Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-05-31
3rlatuitt Gltrn.ttrlr.
THURSDAY, NAY 81, 1883.
FEW RICH GREAT MEN.


FEW RICH GREAT MEN.
THE STATESMEN OF TIE PAST, AS a
RULE, LIVED AND DIED POOR
Boston Herald.
The strength of the American repub-
lie has been largely in the integrity of
its public men. OF the great men who
have figured in our history very few in
deed have made money, at all-nOt one,
we believe, down to a very recent day,
by operations connected with the gov
eminent Neither Jefferson, Madison
nor Hamilton became rich. But one of
them was ever accused of corruption,
and ne promptly vindicated his charac-
ter in this respect by terrible sacrifice
of it in another. Both John Adams
and John Quincy Adams were thrifty
men, but they were men of more than
Roman virtue in their relations with
the government. Andrew Jackson lived
in comfort, but not in great wealth, in
his declining days, but the thought OF
Jackson as anything but honest is in
congruOus indeed. John c.. Calhoun
was puritan in the South. Henry Clay
was eXtravagant, and he was charged
with playing cards for money, but with
all these temptations the shadow of sus-
picion never rested upon his integrity.
Daniel Webster lived the most of his life
in debt, and he never knew the value of
money as did most men. The fiercest
invectiye he ever uttered was directed
against an attack upon his honesty in
using the public money, and it ended
both the accusation and the accuser,
though the latter was prominent pub
lie man. Seward, Chase, Sumner, Lin
coin, Grant, though the latter was some
times deceived by Others, have died with
regulations as pure as possible in this
connection.
We are in the mOney-making era on
the part of our public men just now.
Public life has come to have attractions
for those possessed of wealth, and it is
more easily within the grasp of wealth
than it used to be- The United States
Senate, especially contains considera-
able number OF very rich men. Some
E of them aspire to be President so far as
to get their names mentioned in connec-
tion with the Office, but there are very
few indeed whom the country has had
serious thought of rewarding in this way.
If it were understood that the transac-
tiOns of any one of these in connection
with the government were even question
ed, it would be instantly fatal to his
prospects.
Il his speeches in the Senate Conk-
ling was the most courtly, as well as the
most sarcastic Senator Congress has
known for years, and his repartees will
go down in history. One of the best of
them relates to a debate in which Allen
G.. Thurman, of Ohio, was speaking, and
in which constitutional question was
being argued. ConkIing interrupted
Thurman again and again by asking
questions and Thurman who was testy
at times, at last said to Conkling: "Does
the Senator from New York expect me
to respond every time he turns to me?"
"When l speak of the law" answered
Senator Conkling, with lordly bow and
flourish of his hand toward Thurman,
81 turn toward the Senator from Ohio
as MuSsulman turns toward Mecca l
turn toward him as I do to the common
law of England worlds most copi-
Gus fountain of human jurisprudencer'
And what did Thurman say? Nothing.
He grunted and went on.