The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-07-25
wM. ALLEN, OF OHIO.
The Story and Incidents of His Long
Career-A Statesman OF Two
Distinct EpOchs, Great and
DistiuGWishcA in Roth.
The Governors Phenomenal Devotion
to PArty Principles - Some
AnusiuE Stories.


AnustuE Stories.
Especial Correspondents Washington Post
CHILLICoTHE,O O., July II, 1S79.-In
1848, q year which saw the termination |
of q war that had been successfully en-
gtneered by the Democratic party,
who had been prominent In the coun- |
sels OF that party, and who had attract
ed q considerable share Of tho attention
of tho nation. This was tho Hon. VIM.
Allen, OF Ohio, who then closed his
second term as Senator Of the United
States, and six years of unremttttng
labor and sharp and continual contest
I'm his position as Chairman of the
Committee ON Foreign Relations. His
views on the Oregon boundary were
considered extreme by tho conservative
element Of the party, although the
daring energy and unbending firm-
ness he displayed during the famous
tsFiny- -four-forty or hght' debate won
to defeat him for a third term, George
E. Pagh being elevated over his head.
Disguised and mortified at this result,
most unexpected to him, feeling that
he had been shamefully treated by his
party, Mr.. Allen Withdrew from public
life, obsttnately refusing to accept fur
ther Gavors. 1t is well known that at
any time during the twenty-five years
that he remained in his Fruit Hill her
mttage he could have secured the nom-
inatlon of the Democracy Of tho district
for Congressional honors by simply
raising his finger, signitying that he
would accept. But, having worn the
toga of the Senator, he considered it
HSsA Ses n $<xv - l0wH tHr> hvsNA
jeans Of the Representative, and those
who know anything of the man need
not be reminded that he was almost as
appallingly dignffied as the celebrated
Massachusetts, iceberg.
But In 1848, as IS above stated, the
political waters closed above him, and
he was soon forgotten. His famous
fog-horn ceased to trumpet forth stem
torian blasts of Democratic wisdom,
except on rare and Important occasions
when he would consent to briefly adj
dress the citizens of Chillicothe on the
issues Of the day. He would probably
make ono speech during campaign,
aud that always at home. But to the
day Of his death he never neglected
that duty that he considered the chief
the polls, through sunshine or storm,
at every election, no matter how un-
important, and vote the straight DEM
ocratic ticket. In the years just pre-
ceding the war, when stirring events
succeeded each other with electric
swiftness, and the finger Of Fate pointed
manifestly toward q great crisis, he
never doubted the ability of the Dem
ocratic craft to weather the stormy
waters, aud still kept silence. In fact,
he never, to his dying day, doubted
the ability of the Democratic party to
successfully deal with any question, no
matter how dimcult or complicated, or
to rise superior to any emergency, no
I But after tho breaking of the storm,
and while the food of war was sweep
ing over the land, ho wavered once.
At great mass meeting held in this
city In 1862 he made one of his charac-
teristically itnpetuOus speeches, sup
porting the Government and favoring
9 "vigorous prosecution of the un-
pleasantness. The effect was some
what startling. But 1t was not long
after that that the writer stood amid q
gang of other barefooted and dirty
faced urchius, and watched with in
tense admiration those long, gorilla.like
arms swing up above his silver head,
punctuatfng with anatomical exclama-
t1O0 points SOIl0 1ltEC0 Neutrality-suspicious.
Of tho policy of tho Administration.
He was then Introducing Mr.. Vallan-
digharn to the attention of a vast
assemblage.
But during the twenty-five years that
he was almost entirely hidden from the
orbit OF the vision Of that greater pub
lie beyond his own county or State
lines, he was no less something of q
hero to his ncj9hbors. His old-fash-
ioned buggy, drawn by q lean and
hungry Roeinante, was familiar sight
upon the streets Of Chillicothc, and at
his home at Fruit Hill he dispensed an
elegant, graceful and transformations
hospitality. To the people of the town
he was variously known as "the major" !"
aOle Bill" stthat pure and honest pa
triot aud statesman, William Allen,"
ssthat ranting old demagogue, Bill
Allen, '.ssthat refined and elegant gen.
tlcman of the old school, Senator Al.
LEM" How far the term of demagogue
could be applied to him, and as illus
trative of his high standard of politi-
cal morality, one incident will serve.
Bob Lewis, q mad wag and good fell
low whom everybody liked, had con-
ceived an intense animosity to John l..
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