The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-16
A FIGHTING COMPACT.
The Strange Agreement Made by Ben Wade.
Zach Chandler and Simon Cameron.

an extraordinary compact entered into by
Benjamin Wade, of Ohio; Zachariah Chand-
Ter, of Michigan, and Simon Cameron, of
Pennsylvania. A compact of solemnity
wherein each, even to the death, con.
~venanted the one to stand by the other.
A most remarkable episode of the ante
bellum days. So much by the way of pro-
logue. Two nights ago Istrolled into the
Grand Union Hotel. AS was well in the
lobby / heard my name spoken, and turned
to greet Col. Samuel F.. Barr, who. for q
quarter of a century. had been Senator
| Simon Cameron's priva ate secretary. A man
grizzled with years, who finds now his phys
ical condition sucI: IS requires his living
in the tropics in tbs winter and in the cold
climate of Maine III che summer. Colonel
Barr was on his way to his summer abode
at Seal Harbor. Me. "Sit down" he said,
land / can now tell you something impor-
tant and startling IN history which l have
long known, bit which up to the hour of
| Simon Camercn's death was a sealed book"
Thereupon Colonel Barr proceeded. Said
he: "ln the year 1S5S-days which were
trying and full of p~assion-Senator Cam
eron was a member of the United States
eliminated in the great civil wal were then
the subjects of debate in the senatorial
arena. Seward. by consent. was known as
the leader of the Republican forces.
IL " tCulOuo II tA1OQtClCu
dangers to the South, and the extension of
slavery had the effect of arousing to the
quick the passions of the Southern Senators;
indeed, so much so that there was a tacit
understanding among them, If not a pre-
concerted agreement, to suppress, through
bullying and otherwise, the contingent
from the Northern States. Sumner had al
ready been stricken down by Brooks. and
the expectation hourly was of personal
trouble.
"One day in June, 1 think it was, Seward
delivered an elaborate speech on the Kan
sas or some other bill equally important.
It occupied some hours. The Southern
contempt. Upon it's conclusion Bob
Toombs was put forward to answer
1T. n in a method peculiarly his
own he did answer it. At or near
the close of the speech he advanced with
threatening gesture to Stewards seat, and
in a heated perOratiOn, pounded upon it
with ponderOus blows, aiming at the New
York Senator taunts and shafts which cre-
ated intense excitement. To the amaze
ment of many. Mr.. Seward, instead of re-
senting the insult heaped upon him, en-
deayored to turn it into pleasure by offer
ing Mr.. Toombs his silver snuff-box for a
pinch, which he haughtily refused. Toombs
then retired to the circular space in the
rear of the seats, placed his thumbs in the
arm-holes of his vest, and gaZed upon the
galleries, counting the usual applause.
y WneH : to en WSbpe Is,'i be w Hlsns slip maGd'ebbH his arm an,
hL0Ih w lAC An Vto AtRBSN MO hhi
into that of Toombs, and said: 'Howis it,
Senator, that you do not make a speech,
such as you have just aimed at Seward, at
":By God, was the quick response of
Toombs. Cameron, l believe O would
fight
"DisGusted with the situation, Cameron
disengaged his arm, and going to the desks,
Chandler, requested them to meet with
him at his rooms. near the Capitol Building
that same evening. 1t was s O'clock when
they met. Cameron advanced the idea
must be met and checked. All agreed like
wise that while Seward was the ostensible
leader Of the party. he was woefully lack
ing in physical courage. These three de-
solemn and binding. 1t was that while
neither should go out OF his way to pro-
woke a quarrel, that each would resent an
insult with a challenge. Each likewise APP
preciated that while the sending of a
challenge was abhOrrent to the Northern
mind, and that the passing of it might in
jure, if not absolutely ruin, them at home,
it was the only alternative left. Further,
it was agreed that if a challenge became
necessary there was to be no waste of
words. 1t was to mean the Bladensburg
dleling ground, in the very environment of
tie Capital City, and the lapse of not over
twenty-fOur hours before the encounter.
And then, to dramatically further cement
a bond between. them, they likewise
solemnly agreed that if one fell in a duel
the two remaining were to draw lots, and
upon whom it fell he was to challenge and
fight the adversary who had killed his
friend; and if the second fell, the one re-
naming was to likewise send a C challenge,
and either fall himself or avenge the death
of the other two. They separated about
midnight. full of determination.s
and nOw," said Mr.. Barr, the record of
the remarkable agreement is in existence.
i have given you the details with the hope
that senator Don Cameron or senator
Eugene Hale, the sOn-in-law of lack
dians. may give it publicity. The events
leading to it are of interest. and / supple
ment the recital.
"In the year 1873. just about fifteen years
subsequent to the time of the compact.
Senator Simon Cameron was again a mem
Der of the United States Senate. He was
chairman of the committee on agriculture,
and 1 was his private secretary; Mr..
CanieroiIs cOmInlttec-room was in the nat
ure of an open house with the latch
string always out. One day as Mr..
Cameron sat in the room there en-
tered it together Ben Wade. Zach
Chandler and Senator Frelinghuy-
sen, of New Jersey. afterward Presi-
versatiOn. from a commonplace one, drifted
to the scenes of fifteen years ago, in which
the three Senators had been conspicuous
actors. Frelinghuysen and myself listened
L w lth Jul lhCClOot " IA Il III u
have already given you. AT its close said:
1t strikes me that you should do something
to perpetuate such a stirring event in his
tory. 1t will certainly be a heritage to your
children, and a record of which they will
feel proud There was a Discrimination on
the part of every one of them to further dis
cuss the subject. whereupOn said: Gentle
men, i AVE been myself profoundly i'm
pressed. / think l can put in writing the
record of the event.
".Well.' said Cameron, You may do so,
and we will see about it later on
''Thereupon;" said Mr.. Barr, Il prepared
a statement embracing every detail of the
famous agreement. OF this L made three
copies. In a few days thereafter / called
those who were parties to il into the conf
mittee-room and read it to them. Each
agreed that IL was a strictly accurate mar
ration. / then asked the three Senators to
sign the three copies. After an interchange
OF some conversation each did sign the
three copies with this understanding: To
each was to be given a copy, to be placed
with his private papers, no one of which
was to be made public until after the death
of the last survivor. A copy was then given
each Senator. The protracted life of Sen.
ator Simon Cameron, the others having
long since died. has up to the hour of Cam.
eron's death kept this event of history a
secret. l do not know what senator Don
Cameron will do in the matter. The copy
retained by Ben Wade ought to be with his
executors. The copy kept by Chandler, his
son-in-law, Senator Eugene Hale, has, be.
cause / nave had conversation with him in
relation to 1T, and he has told me he has no