New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-21
GOVERNOR JOHN A. ANDREW.
From The Hon. Peseg W. Chambers Memoir.

From me Hon. Peieg w. Chdnder's Memoir.
His progress at the bar was slow; his youthful
appearance and apparent Indifference to success
were not in his favor. But whatever business
was entrusted to his hands was faithfully done
and he early manifested great interest IN the pool
who had legal rights or remedies TO be cared lot,
and especially In those who were charged Win
crime No one who had hard case" with no
money to pay for legal assistance, WAS ever turned
away from his office for that ason and no one
however guilty was denied whatever assistance his
case was fairly entitled to receive.
AS q political manager, Mr.. Andrew was not a
success. He was personally popular all his lie
and with all sorts of people; but when u came to
matters of principle he was too straightforward,
square, and emphatic TO suit those who would ike
to accommodate their principles to special emer-
gencies. Moreover, he was the most obstinate OF
men when he took position. and sIngularly desti-
tute in a ward caucus, of that tact which is at
once effective with the promiscu0us crowd and
those who clothed in purple and line linen. IL
is amusing and eminently suggestive to look back
on those days of small things, when sumner ana
Andrew and Others like them would try IN vain 10
accomplish something at the primary meetings
Ii was touching to see how often tho Governor
vanly sought some actual secusi0n and rest from
engrOssing cares. He was tried almost beyond en-
durance when suffering from the severe headaches
TO which he was constItutOnally subject or a
Sunday morning he would come down TO my house,
take his breakfast of the Yankee dish OF baked
beaps and brown bread, and late in the forenoon
make his way across lots over the unfrcquented
streets of the Back Bay in season to hear the ser
mon Of James Freeman Clarke. But on working
DAYS there seemed respite. III he remained at
the State House. there could Of course be no real
sccluson. II no went to his own home, the door
would be beseged by an importunate crowd III
he took q room at a hotel the fact would soon be
known, and there could bo no peace alter that: On
one occasion, when greatly suffering from head
ache, be sought the house OF TREND where he was
very intimate. There was no one at home the
servant said. Well. then, he would go upstairs
and lie down. When the lady of the mansion
came in from her morning calls she was greatly as
tonished and somewhat amused TO find the GOV
ernOr of the COmnOnwe fast asleep on her bed.
Perhaps the most notable things about Governor
Andrew were his religious feryor and his mlrthful-
ness. He was generally familiar with the BlDle
and studied portions Of it very carefully. Tho
hymns of DR.. Watts he seemed to know by heart.
In the early days in Boston,; nothing gave bim
greater satisfaction than the Bible Instructions OF
James Freeman Clarke. He was especially inter
ested in the epistes OF Paul. and used frequently to
tor at the vestry His faith was deep and earnest.
without touch of can't, for he spoke on religious
subjects with the ease and freedom that he did
on any Others and never INDUCED in didactic
strain One time late in the night as were re-
turning in "a carriage from country caucus where
we had made speeches, discussion arose on the
subject of PRAYER. Ile spoke emphatcally of the
childlike simplicity Of the early Christians in ask
ing and expecting certain specific results from sup
plication ID God. He alluded to the great comfort
1t TO him to lay out the whole case IN the fuil
belief that 1t would be IN sOme way elective. :"
want" he said TO tell the story in my own way.
although know it is impossible for me to give any
information to the Almighty"
1t must be confessed too. that In the trials and
embarrassments of those days. especially in regard
to matters where there ineficiency or neglect
of duty the Governor would occasionally give
place to vigorous expletives not found in the New
England Primer. But the circumstances were al
ways SUCH that it is safe TO say those expressions
formed no part OF tho recording angels page. In
deed they were entirely out of tho Governors line
but when reSorted to they were chosen and applied
with the skill of a veteran, and were used with
such fcrvOI. and htted so well, that as L0ngfeuOW
says OF Miles Standlsh:
" Sometimes IL seemed q prayer, and sometimes it
sounded like swearing.