The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-08-16


are evidently worried at the homely
truths told by the old man.
few days ago the N. Y. Tribune sent
E. V. Smalley, one of its ablest editors,
to interview the old Senator. Here is
the result:
JEFFERSON, Ashtabula Co, Ohio. Aug.
! 3.-Many years ago, when Joshua r. Gid
dings was in the House and Benjamin F.
Wade in the Senate, an Eastern man,
supposing town that produced Two such
celebrities must be- place of some i'm
poFtance, asked the Senvtor what were
the advantages of Jefferson. None, ex-
cept political" replied Mr.. Wade. Its
political advantages were attained i'm the
period of the Anti Slavery agitation. OF
which IL was one of the mot important
CENTRES. They have departed in great
measure No new men have arisen to
take the places OF the giants of those
days, but the immense Republican ma
jority in Ashtabula county makes its
capital a place of rather more conse-
quence in politics than most county
seats, and il is rarely without it's repre-
sentatives in State and Federal offices
It's advantages other than political, are
as little noticeable now as twenty years
ago. me place - TlFdl NliitSt VI dbouS
200 inhabitants, without much wealth
or much business It has a few small
stores. two hotels, between which, like
the rotten apples in the Scotch proverb
there's "sma choice" and two long.
pleasantly-shaded streets, bordered by
pretty New England cottages. There is,
besides, a weed overgrown public square,
and a red brick court house with a state
ly columned facade, standing in little
grove. The Giddings homestead was
burned some years ago, and is replaced
by a large modern brick residence, occu-
pied by one of the two sons of the old
statesman. His little wooden law Office
is still standing, however. and looks in
side just as il did in his lifetime. The
son, who lives in the adjoining mansion,
is a lawyer by profession, but Is not in
practice and uses the Office only as a
quiet nook for reading lie is an old
man himself now, with white hair and
beard. and a fine. genial countenance.
Neither he nor the other son, who is a
farmer, and lives few miles from JEFF
f.rson, ever developed either taste or
talent for public affairs.
The home of the IIowells family, a
generous oldtime house. half hidden 10y
trees, is occupied by Mr.. J A. Howells,
a brother OF the poet. VIM. ID HOwells.
He Is the village postmaster and book
seller, and the editor of the Sentinel,
once famous for the vigorous part it took
in the Anti-Slavery agitation, and now
the principal Republican paper in the
county. The father, veteran edit jr.
Is Consul at Quebec, and one Of
the sisters, Annie, whose name is ia
miliar TO magazine readers, is married
aud living in Ottawa, Canada.
came TO jefferson TO see "Old Ben
Wade" or Judge Wade, as all his towns
folks call him, preserving the title OF the
first important office he held / found
him in a little one story building over
shadowed by horse chestnut trees. His
house, large frame structure. robbed OF
its original pictur@queness by a man
sard roof, stands a few steps away, and
the little building. used as an Office,
shares with it the delights of specious
lawn, dotted with clumps of flowers.
The public square. where centres the
placid life of the village, il but a stones
throw distant the bank is next door, the
post Office just around the corner, and
the court house so near at hand that the
tx Senator can almost hear the speeches
OF the lawyers without leaving his easy
chair.
The Tribune correspondent received a
cordial greeting, and when the talk set
tied down into the expected channel OF
politics, he said: You are rega, ded IS
The most prominent representative in
Ohio of the element in the Republican
party which strongly disapproves OF the
outhern policy OF the Administration.
That's a mistake" replied Mr.. Wade,
I'm not in politics at all-no man is less
20 in lact-and | don't know that rep
resent anybody but myself ! wrote
letter TO am old friend at Washington not
long ago, and marked il private. in which
gave my views OF the course of the Ad
ministraLion. 1t got into print, and that
set all the newspapers to talking about
me"
"Have you modified the opinion you
expressed in that letter?
Not at all ] think Hayes made a
great mistake in surrending Louisiana
and South Carolina. lie is an honest
man, and have a great respect for him.
but he misjudged his duty shockingly.
Why, it was u complete surrender to the
South. | can compare it to nothing else
than the course of Buchanan in the last
days OF his administration, when he gave
up the forts and Government property to
the rebels. The plea was the same then
as now-the rights of the States to local
elf-government Yes, local self govern
menti That means that the Southern
whites may do just as they please and
violate with impunity the Constitutional
Amendment which gives the suffrage TO
the negroes. There is. no Republican
party lett in the South now. The ne
xroes may vote, If they want to-they'll
not be bulldozed any more, I think
but their votes will not be counted, it
counting them makes any difference.
The South profits by negro suffrage to
get increased representation and power;
but we have no authority, according to
the new policy to see that the negro en-
Joys his guaranteed rights OF citizrnship."
"Was there any better way than the
one the President took 2
"Yes he ought to have told the South
that he meant to uphold the legally
elected Governments in those two States
by all the force at his command That
would have been enough. Packard and
Chamberlain could have been kept in
office without trouble. The South busters
good deal, but is easily cowed"
THE Packard and hamberlain Gov
eruments could only have been main
tanned by the constant presence Of troops,
just as the kellogg Government was.
"Then / would have used troops
would not have surrendered without a
struggle what we had fairly won. /
would use the troops everywhere if nee.
essary to protect the negro in his rights
Why, look at thes e railroad riots. Eve
rybody, Democrats as well as Republi.
cans, called on the President to send sol
diers to protect them and enforce the
laws, but when a corporars guard was
stationed in some Southern State there
was N great outcrv about military inter.
ference and 'bayonet rule, and down