Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-03-08

were excused until nine O'Clock on Monday
morning.
Benjamin +. Wade.
Ex-senator Benjamin Franklin Wade died,
Saturday morning, at his home in Jefferson,
Ohio. Mr.. Wade was born in Springfield,
Mass, October 81, 1900. lie was the son
OF poor revolutionary soldier, and had no
advantages. Even after reaching manhood,
he was still guiding the plow and chopping
the forests. For some months in his early
life he piled tie spade and the wheelbarrow
in digging the Erie canal. AT 20 he emi-
grated to Ohio and began to study law; at
30 he was prosecuting attorney of his
county; at 81 be was in the Senate of Ohio,
and theneeforward his public career was
long and honorable. In 1851 he was elected
to the United States Senate, and he held that
office for Is successive years. That period was
Cne of the most exciting and important in the
history Of the nation. 1t covered the passage of
the Kansas-Nebraska bill, the extreme aggres
saw hLiu iutOACldub dltltuUO VI DOusHSih
''ire-eaters toward the North and its rep
resentatives, the formation of the Republi-
can party. the rebellion, and the efforts at
reconstruction. From the first to the last of
the struggle Mr.. Wade was firm and ur-
compromising opponent Of all measures IA
yOring slavery. In 1852 he voted, with only
five other Senators, to repeal the Fugitive
Slave law. He also spoke and voted against
the bill to abrogate the Missouri Compro-
mise, taking prominent part in the discus
sion of the great debate on the Kansas-Ne-
braska BILL In 1858 he took no less active
part against the Leeonpton eonstitu-
tion which the Democrats were try
ing to force on Kansas. When about
the same time proposition was presented
in Congress to appropriate $50 ,00O, 900 out
of the public treasury for the purchase OF
Cuba, Mr. Wade poured red-hot shot into
The scheme, and the liberty-loving portion of
the country warmly applauded him. In all
the compromises between the North and
South, which were proposed after the cleo
ton OF Abraham Lincoln, Mr.. Wade was
equally firm and unyielding.
Upon the assassination of President Lin
coin, in 1865, and She accession of Vice
President johnson to the Executive chair,
Mr.. Wade was chosen president pro tenn.
Al Il
Vice President of the United States. In
March. 1867, he was elected President OF
the Senate, and held that position during
the impeachment trial of Andrew johnson in
1865, and would have become President for
the unexpired term if the articles of i'm
peaehment had been sustained by the Senate.
On his retirement from the Senate, in 1869
he was appointed Commissioner for the
Pacific Railroad Company, and two years
later he was one of the Commissioners az
pointed to visit San Domingo to report
upon its proposed annexation to the United
States, scheme of which he approved. His
last public appearance was at the Cincinnati
Convention, in 1876, where he made a
speech iayoring the nomination Of President
Hayes. Among the scores of anecdotes that
are related of Mr. Wade. the following
| dating back to nte-bellum times) gives a
good idea of his character
| As no allusion was made to himself or his
| State. Mr. Wade sat still but when the
Senate adjourned he said openly, if ever a
Southern Senator made such an attack on
him or his State while he sat on that hSo.,
he would brand him as liar. This coming
to the ears of the Southern men, Senator
took occasion to pointedly speak, few
days afterward, of Ohio and her people as
negro thieves. Instantly Mr.. Wade sprang
| to his feet and pronounced the Senator liar.
The Southern Senators were thunderstruck,
and gathered around their cham
pion, while the Northern men grouped
| about Wade. \ feeler was put out from the
Southern side, looking to retraction, but
Mr.. Wade retorted in his peculiar style, and
demanded an apology for the insult offered
himself and the people he represented. The
matter thus closed. and a fight was looked
upon as certain. The next day gentleman
called on the Senator from Ohio, and asked
the usual question touching his acknowl-
edgment of the code.
| Il am~here,' he responded, in double
capacity l represent the State of Ohio,
and represent Ben Wade. As Senator
am opposed to duelilng. As Ben Wade l
recognize the code
My friend feels aggreved,' said the
gentleman, at what you said in tine Senate
Yesterday, and will ask for an apology or
! satisfaction
| Il WAS somewhat embarrassed, confined
| Senator Wade. by my position yesterday,
as have some respect for the Chamber.
now take this opportunity to say what
then thought, and you will, if you please,
repeat it, Your friend is a foul-mouthed old
black guard.
Certainly. Senator Wade, you do not wish
me to convey such a message as that
Most undoubtedly do and will tell you
for your own benefit, this friend of yours
will never notice it, will not be asked for
either retraetion, explanation, or fight
Next morning Mr.. Wade came into the
Senate, and, proceeding to his scat, deliber-
ately drew from under his coat two large
pistols, and unlocking his desk laid them
inside. The Southern men looked on in
silence, while the Northern members enjoyed
to the fullest extent the fire-eaters' surprise
at the proceedings of the plueky Ohio
Senator No further notice was taken of
the affair of the day before. Wade was not
challenged, but ever afterward treated with
the utmost politencss and consideration by
the Senator who had SO insultingly attacked
him."