National Republican., 1883-10-13
AMONG THE SENATOR'S.
Mr. FrenCh's Estimate of tho Great Men He
Knew When Sergeant at Arms,
C0nlsling Criticised, Wilson I1ulogized,
and q. y. Morton ignored.

Tho lecturer was introduced by Rev. DIR.
Rankin. in brief speech, in which be re-
forred TO tho long acquaintance and pleasant
association between himself and tho speaker
for tho evening
Col. French advanced to tho desk and said
that from March, 1sGD, to March, 1870, il was
his privilege to hold the position Of sergeant
at arms of tho United States senate. The
first session of tho senate was held in 1850,
and in 1890, the proposition to make the de-
bates of the senate public was first advanced,
but not until 17O5 was this accomplished.
Among the senators who made the decade
from 1869 to 1879 the most brilliant perhaps
in the history of the government was William
| Pitt FCssondcn. lIe used few gestures In
speaking, and his voice rarely rose above the
| conversational pitch, and yet he was the
leader of the senate and the greatest orator,
from an effective standpoint. on the floor
of the upper house. While those who but
slightly knew Mr.. Fosscnden thought him
cool and icy in character, it was reserved
| for those who were cOmplmented by his con-
| fdenCc TO know him for what he was. An
other of the leaders Of the senate during this
decade, said the lecturer, was George f. Ed
| munds. Proceeding, he gave n sketch of the
early career of the Vermont senator and his
particular methods as legislator, and said
that while hc had for twenty years occupied
| u prominent position before tho public the irst
| whisper of oalumny was yet to bo heard
| against his name, which stood out before the
| American people as pure and white as the
SHOWS upon the mountains of his native state.
\ Senator Thurman was next alluded to. Mr..
French spoke of him as a square built man,
who was much more Of a statesman than po-
| litician. Senator Trumbull was man ofwhOm
| Con- B. f. Butler said, upon ono occasion, that
he suffered from two maladies, the dyspepsia
and an easily moved conscience. Senator
| Zach Chandlerwhilc not an educated scholar,
! was n leader who had ever been identified
with victory, and in the darkest hours of the
republic he had won admiration from even
his enemies for tho cool Judgment and indomi-
| table will with which he pressed forward in the
| course he deemed the right one for himself
and his country. Tho lecturer regarded Lot
N. Morrill, rs one of tho giants of the senate,
who had over lifted up his voice for liberty
| and justice when the contests over reconstruc-
| tion were pending. Stanley Matthews was u
| gallant officer and q learned gentleman, who
had taken u place in the front rank of tho
senate during his brief two years in that body.
James q. Blaine, said Mr.. French, was of
h-lrish descent, remarkable for his on
crgy and thrift, and in his particular features
| of close cropped hair and prominent nose was
marked facially as captain among men. He
regarded him as the pluckest of men, who
| feared no antagonist, because of his confidence
| in himself. He considers him Il born leader
| of men, who always took counsel OF his hopes
rather than his fears. AS q politician and
statesman it was possible that there had been
greater mon in the senate of the United States
| than Matt III. Carpenter, but as n lawyer Mr.
Carpenter was fully worthy of the name of
Matthew Halo, which was given him after his
career in Wisconsin had ripened, and he
| had earned the reputation of being the
brightest lawyer of tho northwest.
"When the historian comes to writo of
tho achievements of men," said Mr.. French
| "the first name upon the roll will be that OF
Charles Sumner" Revcrting to the career OF
this gifted son of Massachusetts, Mr.. French
said that he had no occasion to wait for op.
portunity, but that upon his entrance into
public life ho was called to the front
and for twenty-thrce years his name was
the history of the country. race set
free from tho chains of slavery would teach
their childron and their children's children
to reverence his name. Truly had it been
said that he represented not alone Massa-
chusetts, but the whole republic was his con-
stituenCy. Abiding 70 the courtesy and
dignity of the senate, Mr.. French said that
senators were as immutable as the constitu-
tion itself. In the olden time it was incumbent
on every senator to appear in his scat in full
dress, and he rocounted how President King
had sent an absent minded solon back to his
rooms to change froCk coat for the claw
hammer suit that was then doomed thu
proper garb of a senator. Speaking of thu
senators from Rhode Island Mr.. French sait
that Senator Anthony had been returned t.
that august body oftener than any man OK
cept Col. Benton, and then, in touching
words, he referred to Gen. Burnside, the deaf
senator, whose memory had been kept greer
by all who admired true nobility of charac
ter and sterling manhood. Senator Gordon
II battle SCARED veteran, whose face bore evi
dence of his earnestness in the late war, il
the senate had borno himself with the sam
dauutlessness that had characterized him il
the days of the rebellion Ransom, tho har
hitter, had always been in the heat of ever
debate. Brownlow, the great southern union
ist and Bayard, of Delaware, whose famil
had for generations worn tho senatorial toga
J were mentioned, and "reminiscences and anec
dote were recounted of these senators VIII
| had borne the heat and burden of tho day il
the fierce political contests of the past Davis
, of West Virginia, Reyes, and Bruce wer
next presented as mon who had won thei
way from the humblost positions to an hon
orable place in the councils of their country
When Senator COnkliug's name was meu
toned there was decided burst of applause
which was entirely wanting, rs the lecture
proceeded to relate number of aneCdote
and "reminiscences in which the New Yor
senator was held up in u somewhat ridiculou
attitude. And this silence was intensife
! when he entered upon an analysis of til
course of Mr.. Conkling in tho house an
=, senate.
! In conclusion, Mr.. French drew mos
attractive picture of tho career of Vice Pres
don't Wilson rs tho presiding officer of th
senate, and in touching words pictured HI
death bed under the shadow of that dom
which crowns the capitol of tho nation.
1t was noted that tho lecturer did not refc
to Senator o. p. Morton in any way through
9 out the entire lecture.
! 70 sum up the lecture, judged from tn
animus that crops out in Mr.. Fronch's II
marks it has sOmo touches of insnoeritN
o and some cheap, clap-trap passages that or
n evidently intended TO catch the galleriC
. and arc unworthy Of any man who professC
u to give the experiences of decade anon
those men who wore called in tempestuou
4 times to hold up tho hands
!, the American people. There is dee
/. seated alteration of Now England in1ueuG,
!. and impulse that IL most commendable wei
it not that II sort Of " | am holier than thou
standard is brought forward in oyory instanC
! whom IL is necessary for him TO draw II con
70 parison. 1t may bo safely concluded tbi
) when tho lecturer comes to carefully reyie
u his experiences, his good taste and sour
Judgment will rescue him from sundry pa
If sages in his manuscript that arc alike III
v worthy OF him and his theme Of ten yea
: among the senator's"
.
; lawn Vcnnia Tour,,nn,ant