Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-06
RANDALL's DEATH.
1t is the Old Story Of Nan More HOnOred IL
Death Than in Iiie-Pretty Stories
the Msurners Tell.

Correspondence OF the Gazette
WASHINGTON, May 1.-The death of
Randall has revived a hundred stories
illustrative of the character of that
statesman. 1t is the old story of man
more honored in death than in life. Not
that Randall ever lacked respect from
friend or foe, but that fractional hatred
in his own party was so rife and bitter
against him during the latter years Of his
life that his removal from the scenes of
political activity was necessary 70 clear
the vision of the men whose
gratitude TO him should have been ever
lasting and to reveal him to them in his
true proportions. It was enough to
make him turn in his coffin when some
of the Southern Democrats, who had
for years charged him with being a Re-
publican spy in the Democratic camp
and a paid advocate of protection, joined
in the laudations of his patriotism, in
tegrity and devotion to Democratic prin-
ciples. No doubt it is ingratiors to re-
fleet upon a mourner's sincerity, but in
some cases such reflections come unbid-
den 10 many lips and are very generally
expressed.
There is no doubt, however, of the
substantial unanimitY of grief of people
here without regard to party. No great
man in civil life since Conkling has been
followed TO his grave with more generous
sorrow. The position of these
two statesmen was unique, and
not dis-similar in this, that
while each was q pronounced partisan,
each had quite as many admirers in the
opposition party as in his own. With
very different intellectual equipments
and accomplishments, Randall and
Conkling were also alike in the intensity
of their prejudices, In their devotion to
personal friends, and in their absolute
unwiilingness to allow these personal
friendships, strong as they were, to in
fiuence them in the discharge of their
public duty.
''Had it not been for Samuel ]. RAN
dali - said Col. Ochiltree, 'the bill to
restore Geu. Grant to the grade OF gen.
eral of the army would never have been
passed. was q member of the house at
that time. Every time the bill came up
it was antagonized by filibustsring by the
brigadier element, and the case seemed
hopeless This was the situation
within forty minutes of the close
of the second session OF the Forty-eighth
congress. Several important bills, in
Guiding the sundry civil and general de-
ficiency bills, were yet to be passed and
Randall had them in charge. 1 was the
whip of the Grant bill. Randall was
stan dug in the aisle and said: Il now
call up the Grant BILL. At once there
was an uproar. Wellborn, of Texas AND
others rushed toward him exclaiming
you shan't pass that BILL Randall
stood as firm as rock and replied loud
enough to be heard all around: Il will
pass It by -, and nothing shall be
done till it is passed. The DIRECTORS
howled louder than ever, only to make
him irmer than before in his determine
tIon. He held his ground against all
threats and pleadings and won the fight
by sheer force of will.
mot until then was general leg
islation allowed TO go on.
We hadn't a moment to
spare. The bill was engrossed in q
hurry. l grabbed it up and gave it to
Butler Malone, who ran with it to the
senate. That body passed it 1mmedi-
ately. President Arthur was at the
capitol and signed it forthwith. It was
his last official act, and it was Cleve-
lands first to make the appointment
authorized by the act. But for Samuel
j. Randall Grant would not have died
general of the United States army, and
Randall always had an honest pride IN
the thought. This scene and the one in
which he resisted the passage of the
Force bill stand out most wildly in his
tory among all the events Of Randall g