Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-12
THE SONS OF GREAT MEN.
puT FEW WHO WEAR THEIR
FATHERS MANTLES.

Illustrations.
From tho Ne,0 York Sun.
The Young man who recently was the
candidate of the Massachusetts Demo.
Gratis for Governor owed his nomination
almost wholly to the tact that he is the
son of the late John A. Andrew, who was
one of the distinguished Governors of the
var era. Yet there is little in the young
mans character or intellect to suggest
that he is the offspring of one OF the
strongest, firmest, most decisive and posi-.
tive of men. John A. Andrew was a man
of conspicuous force of character. and OF
Intellectual gifts above the average Of
men. He was the last man in the world
10 be found one year acting with one
marty and the next the candidate of an.
other. Had the father been in character
and intellect like the son, he would never
have been the great war Governor OF
Massachusetts,.
Yet Young Mr.. Andrew will be found.
II we look up the careers OF other great
mems sons, not unlike the great m ajority,
In that what is known as the principle of
heredity seems to be an exception rather
than the rule in this country. At a rough
estimate it may be said that not far from
90 per cent. of the men who have ac-
ouired fame because of great gifts of in
tellect. have been the sons of mel of in
conspicuous powers Of mind; while the
sons of those men who achieved great
ness have. in almost all cases, in no spe-
cial way indicated any inheritance of
their fathers great abilities.
There are some exceptions, notably that
of the Adams family. Father and son
were Presidents of the United States, and
we're men of remarkable abilities; the
son of the third generation. Charles
Francis Adams has had career common
surate with his talents, while the sons of
the fourth generation, though not distin-
guished in the field of politics, have in
berited much of the characteristic ability
of the family. Charles Francis Adams,
Jr.. is the President of the Union Pacific
railway. place he obtained through his
faculties, and not from family aid. John
Quincy, who is a man of ability also,
cares little to make such direction of his
power as will bring him cOnspicuously
before the public, while Henry is prone to
hide his gifts.
The sherman family is another in which
the inheritance of distinguished ability is
seen; as the careers of William NJ.
Evarts, the Hoar brothers, the late Gov.
Baldwin of Connecticut, and his son
Simeon E. Baldwin sufficiently indicate.
In Condecticut, too, there is the WOlcott
family, which furnished men of eminent
ability during the Revolutionary epoch,
father and son having served as Govern
or; the son Oliver being also one of the
sgners of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. while the grandson, Oliver, Jr.,
was also Governor and the successor of
Alexander Hamilton as Secretary OF the
Treasury. Father, son and grandson
serving as Governor of State is a record
believed to be unequaled in this coun-
try. The Ellsworth family of
Connecticut also indicates the trans
mission of intellectual ability. Oliver
Ellsworth succeeded John Jay as Chief
Justice of the United States, and though
his descendants never achieved great
prominence. they have been notable for
conspicuous gifts Of intellect. The Girls
void family, also of Connecticut, might
Fbe cited for another example. Matthew
GriswOld was one of the most conspicu-
GUS men in Connecticut colony and Gov
ernor Of the colony. His son, Roger Girls
void, who was also a grandson of Gov.
W0cOtt. his mother having been Miss
Ursula Wolcott, was also a Governor of
Connecticut, Senator in Congress
and was appointed Secretary of
War by President John Adams. Con-
spicuous among these illustrations of
family of Connecticut. The first Gov.
Trumbull was a man of extraordinary
force of character, and one of the notable
patriots OF the revolution. His son Jona-
than was Speaker OF the National House
OF representatives, Senator in Congress,
and Governor of Connecticut. Another
son, Joseph, was Commissary General of
the United States during the revolution,
and died in office; while relative by
nnnr 81 III. ah.nIl H.
was an author of repute, and wrote
"McFingal," poem that, as meroiless
satire, was regarded as of great service
in creating sentiment against the Tories !;
and another relative was Trumbull the
painter, one of whose paintings hangs in
the rotunda of the capitol, while others
have been collected and preserved in the
Irumbull art building in New Haven.
The West once furnished two Senators
In Congress who were father and SON
Senator Dodge, of Wisconsin, and his
son, Senator Dodge, of Iowa, serving at
the same time. Simon Cameron stepped
out of his seat In the Senate to permit his
son Don to step in, and three generations
oil Bayards have served consecutiyely in
the Senate. To-day Senator voorhees,
SITS In the Senate chamber, and his son
In the House as d elegate from Washing
ton Territory.
:. but IL we place side by side with this
list, and perhaps few other conspicu-
GUS illustrations that might be added, a
briet resume of the career of the sons of
many other men of distinguished ability,
IL VIII be seen that such cases as the
above are exceptional. Take, for in
stance, our Presidents. Washington,
Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson
nave no male descendants. President
van Buren's son John was man OF ex-
uaordinary quick wit, keen intellect,
ana brilliancy as lawyer. He was
known as Prince John, but he was not u
man OK steady purpose, or OF such charac-
Yer as makes ability tell for it's best.
PRESIDENT Harrlson's son was man in
no special way conspicuous, though
tne grandson, the present
senator Harrison, is thought by
many TO be man of exceptional ability.
iet there is no lesson OF heredity to be
learned from Senator Harrison's career,
lnasmuch as William Henry Harrison
was very far from being q great man, and
was elected 10 the Presidency for reasons
WIN which his mental character mad very
iittle TO do. John Tyler was an accidental
resident, and not man of commanding
Aolllty. One OF his sons Is a struggling
PHYSICIAN in Washington, and another
mas held minor places under the gov
eminent. Polk and Taylor had,
we believe, no sons. Franklin Pierce
Iost his son by railroad
accident soon after Mr.. Pierce's election.
Inc youth was regarded as giving
promise OF great ability. Buchanan was