Morning journal and courier., 1880-09-21
Price Four Cents.
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 Lafayette s. roster.

l The death of ex-Senator Foster removes from our midst one who as a lawyer, Senator and acting Vice President of the United States has long occupied foremost place in the mind of the public. He achieved his great success not through the influence of friends, or money, or mere faYoring eircum- stance or social power but through his ability, acquired by personal effort, and events which he was wise enough to use for his personal advancement
 As lawyer he was possessed of peculiar power Though not always the most pru- dent of counsellors in cause of great com plexity, in which the evidence was knotted and twisted into seemingly hopeless tangle, he would unravel it and present the facts sus- taining his side in singularIy clear and con nected manner. It was upon such an occa- sion that he appeared to the best advantage as lawyer. Where others failed to pene- trate the dark and confused mass of evidence lying before them, he would easily pierce, and selecting such portions as would best serve his purpose would fit them together with consummate skill
 His election as Senator presents another phase of his character requiring mention in this place. He had formerly served as Speaker of the House in the State Assembly where he displayed a marked aptitude, not only by his quickness and power to preserve order, and by imparting unusual dignity to it's proceedings but by his knowledge of par iamentary law. He was desirousof winning the Senatorial prize-an honorable ambition indeed-an office for which man of his it. ness might worthily strive. He did not, how ever, seek to enlist support through friend ship, but solely through self-interest. His brethren at the bar were plainly told that if they would labor for his election they would be the gathers, inasmuch as his practice would be divided among them-a kind of argument the force of which they were not slow to perceive. In all his dealings with others he displayed similar candor and plainness. He never attempted to deceive any one by false blandishments by heartless hand-shak- ing, by ip-serving, by counting the people when his heart was far away from them He was just what he seemed to be and when he wished to accomplish anything he went to work in the most direct was, depending upon his own abilities, or the circumstances sur rounding him, or both, without resorting to those minor arts which prove the smallness and weakness of those who employ them.
 He served in the Senate twelve years. His last term was period of great events-a time which tried the metal of which every public man was made. MT. Foster occasion ally made speech, but never manifested in any of them a strong partisan spirit, but rath- judicial temperament 1f however, at times he disappointed some of his friends in this regard, 1t cannot be denied that he was an intimate friend of President Lincoln, and there were but one or two Senators during the war to whom he went so often for ad- vice. This fact should not be lost sight of in fairly estimating Mir. Fosters course in the senate, for it is the highest proof how true and valued a friend of his country he was; otherwise the President would not have confded in him and sought for his advice so frequently as he did.
 Yet it would be leaving out the truth of history to say that his silence or mild words in the Senate when greater boldness was wanting and expected was not one of the reasons why he failed to secure an election the third time. Another reason was his cold ness toward persons who visited him at Wash ington. MT. Foster was not one of those who could dissemble his feelings. If he did not care to see person, not even prudent regard for self-interest could induce him to be cordial For these reasons mainly though the fact that he had already served twelve years in the Senate was another, he failed of third election. He never took the event kindly and though his disappoint-
 
 subsequent life was co1ored by his retire. ment from the active field of politics and his opinion of men and things possessed deep CT hue
 He had a remarkable knowledge of public men, but too often in conversation he dwelt upon the weaker sides than upon their lovelier traits. Had he chosen to write history of his twelve years at Washington, and given the world a true account of the personal am- bitions and plottings of men who figured prominently there during that period, for example, the management of the army of the Potomac in the field and at Washington, it would have possessed an extraordinary inter- est as well as great historic value.
 A few years ago he drlfted away from his party at time when many others did like wise. Of course, some will doubtless say, it was disappointment which led him to break away, but surely this cannot be said of many who went at the same time. There was much wrong doing then for which the party was obliged to pay dearly. Mir. Foster was per- haps moved by both influences, personal dis appointment, and the misdoings of the Ad- ministration. But it ought to be added that he was working back as he saw the true in wardness of the Democratic party revealing itself with all it's former low ideas concern ing public questions, and unchastened and unpurified by the war.
 For several years he served on the bench, retiring when he reached the age of seventy,
  qualities which rendered him so eminent as lawyer unatted him for the judicial office, and while he always displayed high regard for justice and enforced an example of the dignity due to the bench which was sadly needed, he has not left the shining mark as a jurist which distinguished him as a lawyer. But his fearlessness in discharging his judi cial duties is worthy of unqualified praise. There was great need of the example he set, for the bench had become too yielding to the demands of the bar. The lawyers soon learned that Mir. Foster was judge of new stamp, and there were proprieties belonging to the bench which for one he did not pro- pose should be forgotten abused.
 Though possessing cold exterior he was extremely fond of society, and appeared. to the best advantage in it. He was exceeding ly bright and entertaining, and when he laughed his whole body joined in the move ment Nor was he indifferent to the welfare of the town in which he spent so much of his life In the prosperity of the Free academy he took deep interest, as well as many oth- CT enterprises of public character. His wise benevolenee is worthy of imitation. A few weeks ago one would have supposed that several years were still left to him in which much might be accomplished, but his career has ended, another name is stricken from the short roll of those who for more than quarter of century have figured prominent ly before the American people.
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 Trout Fishing Duck.
 A fisherman near Winchester, Virginia, &C., C41m