The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-21
TEE LATE EX-SENATOR NESMITH.
An UneducHted Boy Who Became a Senator
A Wit and an Excellent StDry-Teller.


Washington Special
The announcement of ex-senator Nesmith's
death causes only passing commenth here; and yet
while representing his State in Congress he was
one of the best-known figures ia public life. He
made his reputation during the war. He had a
keen wit and was an excellent story-teiler. Some
of his sayings gave him national reputation,
He was a boy when he crossed the plains long
before the days of the Pacific railroads With
his father he settled in Oregon, when 1t YVES a
wilderness At the time the Legislature Of his
tate sent him to the United States Senate
10 had never yet seen railroad or a
locomotive. Indeed. he did not see one
until he struck the Panama road at the
Isthmus. To use his own words. he was as
''green as SQUASH" He retained all his life a
horror of sleeping indoors. To pass the night
under the shelter of roof gave him what he
called a "chokey" feeling. To get relief he would
take his blanket and fly to the woods. There ne
would often spend months camping out aud
sleeping upon the ground. He served out his
senatorial term and was not re elected. On the
last day of the session he walked from the SEN
ste chamber to the railway station carrying in
his hand plain carpet bag that contained al his
worldly goods. without saying goodbye to any
one. He was not seen In Washington again un-
House. Ee served his term and went home,
never to return to the capital.
In the beginning of the present year the news
was received here rl,at the ex-Senatorhad shown
signs of insanity. The announcement caused a
great deal or surprise. Aside from q few eccen-
tricities Nesmith had never given evidence of
an unbalanced mind. 1t was said that he la
bored under the delusion that the Democratic
leaders of Oregon had him confined in the asy-
lum to which his friends sent him for the sole
purpose of preventing him from going into
Cevelands Cabinet Hopes at first entertained
that his Authorizations would prove to be of a
temporary nature only were never realized
His death must have been relief to him and his
friends
Isaac Bromley, who knew Nesmith well in the
early days of the war, frequently tells the fol-
lowing story of him. 1t seems that when the
newly elected senator from Oregon reached
Washington he was found too bashful to present
his credentials, and be sworn in at once as a
member of the Senate. He spent day two
looking down upon the distinguished body from
a seat in the gallery. so as TO get the hang of
things little before he ventured on the floor.
His d!fidence wore off after a lttls while and
his great fund of aneedote his fine vein of hu
NOR, his frontier frankness and originality of
character and manner, drew around him warm
friends of both parties. Standing one day in q
group OF senators who had been quss
honing him concerning his adventurous
life, Senator Wilson, of Massachusetts. said:
Il understand, Mr. Nesmith, that You had
aever seen railroad until You came East and
that everything of that sort in the way of mod.
ern improvements was entirely new to you.
VOW. am curious to know what struck you as
being the most wonderful thing that met your
observation on this side of the CONTINENT"
Nesfnlth hesitated moment then said:
We'll. spent my first two or three days in
Washington, up there in the gallery, looking at
the Senate. and think what most filed me with
wonder was the thought that i, who went off to
Oregon years ago poor, uneducated boy. shoald
be here a member of the highest legislative
body In the country. That was my greatest
wonder
'Well-but--I don't mean that exactly" said
Wilson, who was chiefly curious about what
mechanical contrivanee or invention had excited