Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-05
THE wAsHBURN FAMILY.
The Prominent Part This Family Has
Played In the National Drama.

From the st. Paul Pioneer Press.
The different members Of the family OF
which the newly-elected Senator from Mime
sofa is distinguished representative have,
altogether, made . record in the nations
history which is unprecedented, and is more
over, just at this point highly interesting.
Prominent as his brothers and other relations
have been, w. d. Washburn is the first TO at
ain the honor OF q seat in the United States
Senate. There have been Congressman and
governors and foreign ministers and members
Of the cabinet among them, and two of them
made strong contest for the Senate. 1t was
left to the younger member Of the family to
outstrip them in this regard
Israel Washburn, of Maine, father of W. D.,
Il. B., g. c. and other sons almost equally well
known, was of good old Mayfower stock. He
was member of the Maine legislature, and he
had brother who was elected to Congress. But
1t was when his three sons, Israel, of Maine, E,
b., of Illinois, and @. c., of Wisconsin, were in
Congress at the same time that the family name
became known to the nation at large. Israel
Washburn was elected about 1852. The career
OF the brothers in Congress covered the
most exciting period of the terrible anti
slavery struggle. They were in the very
heart of the fight, as the whole family
was strongly anti-slsvery, and few names
were more prominent during that period
than those of the Washburn brothers.. This
lasted until the war. Israel Washburn was the
war governor of Maine, and during that trying
time for the nation added still more laurels to
the family record. c. c. Washburn went to
the war and was made encouragement. On his
return from the war he was reelected to Con-
gress, and subsequently was elected governor
of Wisconsin. During his later years he was
devoted largely to business matters in Min
neapolis. Aside from his personal services he
will be remembered as the donor of the costly
observatory to the University of Wisconsin, the
public library at La Crosse, and the magnif-
cent Washburn home for orphan children in
Minneapolis.
But on the whole z. B. Washburn was the
most eminent of the group. He was elected to
Congress for the tenth term and had he served
his time out there he would have been in Con-
gress continuously for twenty years, 1t was
during the war that he did some especially good
work for the nation. On Grants election he
was made Secretary of State. but he gave up
that TO become minister at Paris, where he was
for eight years. His position as foreign min
lister Is quite unique in the national history
During the Franco-German war he was the
only foreign minister who did not leave Paris
The American flag was the only foreign flag
that foated in the French capital There were
40,OOO Germans driven out of the city, and they
all went under bis passport. He, in fact did
the whole business for the German government
IN Paris the same as for his own government,
and, considering the intense hostility Of the
two countries that he got through it in a man
ner to please them all shows how skillful must
have been his management. To this day when
you talk OF l.. Il. Washburn to German he will
get enthusiastic in minute. But even more
trying, If possible, was Mr.. Washburn's position
curing the commune. when the government
fed to Versailles and Payis was in the hands of
human bloodhounds. But the same happy
adaptability, good judgment, and courage ear
RED him through this ordeal, and, altogether,
1t forms one of the most curious and interest
ing chapters IN the history of diplomacy. The
German emperor wanted to decorate Mr..
Washburn after the war. but in his official DO
sition he could not allow that. Two magnif-
cent portraits, of the emperor and of Bismarck
were accordingly presented him.
There was another brother, Charles WASH
burn, who was at one time a very prominent
man IN California public affairs He was a
journalist, editor OF the Alta Californian the
most influential newspaper in San Francisco.
he was an able writer. He was appointed min
lister to Paraguay by President Lincoln. He
now lives in New Jersey.
W. ID. Washburn first went to Congress in
1910 and was reelected in 1850. Several MEM
bers of the family have come very near getting
important honors which fell Just short of them
Z. Z. Washburn made strong fight for the
senatorship and was beaten by Mat Carpenter.
In 1876 E. b. Washburn got some electoral
votes for president, and still more in 1850. The
only one OF the younger generation of Wash
burns who has taken much part in politics is II.
Washburn, the son of E. B., who is now city
attorney of Chicago Among the more remote
relatives of the family who have held high po-
sitions was Emory Washburn, who was COVER
nor of Massachusetts,, and at one time the head
of Hazard law school. He was distinguished
man and very able lawyer. William b. WASH
burn, another relative, was also q governor of
Massachusetts,. Take it all in all the WASH
burn family have reason to take just pride in
their record