The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-09-19
Old Joe Lane.

But the most notable objec. % inter
est Ne have gut Ia cur Western regions,
continued Brown of Oregon. his ey ,
cleaning with devotional FIRE. i old
General Joe Lane suppos.- there are
Thousands Of people III this country
iami!iar with hls name and recors. " ho
would swear he WAS dad and the
young politicians of the present ge1er-
alton mansge 10 get along wi,hou,
mentioning him =, all, which Is very
reuar rks bic. | sometimes think. consid
ering what conspicuous figure he was
IL American politics twenty years ago
Indisua idolized him NJ msn ever
received surh an ovation for services in
the field n joe Lane wht,, be returned
from MeIics ~ TIL clu-s oi the war.
and gave h- STATE ciisnc., ro carry
him on IL. shoulders fDr his CALAMITY -
Bueus Vista He came West in 1886
1852 was appointed Provisional Coz
-rnor If Oregon 10y Fillmore. then was
IN the Senate, and had just finished his
term when the Charleston Convention
recognized his radical pro-sl.very opiu-
ions by placing him on the ticket with
Breckinr.dge. After the defeat he
came back 10 u, In disgust. and the hot
political places that once knew him
we'll knew him no more forever. He
bought farm back gs Roseburg. run
ming up from the Valley Of the william
cite. and bull, him small frame house
high up on picture sque spur of the
Rogue River Mountains, where he has
lived ever since in the most perfect Sc
clusion. Two years ago he lost his wife,
whom he always called :" the Madam.
aud loved devotedly. Since then his
desolation has been relieved only by q
negro boy who cooks and keeps house
for him. He is SIS now, straight As an
arrow, six feet two in height. and can
pick up his rifle and bring home a deer,
or follow down trout stream over the
rocks about as we'll rs the next man.
And then he reads a great deal. One
room In his cabin Is sacred 10 his books.
and bis library is one of the most val
liable on the Pacific Slope. Strange
how the old man hangs on to the
skirts Of the past Old thoughts,
old questions, old scenes. old states
men who have nearly faded out of our
remembrance and given place TO the
issues and plans of the present are
meat. drink and lodging to him. The
now thoughts of All ever-busy and pro-
gressive race he cares very little about
comparatively, and seems To have made
up his mind that the country Is retro.
grading He talks about ancient no
tions Of political honor and integrity.
and any comparison with the present
turns him sick NJ the stomach. Only
once lately we got him worked up to
the point of coming down from his
garre, in the clouds and making u
speech. II was on the ith OF June, at
Roseburg. just as We were getting
ready 10 leave for st. Louis We cir
culated in every direction, and people
came over the mountains To hear him,
taking three or four days for the jour
n.y There were al least five thousand
there. and when the old hero began the
auditors stretched their neck as If some
revelation was coming. and every word
WAS TO be precious. Only few could
bear him. for his voice has driftcd into
the childish treble. bu, curiosity kept
them spell bound until he closed. He
reminded one, with his majestic pres
ence and flowing white hair and beard,
Of some John the Baptist in the wilder.
ness crying unto his people 10 =" Re-
pent !" Aud when he came down from
the platform he took us delegates To
one side. and begged as with iaItering
voice. and tears IN his eyes. 10 give the
country pure ticket, and help bring
hack the honesty and dccency which
politics had lost, and the country want.
ed to see restored The boys" for
that's the name he called Us by.
look up TO him with great veneratior.
and think there Is still more eloquence
in those weak, trembling tones than all
modern orators combined. The old
man has only one wish left vote for
Tilden and Hendricks II the ticke,
wins he wants TO depart in peace.
like Simeon. for he will have lived TO
see the couniry's sal,ation.--Corr Gin
ciaaati Eagaircr.