Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-05-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
LFr0n Oar rsguIar conespopdepl.I !
WAsHINaToN, D. c., May s, 1890.

WASHINGTON, D. c., May 5. 1890.
There was a cry of Extra Paper'' on
the streets of Washington Saturday
evening, and It was soon known
throughout the city that Senator James
B. Beck the Senion Senator from Ken
lucky had dropped dead from heart
paralysis in the Baltimore and Potomac
railway station. There has been no
more sudden and appalling death of a
prominent man for years. He fell and
died in the depot in which Gen. Gar
field was assassinated nearly ten years
ago.
Senator Beck was born in Scotland
l622. He received an academic educa-
ton In his native country, and came to
the United States with his parents
when young man of seventeen or
eighteen. They settled in Kentucky
and the future Senator Immediately
started to work to earn a living. He
was employed In various minor capaci-
ties.
A story illustrating the innate hon.
esty of the man, even In his early days,
was related last night by O gentleman
with him. Mr.. Beck, the gentleman
ndhlt Who hysY
about one Of the stables there. Here
he came under the notice of Gen. John
G. Breckinridge, who was attracted to
him by his intelligence, industry and
good nature. Gen. Breckinridge was
one of the leading lawyers of his Sec
tion at this time, and one day he
brought down copy of Blackstone and
gave 1t to young Beck. He read it
thoroughly and showed such a strong
desire to become lawyer that Gen.
Breckenridge took him into his office
at Lexington, Ky. Here he entered
the law school of Transylvania Uni
versity, from which he was graduated
In 1876.
When Gen. Breckinridge went into
the late war, Mr.. Beck, who was his
law partner, took charge of his affairs
and Of his law practice. Gen. Breckip-
ridge at that time, owned a large tract
Of undeveloped lands In the northwest.
Mr.. Beck managed the law practice and
Interests committed to his care so judi
cously and honestly that he was SUBJ
sequently able to turn over to Mrs.
Breckenridge $15O,0O0. This incident,
1t is said, becoming known, aided ma
terially in his first election to Congress.
Mr.. Beck devoted himself in his early
years to the law and to business af-
fairs, amassing faircompetence before
beginning his political career in Con-
gress. He was Whig in his early
years, but when his law partner, Gen.
Breckinridge, went into the Democrat
ic party he carried Mr.. Beck, who was
devotedly attached to his interests, with
him. In 1865 he was first elected to
Congress as q representative in the
Fortieth Congress from the Ashland
(Ky.) district. He was reelected to the
Forty-first Congress in which body he
made an able reply to George s. Bout
well, arguing against the adoption of
the fifteenth amendment to the con-
stitution-declaring that the right of
suffrage should not be abridged on ac-
count of race, color, or previous con-
dition of servitude-on the ground that
the regulation of suffrage should be left
to the States.
Being elected to the Forty-second
and Forty-third Congresses, Mr.. Beck
served on the Ways and Means COM
mittee. He studied the tariff question
with great assiduity, and became rec
ognized authority on these matters. He
declined a reelection to the House in
1876, he was elected to the Senate.
Among those who entered the Senate
at this time with him were, Messrs
Hoar, of Mass; Ben Hill. of Ga; David
Davis, of ILL.,; Plumb, of Kans.; Garland,
of Ark; Mcpherson, Coke and Harris
and ex-Secretary Kirkwood, of Iowa.
He took prominent part in the
Senate in the legislation which resulted
in the passage of the Bland silver bill.
He was always an advocate ofa liberal
silver policy, and at this time offered
measure proposing the coinage of not
less than $3, 600, 900 monthly. He was
assigned to the committees on Appro-
priations and Finance, probably the
two most important committees of the
Senate. It is very rare honor for
Senator to be on both committees, and
Senator Beck was chosen because of his
acknowledged industry and ability.
He was the leader of his party on mat
ters relating to the tariff and was chair
man of the Senatorial Democratic eau
Gus for many years. He was reelected
in 1882 and again in 1883 for the term
expired in 1895.
In person he was tall and powerful,
being about six feet high, with the
frame and depth of chest ofa giant. He
was not a fluent talker, and frequ emily
stopped and hesitated for word. He
was rapid but jerky speaker and
when excited would emphasize his re-
marks with vigorous gestures. Atsuch
times his place of birth became plainly
evident in his enunciation. Notwith-
standing these defects it was universal
ly conceded that he was an effective
debater.