Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-06-11
GEN. JOSEPH 3. VARNUM.
The Speaker OF the House OF RePre-
scntatives from SOI TO 1871.

Since the beginning Of our national
government. says The Springfield Re
puJlicall, there have been five secre-
tares of state from Massachusetts, and
during the same period four speakers
of the national house of representatives
Theodore Sedgwick, 1899; Joseph b.
/ Varnum, ISO7-11; Robert &. Winthrop,
/ 1S47-S, Snd Nathaniel II. Banks, 1912
In the speakers room at the national
capitol there hang small pictures OF
these gentlemen, the only exception be-
ing fine "half-lcngth" portrait of
Mr. Winthrop, presented in 1881 by
some of his Boston admirers. Morti-
fled at the display made by 1 state so
prominent as Massachusetts our dclega-
ton in congress were moved to appeal
TO Gov. Robinson in n memorial asking
him TO recommend to the legislature
an appropriation for the procuring .!
portraits TO be painted by "artists OF
merit and reJatc" of those men from
Massachusetts who have upheld the dig
nifty Of the state in the speakers chair
at Washington.
Fortunately there are likcncsSes Of
Speakers Sedgwick and Varnum, who
passed away, early in the century,
painted early during their lives, and
now in the hands of their descendants.
and from these copies can be taken by
the artists to whom the commissions
will be given. The present is fit time
to revive the memory of the men of
Massachusetts, who were singled out TO
preside over the national house as
speakcr-one of the three highest po-
stions in our government, according
to Mr. Winthrop and among them
none was more prominent i'll his day
than Speaker Varnum, who served
for eight consecutive terms from
Middlesex county. Joseph Bradley
Varnum was born in 1850 in Dracut,
where his ancestors had settled in
1864 and gave the name TO the town.
He was the elder Of three brothers.
both of whom were revolutionary pa
/
political histo-y-Gen. James Mitchell
Varnum in Rhode Island and Gen. Jo-
seph Bradley Narnum in this state.
Commissioned captain ut the age of Is
bv the committee of the colony of Mas
sachusetts Bay, in 1887. he was made
colonel by the commonwealth. In 1902
he was made brigadicr and in 1893 ma
ior general of the state militia, holding
the latter position al the date Of his
death. in 1921 From 1880 TO 1885 he
was Il member of the state house OF
!, representatives and senate. From l79j
! to 1871 ne was a member of the nation
p al house of representatives, during
which time he was chosen speaker foI
two terms. In 1911 he was chosen
by the legislature in opposition to Tim
= othy Pickering as United States sena-
tor. and became president pro TEN. OF
that body Dec. 6. 1918. He was n mem
Der of the state convention to ratifv the
. constitution Of the United States ir
1857, and of that of 1920 10 revise The
} constitution of the state, and was the
! chief presiding officer of the latter as
sembage. President John Adams anC
/ Chief Justice Parker. who were regu
larly chosen. beng unable to constant
r " preside, the former through cnfee
bled are. the latter because of sickness
During his political career extending
through the extraordinary period oI
TWENTY-FIVE years in Washington. anG
nearly the same length of time in Mas
, sachusetts. although during. times Of
hot political excitement, with opponents
as strong and able as Timothy Picker
ing and Samuel Dexter, Gen. Varnum
failed but once to receive the highest
: honors He ran for governor of Mas
sachusetts in 1913 against Caleb Strong
and was defeated.
Gen. Narnum was among the earliest
patriots of the Revolution. and served
as captain of the minute men from
Rhode Island and New York. Among
the military archives of the state-house
are the muster-rolls of his company.
For his services in putting down Shay S
rebellion in 1857 he received a personal
,, letter of thanks from Gen. Ben Lincoln.
He was in the foremost ranks of those
seatsmen who advocated the adoption
, of the constitution of the United States.
, and for their zeal 10 cement the federal
union were known by the name of fed
eralists. Henry Wilson. in his history
| of slavery in the United States. quotes
him in the debate on the bill for the
, Mississippi territory before the house
; in March, 1898. as uttering the follow
, ing sentiments: Il look upon the prac-
, ticc of holding blacks in slavery in
this country as equally criminal with
the practice of the Algerines in forcing
American citizens into servitude.
, Where there is a disposition to retain
, part of our species in slavery there
can not be Il proper respect for man.