Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-02-15

the time, ana know personally ne was
not Influenced In the least by personal con
siderati in what he did on the
Impeachment question. He would have
done precisely the same thing had any
other man than himself been in the vice
presidents chair at that time Hi
| bit!erest enemy will not dare deny this.
| as
| 1t was the purpose OF the conspirators
not only to assassinate Mr. Lincoln Vice
| President johnson and Mr.. Seward, but to
| seize the members of the Cabinet Chief
Justice Chase, Mr.. Wade, Charles Sumner
and Henry Wilson and carry them away,
thus leaving IN q overnment without q
head or any infant al man to administer
it. What they hoped in the end to do
su course is not plain, but it is certain
that was their plan. l asked Mr., Wade
one day what would have become of the
Govern ent if the rebels had done as they
proposed He replied; Nothing at all
would have come of it worse than came
ON VIII t they did do. The people
would instinctively have turned to Cen
erals Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, or some
other strong man, who by common consent,
limo law could have been found, would
have administered the Gov -rnment until
y new president could have been found
and inaugurated"
w dub dlWhys edlu tubL OulCldls III u
country like ours were of little account.
He said: "Sweep away the whole lot of
ofiicehold ers at one blow and new set
would Immediately come forwsrd, and
more remarkable still it would probably
be found the new lot would be better than
the old set"
Mr.. Wade bad an opportunity to verify
this opinion, so far as himself was con-
cerned and candidly acknowledged his
feelings. After he had been on OF Con-
gress year or two l was surprised to meet
said" w by Mr.. Wade, |. thought you
were in ohio-you do. then, still come to
Washington s--..-a -
yes" replied Wade, "old habits are
strong in man or beast, and when the
time tor the meeting of Congress comes
rounA / 90 feel like setting my face this
way. Ihave come down this time out of
curiosity. had been up there pointing
to the Oapito SO long l thought 1
would like to see how the fellows get along
without me-" l ~ :
We'll, Mr.. Wade, and what are. your
impressions about M"
"Gosh!r said old Ben with laugh, "they
seem to be ting along better without
me than they did with me. Such thing
is not fstteriln1g to mans vanity, but 1
guess II is So"
1t was certainly dattering to a man s
good sense if he thought so and said SO,
and i com plimented Mr.. Wade on his can
dor by seriously doubling if they got along
as well at the Capitol with out him as they
did with him in making laws.
A house had been fitted up at lonely
spot on the Potomac and to This the Cab
ne, Chief Justice and Messrs. Wade.
Wilson, and Sumner. were to have been
conveyed and imprisoned after the asssssi-
n ton OF Lincoln, johnson, and Seward.
Wade went over one day to see the house
heavy wooden bars placed across their
mouths. In these the statesmen were to
have been confined. Suddenly, while
looking at the pits, Mr.. Wade burst out
laughing.
What are you laughing at Mr.. Wade?"
inquired { lend who was with him.
Il was thinking" said Wade, how
Mr.. Stanton would htve appeard looking
up through those bars with his spectacles
on his nose?'
Those who have seen Mr.. Stanton in
rage wearing those selfsame spectacles,
W. Ii appreciate Mr.. Wade's merriment,
An Ohio girl came to Washington to
secure employment and solicited Mr..
Wade to aid her in obtaining a place in
one of the departments. The Senator was
very busy and gave her letter to Mr.
Newton, then the commissioner of aggrieul
ture, asking him t. find her in his depart
ment The white-hsird Commissioner
was inhis otfices the girl, letter in hand,
presented herself before him. While he
read her letter the young lady stood be
in a jol y humor that m rning, poked her
in the ribs and said
so you wan ia clerkship, do your" at
he same line max ng peculiar noise with
his mouth. The young lady sprang from
the floor and indignantly left the office
Next day she went to Mr.. Wade and told
him all about it md the old fellow laughed
until the tears ran down his cheeks.
Newton is an old fool" said Wade,
"but harmless, perfectly harmless, assure
you. He is jolly and means no offence; it
is only his way"
But the lady did not like tae Com
missioner's way, and fatty told Mr.. Wade
So 80 demanded that ,ometbing should
be done about the insult she imagined had
been put upon her, and Mr.. Wade taking
bis hat, went to the department with her
The lady waited in the ante room while
Wade went in to see the Commi sioner.
Look here, Newton" said Wade, |
what the do you mean by poking our
Ohio girls IN the ribs when they come to see
you? Don't you know better than that2
they won't stand it sir"
Mr. Newton was deeply mortified, and
said; why the little goose, mad no idea
of offending her"
80 l told her." replied Wade, "but she
is as mad rs wet her,"
II am sorry for that " said Newton; she
Is child and nice one, too l meant to
give her a place. but she flounced out of
here before I could tell her So"
Very we'll" repl ed Wade, don't fool
any more with Ohio girls Give the young
woman place and it will be all right"
got her place, and Mr.. Newton did not poke |
any more ! hio girls in the ribs.
That Mr.. Wade's rough exterior cover |
ed q kind and generous heart was a fact |
well known to the ladies in the Treasury |
department. They we're not slow to profit |
by his knowledge, and Wade constantly |
had a lot of them on his hands to help |
along. He got many appointments for |
needy and deserving ladies, and was ever |
ready to serve them.
Just before the vote on impea, hment |
took place one day when every body ex-
oected Wade would SION be president, he |
DeVy of girls who knew Wade we'll sailed
out Of the office and pounced upon him |
b g corridor. WaIe playfully flourish
ID his cane at them, calling out. "Clear the /
way, cle4r the wap; l won't be stopped -
The girls not in the least terrified took |
hold of him by the arms ard held him |
Dris ner, while one Of them said;
Now Mr.. Wade, you must 90 us q
'Avor."
"Well out with il" said the old Senator,
for am in great hurry"
"Ther is a vacancy, and we want b er pro-
noted to it," said the speaker, pointing to
A rather mode.t-looking little lady,
lis she ft2'