Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-02
TWO FAMOUS SENATORS.
A FATHER AND son IN THE
UNITED STATES SENATE.
a Senator from Three States-The
Oldest EX-Senators-A Chame-
leon Politician
Written for the SUNDAY UNION ]

many readers the interesting fact that in
the entire history of the country there is
but one instance where father and son
| served at the same time in the United
States Senate. Henry Dodge represented
Wisconsin in the Senate from 1S4S to the
Sd of March, 1857, while his son Augustus
Caesar Dodge represented the State OF
Iowa from lS4S till his RESIGNATION, the
Sth of February, lS5, They we're also at
the same time delegates in Congress to-
gether, before the admission of tlos
States, the former sery,. from 1S41 to
1916, the latter from 1910 to 1917. They
were descended from the best re .ution-
ary stock of Connecticut. 4. .1 Indian
fighter the father was very famous,
receiving a sword and the thanks
OF the nation by the unanimous
vote of Congress. After his resigna-
ton from the army in 1886 jackson
made him Governor of Washington Terri
tory and Superintendent of Indian Affairs.
IN the latter capacity, notwithstanding the
terrible havoc he had made among the
tribes in warfare, he exerted an extraor-
dinary influence among them, invariably
using that influence for noble and benef-
cent ends. He lived to the age of So. and
died IN the home of his honored son at
Burlington, Iowa, admired and revered bv
the entire Northwest country.
The son was a ''chip of the old block, .
both as fighter and in public life. He
died In 1883 at the age of II. He served
with a good deal of distinction under his
father in the Winnebago war of 1927 and
the Black Hawk war of 1882 From 1856
% he was Minister to Spain, succeeding
the brilliant Pierre Soule, of Louisiana,
which elected the criticism from Mr..
| Greeley that the President had thought
proper to appoint as successor to a
gentleman who spoke six languages
a person who could not CORRECTLY
speak his own. This hardly conyeys
just estimate of the intellectual capacitv
of Mr.. Dodge, for while he had few ad-
vantages of education in his early Missouri
home, he was endowed with strong native
powers, and occupied no inferior position
IN the halls of Congress. Although an ar
dent Democrat, he often repeIled the as
saults of the slave oligarchy on the dignity
OF labor, and when one of the Senators
from Mississippi in 1854 referred to GER
tam occupations as menial and degrading.
the reply Of this young man was quite
equal in eloquence to Mr.. Summers an
swer to Butler of South Carolina. who had
stigmatized the working men of the North
as the "mudsills OF society" Here is 4
single paragraph: 81 tell the Senator
from Mississippi, in the presence of my
1ather, who will attest its truth that I
have performed, and do perform when |
am at home, all of those menial services to
which that Senator has referred in terms
so grating tC my feelings As a general
thing l saw my own wood, and do all my
own marketing. | never had a servant. of
any color, to wait upon me a dav in nv
life. | have driven teams, horses. mules,
and oxen, and considered ,ayself as re-
spectacle then as | now do, or as anv
Senator upon this floor"
SENATOR FROM THREE STATES.
There is but one instance in the history
OF the Senate when any person has repre-
sented more than single State in the
course Of lifetime. This exception is
General James Shields, who at different pc
RODS OF his life was Senator from Illinois.
Minnesota and Missouri. During short
residence in California, commencing in
1899, he unsuccessfully sought the Demo-
cratic nomination for the same position.
The only full term he served, however
was as Senator from Illinois, and that
really was few months short of six wears
His service from Minnesota covered a lit
tie less than year. and from Missouri but
few months. He was a natural-born
soldier, and that he died in poverty will
always be a source of regret to those who
recall his splendid services to his adopted
country.
THE TWO OLDEST EX-SENATORs.
Up to the time of his death, few davs
ago, the oldest man who had served in the
United States Senate was Judge Foster. of
Rome, \. Y. Hewas in his Goth year. Until
his death last year, a still older Senator as
to years of service was John p. King, of
Augusta, Georgia, who also reached the age
of 30. One of his daughters married
the Marquis of Anglesea, and
the other endowed the beauti-
ful Louise King Home for widows.
whose buildings have been so much
admired by Southern tourists. The
oldest ex-senator is Simon Cameron. who
was 90 years old on the Sth of March He
first entered the Senate in 1915. Mentally
his powers are unimpaired, and while his
general health cannot be said to be under
mined, he is incapable of any great phy-
steal exertion. Alpheus Felch. of Michi-
gan, Is the second oldest Senator in point
OF age and period Of service. He became
Senator in 1917, and is now So years old,
living at Ann Arbor, and until a short
time ago distinguished Professor of the
law department of Michigan University.
Two years ago | met him on one of the
steamers Of Lake Michigan, not knowing
who he was, and in common with large
company who gathered about him was
charmed with his gentle manners. his even
temperament, and his delightful powers of
conversation. | afterwards saw him in his
home, surrounded by all the attractions of
love and veneration, and | was not sur
prised that for more than half Il century.
in myriad relations of life, he has been
reverently trusted and honored.
HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN
The Mayor of New York has lust ap-
pointed General John Cochrane a Police
Justice What a multifarious political
career this man has passed through
Readers of the June Century, in the Lincoln
article, will be interested in the account of
the Cleveland Convention of Radicals
In 1864, who placed in the field, in an
tagonism to Mr. Lincoln, John C. Ere
mont for the Presidency, and John Coch
rane for the Vice Presidency. As the
campaign progressed public sentiment com
PEELED the withdrawal of the ticket. From
1897 to 1861 Cochrane was very promi
nent member of Congress from New York.
and in a stump speech in that city on one
occasion declared that he "would support
the Devil incarnate for any office, provided
he was the candidate of the Democratic
party" He was in the field at the OPEN
ing Of the war, and attained the rank of
Brigadier-General, retiring in February.
1862. There is difference of opinion
concerning his record, some claiming for
him eminent services, while others insist
he showed the white feather. The Repub
licans made him Attorney. General of New
York, 1863. He was very prominent in
the Liberal Convention which nominated
Mr.. Greeley, in 1872 Afterwards he re-
turned to the Republican party and
was elected by them a member of
the Board of Aldermen, and while
holding that position, without cause, in an
" off year" without any issues at stake, de-
serted to Tammany Hall, and was elected