The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-06-19

~ sauN.boxes. II Is true Of Thur
nan thnf wfxh Al his heat IN debate
he never nas<Ie personal ene<nies-
He hnd berosDe - important - hn
rorfv fhxf Is the Denorratze u10onaf
Of is73 he received : iew
yoses for tn presidential n0minAisen.
Ia ls74 s. uss re-e3ec3e1 - the senate
rr.s soon Afterwards maae the soryse&f
l{uu<fer Of his career. He had pre-
vioasty he1d himself s<zluayt against
he currency inflsti0n craze. bat - the
agitation IN favor q the notion that
he national hanks should be wiped
ous. that coin should he abolished. and
lhst treasury notes should constitute
th< sple circulating medium cfePs into
Ohio. he gsrs Il his sanction His old
tufx,r in The law. Mr.. Alien. hsd carried
The state - Democratic ssnsiisiaas
Tor governor on that Issue. ana
Mr.. Thuyufaa lost his head sum kat
" 10 imagine that this foolish hurry
wouid he > permanent influence Ia
politics. No other exeti-e has ever
ben made by his friends than thst ne
permitted his better jodgnient 10 be
overcome By his doubts a. 10 what
might be the winning isstie Tor ms
party. He delivered speech IN
which he struck close up to the most
radical infsntioni<t notions, and ne
thereby slienated birascif from the
Tilden faction that was then ruling
the democracy
eAspsparE - 1891
II followed that, although Mr.. Thur
mans name was again mentioned as
a possible candidate for the pre-IdeIi-
cy IN 1875. he could not even obtain
the solid support Of his owr state, and
was quickly overwhelmed by the III
den wave. However. he took an ae-
tive part in the campaign. and in the
.saiseuuers controversy over the cleo
ton warmly favored the creation of
the electoral commission. of which he
beanie one OF the members on the
part Of the senate. In the senate ne
was an exceedingly busy man. The
OF his party fell upon him
BY common consent, and his great
physical and mental activity. his ex-
ceiience n lawyer and bis vast range
Of knowledge admirably equipped him
for the position. As a speaker he was
always attractive. though voluble.
He made mere motions than any
other senator, and always did his
share OF resolving. reporting. explain
ing and critieising When the demo
erats obtained majority in the sen
ate in 1878, they elected him president
pro tenn, and he presided with dignity
and impartislity.
In IS<| he made his strongest tight
for the presidential nomination, re-
ceiving sixty-three and half votes on
the tirrt ballot IN the national conyen-
ton, but his supporters quickly de-
serted him when the convention was
staInpeaeti for General Hancock The
autumn election oil that year secured
a republican majority in the Ohio legis-
lature. Mr.. Thurman second term
in the senate expired on March 4, 1881 /.
and Mr.. Sherman. who had Just re-
tired from the Office OF secretary of
the treasury in President Hayes
cabinet was chosen to succeed him.
The last LEGISLATION on which he left
his impress was the bill TO fund the
debt OF the Pacific railroads and COM
pei them to pay their obligations To
the government.
HIS LtTE. YEARS.
In quitting the senate, at the age OF
ca. Mr. Thurman congratulated him.
self that he had taken permanent
farewell OF public life. He retired TO
his home at Columbus with a fortune
OF some $ss0,DyD, where he peacefully
grew old amidst his books and the
limited amount Of Law practice which
he would consent to undertake. He is
fine French scholar, and his favorite
books are the works of the early
French dramafists, which he reads in
the original. lie has an unusually
large and well-seleeted library, and
there are few books in the range of
polite literature with which he is uu-
acquainted. He has a literal genius
for mathematics, aad frequently eccn-
pies himself in working out the most
olsstruse and intricate problems lie
saws that he il proutier OF his knowl-
edge III mathematics than he Il al
training and has no diploma save the
certificate OF grammar school.
When the democrats in 1881 once
more secured n majority OF the Ohio
Legislature, Mr.. Thurman was again
mentioned for election 10 the senate in
the place OF Mr. Pendleton. But he
had lost his grip OF Ohio politics A
new foction. " The Kids had arisen.
under the leadership OF John X. Nc
Lean, 81 the Cincinnati Eag,arer. and
tostered by the standard Oil magnates
Thurman and the old line Democrats
we're contemptuously spHrncd by
them rs MoSsbaeks," and after Il
struggle. IN which the corrupt use Of
money in.the Democratic caucus was
freely charged. Henry Il. Payne. faith
er OF = STANDARD Oh magnate. was
elected.
Since then. Mr.. Thurman has been
engaged hy the government in the I'M
successful suits 70 break the Bel ,ele-
phone patents, and his latest service
In coart was as counsel Tor the prose-
cution in the Columbus taliy-sheet for
gerry eases. in which he had the salts
faction of canyicting some of the
:. Kids faction OF iiagrant election
frauds Fer assisting To expose and
punish crimes committed by Demo-
Gratis he was yeheinentiy denounced
bv members of the party. the yigor OF
whose resentment accompanied his
name into the 81. Louis convention.
On Mr. Cicyeland's assumption Of of
ice four years ago there was general
expectation that he would invite Mr..
Thurman for place in his cabinet,
hut the man who is now relied upon
- help the ticket and t. stand next in
succession 10 the presidency was in
iS<s east aside rs being too old and
too much of an invalid for further
service. He had not been 50 deemed
hy President Arthur. who had APP
pointed him neaher Of the Inter
national Metallic Conference. Ii is
true that he satFers greatly from rhea-
matism and that he i unable u move
about much. bat, nevertheless. he did
a large amount of labor In the tele-
phone and tslly-shcet eases. In fsss
he was tcndered u place on the Inter
state Commerce Commission hy Mr..
Cleveland. bat responded that he was
toe old ard feeble and that he had
made a resolve never again To be
tempted t. take Office.
oo -
Western Culture.
Young i.aiv-Wil YOU please give
Yt, 4 small i..fesa af .aFpsharY