antiquities and all that pertains to the carly
settlement and later history Of the State. His
knowledge Of public men Is very thorough, and
his personal recollectiOns, extending back TO the
| generation Of Webster, Clay and Corwin, are re-
| Plete with entertaining fact and anecdote. He
| was present at the death Of Corwin in Washing
ton, and has heard Webster In the Senate. He
is good talker tells a story well, and though he
never encourages anything coarse or boisterous,
| keenly enjoys q wholesome pleasantly. Though
| Of rather serious east OF mind, a man of more
haDpy temper never lived. No one probably ever