The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-06
SECRETARY or STATE.


PERHAPS no one family not excepting the
Lamsrs of Mississippi or the Hamptons OF
South Carolina can boast Of longer line OF
distinguished members OF the United States
Senate and OF the Lower House Of Congress
than the Bayards OF Delaware. Their in
huence In their own colony and State may
be said 10 have been the controlling one
through all the political changes and vicis-
situdes OF more than two centuries. From
the time that old Nicholas Bayard, brother
in-law OF Governor Peter Stuyvesant, and
rigid Huguenot. came TO America
and settled in what is now
the state OF Delaware there has never
been political faction or party In the com
monweslth strong enough to overthrow the
power OF the Bayard family. James Bayard
was one OF the trst delegates in Tie Federal
Congress elected rs Federaiet in l1o6 was
one OF the founders OF the Democratic party,
and Was sent to tho Senate in 1901 He held
the place until appointed one Of the Commits.
sloners for the negotiation OF the treaty OF
Client. He had n son Richard who was in
the Senate from 1886 10 1850 and from 1911
TO lSl5 James Bayard, brother Of Rich.
ard aud father of the subject OF this sketch,
was In The Senate continuously from
is5i 10 is,n and inally resigned on NO.
count OF Al health. Thomas r.. Bsystd.
tho PRESENT eena or, was horn on the
10Th OF October, 1924. Az boy he always
exoeled In HE stndien although he was ans.
ious In early youth to became one OF Amer.
icas merchant princes, aud was Inclined Co
throw overheard all the possibilities OF polt.
ioal greatness which we're incident 10 his
position ~ member OF the railing House OF
Delaware. lila early education was obtained
principally nj the "Fluahlne" tohool at
Wilmington, He was persuaded 10 give up
| his mercantile ambition aud 10 study for the
legal profession. lilo waa admitted 10 the
bar Ia 1851, and soon had built mp an ex.
esllent practice extending all over the
biale, In 1908 ha waa appointed by
The President ~ United States District
| Attorney but soon afterwards abandoned
| tho oihoe, IL .as IN March, 1861, that ne
! was chosen 10 succeed his father ~ United
States Senator. Hs was sterling adherant
10 the doctrines OF the Democratic party,
and came Ia short time 10 ba regarded a.
one Of their ablest exponants In tho upper
House, Through the framing oil all the later
reconstruction legislation he stood rs the
representative OF the large part OF the North
ern people that believed In dealing eauita'
| bly, by the Southern States, and alih ough In
the minority he made himself felt IN the nd.
vocacy OF their cause He was reelected Ia
! 1870, and became member OF hleot0ral
/ Commission, voting with his Democratic
colleagues against the seating of rutherford
II. Hayes IN the Presidential Chair Through.
out the soft money craze Mr.. Bayard
always was recognized IA the strongest
advocate OF national integrity and the firm.
est opponent OF the Democrats rs we'll as Re.
| publicans who were willing 10 carry
| through such legislation as repudiated or
appeared 10 repudiate any part OF thu ma
tiona debt. II ID had not been for this po.
sition he would very possibly have received
the Democratic nomination for the Presi.
dency In 1880: but as IL was, the soft
money" men banded together against him
and he was beaten, although he got l5S votes
+, on the first ballot In the convention. He
was reelected to the Senate In 1881 and is
perhaps the most influential member OF that
body to day on the Democratic side. Prob
ably there Is no prominent member OF his
party at the present time who has brighter
political prospects before him than those OF
Thomas f. BayaTd