The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-04-02

chusetts, and elected Seward, Chase. and
Sumner to the United States Senate.
Soon after Mr.. Sumner took his seat in
the arena which had been made famous
by the political champions of the North,
the South, and the West, Mr.. Benton
said 20 him, with i patronzing air. " lou
have come upon the stage too late, sill.
Not only have our great men passed away.
but the great issues have been settled
also. The last of these was the National
Bank, and that has been ovcrthrown for
ever. Nothing is left you, sir, but puny
sectional questions and petty strfes about
slavery and fugitive slave laws. involving
no national interests.
Mr.. Sumner had but two coadjutors in
opposing slavery and in advocating free
dom when he entered the Senate. but be-
fore he died he was the recognized leader
Of more than two-thirds of that body.
He was denounced by leading Wing
newspaper of Boston when he left that
city to take his seat as IAN agitator.'
and he was refused place on any COM
mittce of the Senate. as being "outside
of any healthy political organizations
but he lived to exercise :: controlling in
fluence in Massachusetts, politics and to
be the chairman of the Senate commit
tee on foreign affairs. He had learned
from Judge Story the value of systematic
industry, and while preparing speeches
on the questions before the Senate he
also applied himself sedulously to the
practical duties of Senator taking espe-
cial pains to answer every letter addressed
to him.
The most popular house in Washing
ton was that of Mr.. Daniel S. Dickin-
son. Senator from New York, whose
accomplished wife was acknowledged by
all as the leader in social life. Tall and
slender. with dark blue eyes, brown hair,
and gentle manners, she was notable
figure in the society of New York and
Washington. and had troops of friends.
Her husband was devoted to her; and
when, while he was Senator, he visited
the little town of Oxford. where she had
| been educated he said to the directors
of the academy THAT, though he had
never studied at their institution, he had
carried off its greatest prize"
When the Thirty second Congress met,
Mr.. Linn Boyd, stalwart Kentuckian.
was elected Speaker Of the House of
Representatives. and used to preside with
great dignity, sitting on an elevated plat
form, beneath Il canopy Of scarlet cur
base of the platform, beside the mace"
was Andrew Jackson Glossbrenner, the
Sergeaut-at- Arms. and on the opposite
side was Mr.. McKnew, the door keeper.
Mr.. John w. Forney officiated at the
clerks table, having been elected by 4
decided majority. His defeat two years
previous had been very annoying to his
Democratic friends at the North. who
were expected to aid the Southern wing
of the party with their votes, and yet
were often deserted when they desired
|
ing us great compliment for our princi-
pies, or great contempt for our pliancy."
Mr.. Buchanan wrote to Virginia Dem
ocratic leader, Poor Forney deserved
better fate than to be wounded in the
house of his friends, and to vote for a
Wing in preference to him was the I'M
kindest cut of all. 1t will, am conf
dent, produce no change in his editorial
course, but dread its effect Mr.. For
ney did not permit his desertion to intlu-
ence his pen, and his loyalty to his party
was rewarded by his election, two years
after his defeat. as clerk of the House.
The Democratic Representatives. then
as now, occupied the right of the House.
looking from the Speakers chair. and
! the most noticeable figure was that of
the burly Ilumphry Marshall, Of Ken
lucky. Near him sat his colleague, the
accomplished Breckenridge, and not far
distant were Andrew johnson, of Ten
nessee; Harry Hubbard. of New Hamp-
shire; Albert G. Brown, of Mississippi:
John Appleton, of Maine: Thomas A.
| Hendricks, of Indiana; Robert Toombs,
of Georgia, and other Democratic mag
mates.
Thaddeus Stevens, of the Lancaster
district of Pennsylvania, was the recog-
nized leader of the small band of anti
slavery men in the House. and as the
Republican strength there increased he
continued his despotic rule. No Repub-
lican was permitted by "Old Thad " to
oppose his imperious will without re-
ceiying a tongue flashing that terrified
others, if it did not bring the refractory
Representative back into party harness.
Rising by degrees, as a telescope is pull
ed out, until he stood in most ungrace-
full attitude. his heavy black hair falling
down over his cavernous brows, and his
cold little eyes twinkling with anger, he
| would make some ludicrous remark, and
then, reaching to his full height, lie
would lecture the offender against party
discipline, sweeping at him with his
large, bony right hand, in uncouth ges-
lures, as if he would clutch him and
and then shake him. He would often
use invectives, which he took care should
never appear printed i'll the official re-
ports, and John Randolph, in his brag-
CART prime, was never SO imperiously in
sultng as was Mr.. Stevens towards those
whose political action he controlled.
Mr.. Stevens was firm believer in the
old maxim ascribed to the Jesuits, " The
end iustiiies the means,'' and, while he
set morality at defiance, he was an early
and Jealous champion of the equality
of the black and the white races. He
was good debater, and there was an
undercurrent of dry humor about him
that often disarmed his political oppo-
nents. When. on one occasion. a South
Carolina Representative undertook to
lecture him for his anti-slavery views,
and talked about slave on his own rice
plantation who was pious deacon, Mr..
Stevens grutfiy asked what the price of
deacons was in that vicinity and whether
negro would command a higher price
because he was a deacon.
Robert Rantoul, after a ten days term
of service in the Senate, was elected to
ronrnSpnt tho Essay district Of MaSS3-