Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-01-19
THE FORLORN HOPE OF '56.

There sat Fessenden and Hamlin.
Hale and Bell, Collamer and Foote, Sum-
mer and Wilson, Foster, Seward and
Fish, from the East, and Wade, Trum-
bull, Durkee and myself from the West
fifteen of us, ali told, On the issues
of freedom all the other Senators were
solid against us. We had battle from
the first organization for the session.
We had to fight for decent recognition
on the standing committees.
This was in the Winter of 1866. OF
course, as you say, you were mere lad
then. was the youngest of this band
of pioneers. When still smaller in num-
bers they had been excluded from the
committees on the alleged ground that
they "did not belong to any healthy
organization Hence the arrival of
every recuit was hailed with delight by
every anti-slavery Senator. 1t was like
the appearance of a fresh brigade in the
heat of great battle
OF the pioneer band of fifteen only
one-Hannibal Hamlin, of Maine-is now
a member, and he has not had continu-
Gus Senatorial service. Fessenden, Hale,
Bell, Foote, Collamer, Summer, Wilson,
Seward, Wade and Durkee are dead.
Of the recruits roceding the war, 20 n
posed OF men in no sense less eminent as
statesmen nor less potential in counsel,
many have Joined their seniors in the
spirit world. Simmons, Dixon, King,
Ten Eyck, Chandler, Bingham and
Grimes are silent at earths roll call; An
thonv remains in the Senate, and two
others of this class only are living.
The grim messenger has been equally
imperious with the Senators whom |
first saw sitting on the opposite SIDE of
the old Senate Chamber, many of whom
never found more than equals in the
arena OF forensic strife. The elder Dodge
Toucey, Allen, Thompson, of New Jersey
the elder Bayard, Clayton, Pierce, Mason,
Evans, Butler, Iverson, Weller, Fitzpat-
rick, Slidell, Thompson, of Kentucky,
Crittenden, Bell, Bright, Douglass, Gever,
Sebastian, Cass, Rush and Houston are all
dead, as are Hammond. Powell, Andrew
johnson, Nicholson, Green, Polk and
others, W ho entered later, but preceding
the war OF the rebellion. And no one OF
the Senators of this period, though still
living, who defended or apologized for Sc
! cesslon, ever re-entered as member.
/ There are, however, thirty new Senators
from the sixteen Southern States pertina-
ciously defending the principles of the
"lost cause Marvellous manifestation
of obtuseness Southern statesmen OF
the ante-bellum period defended State
sovereignty and the consequent right OF
secession to preserve slavery. AS slavery
was, in their opinion, the paramount in
terest, they acted wisely. In the pre-
sence OF the aroused moral sentiment Of
the people of the North. slavery could be
perpetuated in no other method Bu
now, when slavery is irrevocably dead, il
is wonderful that its ghost should exer
else such potent spell on the minds O
their successors. Had they the menta
forecast of their predecessors, they coulc
hardly fail to perceive that this ghostly
phantom must be swept away by the spir
it of freedom, as the smoke hovering over
the field of delivered battle by ths
friendly breezes and that Bourbon states
men must give place to the representa-
tives of equal rights before the law a.
time is inexorable and truth eternal
Er-SeD tor Harlan IN Keokuk (Iowa
Gd,e CSty.