Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-04-01
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| MI. CncIH11u Has SoA1cA oeACn6su "As-i
the people in proportion as public stten.
tion has been directed to the facts of his
career. He is imam who has never
cultivated the arts Of popularity; whose
public life has been distinguished by the
quiet, assiduous performance of duty
without eitorts At displas, soSthat0 lit Is
only upon investigation that one can OBJ
tain a inst ides Of the, many coptribq-
tions he has made "a good govefRneht'
land OF the signal feats OF statesnanship
he has accomplished. One thing the
people do understand and appreciate
he framed and executed the resumption
act. and with bis success industrial
prosperity came back to che land. But,
apart from this great achievement, his
career is studded with evidence of the
possession of the highest qualities of
statesmanship, and it is, moreover, iden-
titled with the record of the Republican
party. With his name left out the his
tory of the Republican. party cod not be
written. The calm, deliberatiye temper
snent which has sonstines been unfa-
vorably contrasted with the warm, inn
pulsiye character OF otnef politicians, he
inherits from his father and grand father,
both eminent as iuFists. The Shermans
were among the New England settlers
Of Ohio. and the Secretary Of the Treas.
ury is more of the New England type.
than what would be popularity recogni-
lzed as the Western. His life, from boy
hood up. has been characterized by pru-
dence, self-control. strong force of con-
viction. and resolute eapplication to duty.
He was a Whig from principle, although
he practiced law in a district that was a
Democratic stronghold. 1t would have
been impossible fer the most far-seeing
Politician to have anticipated the reyul-
sion of popular feeling which. on there
peal of the Missouri compromise, in
1855, elected Mr.. Sherman to Congress
on an anti-Nebraska platform. 1t was
devotion to principle that caused him
to clearly define his anti-slayery posi-
tion by assisting in the organization of
the Republican party. He presided over
the first Republican State Convention
that met in Ohio, and his acute intelli-
gence and unwearied industry soon gave
him such a mastery Of public affairs
that. after his first term, he was the re-
eognized leader of his party in the House
of Representatives. He was one of the
committee of three that investigated the
Kansas troubles, at . time when pro-
anti-slayery man ,risked his life
By going in the vicinity of the border
ruf8iaRs, whose aadaeisy WAS se-gEeat
that threatening notices. bearing the
skull and cross bones, were posted by
them on the doors to the committee
room when they we're sitting in a Kan
sas town. In 1859 he was the candidate
of his party for Speaker of the House,
and came within three votes of an cleo
tion. As Chairman of the Ways and
and Means COMMITTEES he displayed thor
ough information and original ability in
deyising plans for relieving the govern
ment from its financial enbarrassments,
and he took the first step towards set
ting on foot the Pacific Railroad enter
prise, which was necessity to the Ma
tional Union of the Atlantic and Pacific
slopes. In 1851 he was elected to the
United States Senate, of which he con-
tinued a member until hs took charge of
the Treasury Department. and during
that period he has dealt successfully
with the most difficult problems of
craftsmanship which any public man
has ever had 10 encounter. 4
There is no trace of the doctrinaire
about Mr.. sherman; bis aim has always
been to accomplish results, and he has,
therefore, at times made concessions to
prejudice, and has exhibited an evasive-
ness, for which we have ourselves eriti-
cised him with some sharpness. But
his course has always showed perfect
readiness in the presence Of any emer.
gency, and ,unwearied patience and in
comparable ability in dealing with the
most refractory and difficult legislative
complications. He carried through the
National Bank bill, thus establishing
the best and most secure banking sys-
TEN in the world, when Mr.. Fesenden
thought the scheme impracticable and
hopeless. He. was the first to originate
the plan Of funding the public debt at
lower rates OF interest. and, by dextrous
management, he secured the resumption
act from an infiationist Congress, and
after this act had been foryears denoun-
ced as sham-it was denounced as an
Obstruction to resumption in the Demo
cratic national platform--he successful
ly executed it. The speeches made by
him during his career in Congress show
hint be profoundly yersed in all the
details of legislation, and contain inval-
uablet contributions To- financial knowl-
edge. Since Hamilton's time there has
not been ? man who could have done as
Mr.. Sherman has frequently done go
before committees sof, Congress and an
swer promptly and folly all possible
questions ssto the condition of the
treasury the ,menetarYs future and tie
Comparative merits of different plans Of
financial management proposed to him
byrnenbersos During his 1--WE years at
the;head Sf the Treasury. Department he
has refunded nearly eight hundred and
fifty millions Of dollars lof5 the public
btsIpskihg 4 saving IN annual inter
est. Of nearly q ,ooe, 900 pefs9nsm, and
undergoing Il ths same time the, most
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