The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-03-13
MANNED STATESMEN.
coNoREssMEN WHO LOST LIMBS IN
THE LATE WAR.
Other Congressional CrippIes--T -Thaddsus
stevens LAmeness- Darwin 4. Finney
--Oltver r. Morton and Alexander
III. stcphens--A Phenomenon.
tRamsdell ip Philadelphia press.l

lRamsden fp Philadelphia Press.l
Referring to helpless people, l recall an
article In The Post OF this city Of few
days ago giving list OF the members and
senator's who lost limbs In the late war (by
the way, how long is the term Ithe late war;
t0be tisedD and those who were wounded In
battle. Tho list, may say In passing. Ia by
no means complete. For example, IL does
not include 1Bill" Morrison, who, In cer-
tain way, is the leader OF the house. He
was several times wounded In battle, but,
with modesty thar well becomes him, hs
keeps all mention OF his service in the
Union army out of his biography In the
Congressional Di-ectory." have not the
time nor the facts at hand 20 give the
names Of all those who were wounded In
both armies who are now In congress- One
strange fact win mention Both senator's
from South Carolina wear each q wooden
leg. Strange, isn't iti Ons OK them
tButler) lost his leg hunting Yankees, and
the other (Hampton) lost his hunting deer
on q mule
How well remember what may be called
the Atotal cripplesp in congress during the
past twenty years! An told, they were fonr.
First who gave way was grand old Thad-
deus Stevens. He was always lame from an
Informed foot Ihave heard % did not
walk az all until he was Q years old. He al
ways walked with great difficulty, nsver
could walk far, and, during the last few
years of his life (he died ut 76) be could not
wik at all Every day he was taken from
his home near the capitol by two strong COLI
ored men in an easy chair, which they
hoistsd on their shoulders, and thus the
great commoner was borne through the
streets, Crowds used to gather to see him
pass and reverently lift their hats He was
put down in his place in the house and when
the session was over he was taken back to
his house and put to bed. MIR. Stevens often
laughingly spoke Of the two colored carriers
as his pall-bearers n 6g5fa Villas
Another helpless cripple was Darwin A
Finney, q member for one term from Mead
wills, Pa. He propelled himself about in
wheel-chair, but his trunk and lower limbs
were helpless from paralysis, ard he had to
be helped In and out OF the house OF repre-
sentativea He died abroad, bslievs, ut
about tho Same time as Mr.. Stevens died.
Oliver p. Morton. as think. one OF ths big
gest me1 ever In congress, WAS another
helpless paralytic. He was never out Of
pain, and, although young man Che died at
the age OF 54l, he was the most dependent OF
mortals In his latter days He, too, Lad 10
W SaFNici iuto uni Jul VI tuo seual5 cuaLl-
Der In chair He was poor man, and
coull III afford the low coupe hs was Obliged
to own. t%
The other helpless statesman OF the four
alluded to was Alexander H. Stephens He
was truly phenomenon. Built Of nothing
but skin and bones, he never weighed while
In congress mora than from eighty to 100
pounds Such little bit OF q thin face, and
such skeleton hands you nsver saw. Yet
how bright were his eyes, and what exhibit
tioas Of energyl His voice was ono OF the
st-oage1t and clearest over heard. and
when he spoke, my masters. wheeling his
chair backward and forward In the space In
front Of tho speakers deak, he was listened
TO by the whole house. He had to be taken
homo in hts chair, too He had Tor body
servant q young negro six feet four In
height, and admirably proportioned Mr..
Stephens used to say, chuckling quietly tho
while. that he did not know what he would
do when 1Samp died. All four OF these men
are now dead. Thres Of them certainly
were great. and IL seems to ms that the
places Of Thad Stevens and Governor Morton
never can be filed.