The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-25
THE OLDEST Ex-CoNGREssmAN.
RecolIections of a Man Who Served His
State MANY Years Ago,

state many Years Ago.
The Columbus, (O.) Sunday Herald pub
fishes most interesting interview with
Hon. David Fisher, the oldest ex-Congress.
mar in the United States, being in the
ninety-irst year of his age. Mr.. Fisher
served in the war OF 1912, and soon after
married, taking his bride TO a small house
one mile from the cabin in whica General
Grant was born. He lo-os 10 dwell on the
life Of General Grant, y Use birth he remem-
bers. He tells Of dancing with the Generals
mother when she was Miss Hannah Simpson
and before Jesse r Grant had courted and
welded her, The old N was a warm
personal friend OF old Tom Corwin, and
stumped the State during the hard
cider campaign in 1910. at which
was elected TO the Thirtieth Congress, serv-
ing one term and refusing a denomination.
The lamented Lincoln was a member of ths
same Congress, and the two became fast
friends, rooming together for some time in a
boarding house, where there were formed re-
latiOns that were only dissolved by Lin
coins death. OF Lincolp's character he
says: He was the most lovable public man
l ever met. and, like me, did not return to
Congress, but, unlike me, a few years after
became the greatest man Of the age and the
savior of the Union. | strongly advocated
bis nomination for the Presidency at the
Chicago Convention. and his winning the
prize there was perhaps the first step toward
the regeneration OF our land. Before tie
war, while travelling in the West, l spent
three days at his house in Springfield, and
ore evening remarked that l had never re-
ceived the Congressional Directory for
which ! had subscribed and paid,
Mr.. Lincoln said: 'Takelone of mine; ] have
two; and you will see, Fisher, that it speaks
better of you than it does OF me-" In an
swer to a question relative TO the death of
ex- President John Quincsy Adams, the old
N replied with evident emotion:
Adams was, next to Mr.. Lincoln, the grand
est man | ever met. His seat ia the House
was directly opposite mine. only a narrow
aisle separating our desks. The ex-Pfesident
was EeTy old, and for years quite feeble,
having a slight touch of Paralysis. One day,
just before Washington's birthday, in 1913,
Mr.. Adams half rose up In his seat andIsad-
denly put his hand up to his head, where
upon | rose up from my desk and caught
him in my arms just as he was sinking.
The House was in a uprosr, but
in IN instant the word passed around
that Adams was dying, and Immediately
members came to my aid, n we carried
the fallen statesman into the speakers
room, where, three Gays later, the mortal
spirit of the old man eloquent had gone to
its Maker. He never spoke after falling
into my arms, save that historical ejacula.
ton uttered just previous to his final dis.
solution" Mr.. Fisher vas identified with
Hon. Salmon p. Chase in the organization
of the Republican party. He now resides
with a married daughter, whose home is a
most beautiful one, and not FIVE miles from
the place where he took his bride SO many
years ago. In form he is stately and im-
pressive. but has been blind for twenty
years. Speaking OF social life in Washing
ton, he saws the finest entertainment be ever
stten6ed was Senator Benton's party 10 his
son-in-law, General Fremont, on his return
from the Mexican war.