The daily gazette., 1880-06-14

Ga 80 etoccoueu Wy 4AOA&-
Mr.; Bayard filled out his srcond Sena-
u 100 al Term, and was again elected, In
dooo This was an exciting period In the
next year that Congress provided for the
famous lron-clad OATH" Against this
measure Mr.. Bayard protested with all mis-
sleac aplllty. but when the Radical ele-
heut thec In the ascendency relentlessly
imposed the unconstitutional require
ment, ne took the oath, but Immediately
resigned the Senatorship, though his
Wafmest friends in Delaware and else
Wnere protested against such an action
on his part
The sequel was curious, and probably
unparalleled in the political history of
Ihis country. Hon. George Read Riddle
was erected TO NIL the vacancy, but died
In 1857, after the adjournment OF the
Legislature. Hon. Cove Salisbury, then
governor of this State, appointed Mr..
Bayard 10 serve until the assembling OF
tneLeglSlature in 1861. when on the 18th day
OF January, he was again elected to com
Piete the term, which ended on the 4th OF
March, of that year. Thus, Mr.. Bayard
was ected by. the Legislature, resign ed,
again elected by the Legislature, all dur
ing single Senatorial term of six years.
On the same day that Mr.. Bayard was
elected by the Legislature to finish out
ms own term. his son, THOMAS j., BAY
ARD, the present Senator, was elected for
the null term commencing on the 4th OF
March, 1869. The father left the Senate
chamber one day and the son entered 1t
the next-a remarkable Instance OF the
close succession of family aud political
ability and craftsmanship.
While in the Senate Mr.. Bayard was
almost continuously chairman of the
Committee on the Judiciary and OF the
Committee on the Library. He soon took
rank as one of the ablest members of the
body. and his speeches were ever noted
Tor their clearness, logic and vigor. he
IL I'M nlnt Hon
to every measure, and the voice of Della
ware then, as now, was always heard
upon every question Affecting the vital
interests OF tue country, surchsrged with
v1gor and inspired by wi-dOm unSur-
passed by the voice of any other State in
the Union. He safe in the Senate when
The southern Senators seeded, and took
strong ground against their withdrawal.
During 1852 and 1868 he gave the Govern
ment of Abraham Lincoln his support In
all Unconstitutional measures, but Insisted
steadfastly on Its duty TO conduct the war
as IL had proiessed to begin the war,
strictly and solely for the preservation of
the Union. His entire Senatorial career
was IN trked by a spirit of exalted in
tegrity and thorough devotion to duty,
and he retired from public life with the
warmest admiration OF his hosts oil
friends, and the sincerest respect of even
his political foes.
IN GENERAL POLITICS.
Ofcourse. Mr.. Bayard took an active in
terest in preliminary and general politics.
not only of this State, but OF the whole
country. He was a delegate to the Ma
tional Democratic Convention of 1855,
which met in Cincinnati, and with his col
leagues from this state warmly supported
James Buchanan, who was the choice OF
the Convention. AT this meeting Mr..
Beyard was chairman OF the Com nittee
on Resolutions, and after q bitter, all
night contest in @ mmittee, came into the
Convention next morning arrayed in a
Gn nf Nuh hTf md nj inn
the floor. according to the statement oi
| one OF his enthusiastic Delaware ad-
mirers, the handsomest, nOblest looking
and ablest man in that notable gathering
| he strongly urged the adoption of the
| resolutions reported by the Committee
and they were approved by the Conven-
ton.
He was also delegate to and Chairman
OF the exciting Democratic Convention
| at Charleston, =. c., in 1850, which split
| into factional divisions, and re-assembleo
| in this divided manner in Baltimore
when both Breckenridge and Douglass
| were nominated rs Democratic candi-
dates for the Presidency. Mr.. Bayaro
| supported the Breckenridge wing of the
| party, and his State sustained him by o
| handsome majority.
In the Democratic National Convention
of 1868, which assemb ed in New YORK and
| nomi mated Seymour and Blair. Mr. Bay
| ard was complimented by number OF
| votes for nomlaation for vice President.
/
| Brown were nominated, the votes oi
| Delaware d Maryland were cast for him
| as the candidate for President.
| HIS LEGAL LIFE.
| Mr.. Bayard was admitted to the bar in
| 1872, and pursued his profession 1D an u u
| eventful manner for four years, when he
began to be regarded as "a lawyer of de-
| cided promise If not of real prominence
| In 1884 or 1885 the famous suit of John
| Randall VS.. the Delaware and Chesapeake
| Canal Company was commenced in the
| Superior Court OF New Castle County.
| Randall. in 1928, had received from the
| company the contract for the construc-
| tiOn of the canal, but In 1881 the Direc
tors annulled the contract, and In 1885
| Randall brought suit against the Com
pany. His principal counsel was John NJ
Clayton while the chief counsel for the
| Company was Mr.. Bayard. who had asso-
ciated with him Robert Frame, then re-
garded as the leading lawyer of the State
| Charles j. Ingersoll, of Philadelphia, and
Walter Jones, OF Washington. The tria
occupied six weeks, and was the mosi
| cele brated case that ever claimed The at
tention of the Delaware Courts. Thejury
| rendered a verdict in favor of Randall fol
s227 .OOO. and while this case made Johr
| VI. Clayton's fortune 1t established Mr.
| Bayard's reputation as one of the leading
lawyers of his day. Business flowed IL
upon him, and afterwards he was le
| tained In all the prominent cases thai
| arose In this State du lug the time he was
actively engaged in his profession. Ht
was regarded as the leading lawyer in
Delaware, of the present century, and az
| one reason for his legal pfe-eminence II IL
said that he made 1T his invariable prac
tice To arefully cad each and every Law
| book he purchased, thus, in time, acquir
Ing thorough knowledge OF his large
and extensive library. 1t is doubtful /
this can he truly said of any other lawyer
In the country.
1t is related of him that shortly afte
his admission to the bar he was appoint.
ed by the Court to defend a negro charged
] with murder. The man was convicted
and sentenced to be hung, but In afte
| years Mr.. Bayard would frequently say
that II he had had as much sense then a,
he possess ed q few years later he would
have acquitted the man.
| Wneu, IN 1913, he S arted for New York
with view to taking up his future resi-.
deuce there, some of his personal friends
expressed doubts of his ability 10 succeed
| among the sharp legal competition of
large city. Judge Harrington, afterwards
Chancellor of this Slate, and distin
g1shed j1gGis Ragasd sdGe csn Of tnes
against q regiment of lawyers" His sub
| seuuent career proved the souudness o
Judge HarringtUn'so opinion.
Mr. Bayard's first law office was in tn,
well known Jones residence, now No. SO
( building located at Eleventh and Markv
streets, where Col. III. $, McComb's pala
tiAl residence now STANDS. On his return
from New York in lS45, he occupied tn
| house No $40 Market street, where DI
1 | Vim. S. Bullock now lives. Here he re
g mained until he erected his last resldenc
t al the N, II. corner of Ninth and Marke
e MIR. Bayard was rather averse to talxin
= students into his office, and accepted onl
9 four The first was Hon. VIM. q. White
:, lev. who is TOO well known In this Stat
;, | To need special mention IN this article