The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-08-10
A Republican Prodigy.

1t has long been claimed by many
close political observers that Repub-
lican politician with a conscience has
not yet been produced. There have
been many Republicans in office who
pretended, to have consciences, and
talked as if they were always guided by
the purest and highest motives; but
when it came to the pinch the apparat-
us to which their conscience was at
tached was always out of working or
der, and they acted just as men without
a conscience did. 1t can no longer be
said, however, that the Republican par
ty is without man who has a con-
science which is really and truly part
of his organization, and which will dis
play itself when occasion requires. Ii
is not one of, those infinitesimal con-
sciences which can only be discovered
by microscope of extra magnifying
power, and of which it has been said
that thousand would find room to dis
port themselves on the point of a fine
cambria needle. On the contrary, it is
exceedingly large and well developed,
can be readily distinguished with the
naked eye, and requires at least the
broad surface of the end of a knitting
needle upon which to find room for the
sole Of its foot.
The remarkable possessor of this
unique appendage goes by the name OF
Calkins-William II. CaIkins. And if
you ask what State he halls from, oul
answer it shall be, he comes from Inji-
amy and its famous yeomanry. He
was, however, born in Ohio, SO that
State shares with Indiana the honor
of having had Calkins. Calkins is
Chairman of the House Committee
on Elections, and it was his con.
nection with this Committee which has
enabled his conscience to shine SO con-
spicuously as to illuminate as with an
electric light not only the halls of Con-
gress but the corridors of the Capitol,
while from the snow-capped peaks ol
the Rockies to the sands of Florida, and
from the pine -stumps of Maine to the
haunts of the cowboy in Arizona,
flashes have gone in zig-zag course
like forked lightning.
The particular occasion which called
Calkins' conscience into action was the
Tillman from the Fifth District oi
South Carolina. Nominally, the duty
of the Chairman, as of the other mem
DClS VI tliC oIl ILlCCbtODos ls
to deal with judicial fairness with the
leases submitted TO them. Calkins va:
perfectly familiar with the facts. in the
election case, and he was convinced. Sc
he says, that neither SmallS nor Till,
man was entitled to the seat, and thai
it would be fraud upon the people tc
workings OF the marvellous conscience
| of II ha hnl 1.'co in, 1,
place in the House and made a strong
speech in support of the. position ht
held, he might possibly have convinced
a sufficient number OF his colleagues tC
have prevented the consummation ol
the outrage involved in the seating
of Smalls. But, although his conscience
tried hard to assert itself, he restrained
it by q mighty effort, and had so fal
succeeded in smothering it tina
when the vote was taken on the reso!u
ton to seat Smalls, the enthusiastic de
sire of the Republicans on all sides o.
him to steal seat which they could no
carry ovcrcamc him, and under the in
fiuence of the overpowering force o
numbers he joined in the rush which
was TO sweep Smalls into the House owe
all obstacles, legal, moral and parlia
mentary. As soon as he recovered hi:
breath from the unwonted excitement o
the moment, the still, small voice of hi.
conscience asserted itself, and then i
was that the grand illumination of whicl
we have spoken took place. Pale bu
resolute, steadying himself by his chair
and with a voice trembling with emo
ton, he said that the vote did not truly
represent his conscientious convictions
and he therefore asked that it b,
changed and recorded in the negative
which was done.
After this magnificent exhibition lie
it never again be said that no Republic
an has conscience. As when a maj
who has been engaged in a robbery, b,
afterward saying that stealing is crime
shows that he is a good, honest citizen
so Calkins, by his action in this matter
shows that he has political conscience
not to be despised in the day of Small
things. detroit Free Press.