The daily gazette., 1880-06-19
SECOND EDITION
From the N. Y. Sun. $1,000
An interesting Figure.

Among the Senators of the United
States is one who makes no enemies.
A partisan himself, in times of hot
test paruisanship he succeeds in pre-
serving the good will of his oppo-
nents. He is never unkind, discour-
teous, or exasperating in debate
he never draws upon. himself the
personal animosity of those with
whom he is politically in conflict.
Serene in his demeanor, gentlemanly
in his bearing, estimable in every
way, he passes on through term after
term of service, respected by his col
leagues of both parties and pointed
out to the visitors in the gallery as
one of the most notable men in the
Senate. His tall, we'll attired figure
attracts the strangers attention. He
moves from the Democratic to the
Republican side of the chamber, and
is greeted with equal cordiality on
both. When he rises to speak he is
heard with respect, for there is never
a sharp or provoking word ready
upon his tongue. His slow, DELHI
crate utterance and well-considered
sentences have an impressive effect.
The sedate manner and correct die
ton seem as proper to him as the
symmetry of his tightly buttoned
frock coat. His speeches are logical
and enriched with apt classical allu-
sions. If they do not excite the
hearer TO enthusiasm it is because
they deal, as a rule, with broad,
philosophic principles, rather than
with those details of everyday poll
tics which move and interest the
masses. a4
In life of Thomas F. Bayard,
written by Mr.. Edward Spencer of
Maryland, and just published by the
Appletons, we have an attempt to
sharpen the outlines of an indi-
viduality which have always been
somewhat vague to the popular
view. Mr.. Spencer's concluding
words should have introduced his
subject, since they, perhaps, give a
clue to the book. fEMr. Bayard," he
says, sis one of our leading states
men, and a man upon whom the
hopes of very many are concen-
trated, that he may become in the
near future the leader OF the repub-
lie backward from perilous paths to
the better ways of old" .,.a
We regret that Mr.. Spencer's book
does not throw much new light on the
two most important crises Of Senator
Bayard's career. The first was in
| 1861, when momentous question was
| 60 alI osfszano Of tho TTnstaA
States loyal to the Constitution and
the flag. Mr.. Bayard's attitude at
that time is matter of some interest.
His biographer devotes only two pages
to it. Nearly one-half of this made
quate space is used in contradicting a
story to the effect that Mr.. Bayard was
actually the "Captain of a rebel CON-
pany" at the outbreak of the war. 1t
appears from Mr.. Spencer's account
that early in 1861, 'when no one could
tell what perils on troubles were
ahead" and when the position of Della
ware was uncertain, a militia company
was organized in Wilmington, neither
for Secessionist purposes nor to aid in
suppressing rebellion, but simply for
State projection. Mr.. Thomas f.
Bayard was First Lieutenant of the
company. A Federal officer, "whose
ZEAL" says Mr.. Spencer, "outran his
discretion" demanded that this COM
pany surrender its arms to the United
States authorities. Lieut.. Bayard re-
fused to surrender therl without an
order from the State authorities where
upon the Federal officer broke open
the door of the armory and carried of
the muskets There is certainly no suf
ficient ground here for any charge that
Mr.. Bayard was ever in rebellion
against the Government.
OF the "peace meeting" held in Do
yer in June, 1861, Mr.. Spencer records
the fact that while some Of the speak.
ers were carried away by excitement,
Mr.. Bayard was calm and temperate.
He described the horrors of fratricidal
war with earnest eloquence. "Bet-
ter" "he thought, "while deeply deplor.
ing the revolution which had severed
eleven States from the Union, If Q
peaceful accommodation was impossi
BILE, that the ediscontented States should
be allowed to withdraw than run the
awful risk of such a war;" Mr.. Spen.
Ger remarks with truth that this speech
was made at time "when many men
were thrown off their balance, and
viewed things distorted under the all
prevailing excitement" and that mot
all had the calm, steady mind that
stood like rock amid the storm"
The second important crisis in Sem
ator Bayard's career was when the
Republican party attempted to put in
Office a candidate for President who
had been defeated at tie polls, and
threatened war If they were resisted.
"Mr. Bayard," says his biographer,
"confesses that he and all his friends
were filed with apprehension at what
they saw and heard and knew
When the day came for the two
Houses to meet in convention, Mr..
Spencer tells us that "more than half
the entire army of the United States
was collected in Washington" "Mr
Bayard," he continues, did not in
tend that this country should be Mex.
icanized, but addressed all his ener.
gies to the preparation of remdy In
the form of law" The result is wei
known. Mr.. Spencer's explanation oi
the unfortunate relation between Mr.
Bayard's efforts to create the Tribunal
and the result is that he assumed, sin
the essential nobility of his nature,
that other men would be actuated by
the same motives as those which COM
! nelled HIM to do what he did," .