Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-04
Ex-Chief Clerk Lloyd Writes Of Con-
gresham John A. Bingham.
ONE OF 0HIO'S ABLEST MEN
He Had Temper and General Ben Butler
Often Set Him Roaring.
ELOQUENT AND READY AT REPARTEE
WRITTEN FOB THE DISPATCH, ]

|
could Withstand the deteriorating influence
of Ohio. He received an academic educa
tion in his State, and subsequently entered
Franklin College, Ohio, having meanwhile
spent two years in a printing Office. He
was prevented from graduating by i'll health
and entered on the study of law; was
admitted to practice in 1S40; was soon made
Prosecuting Attorney of his county, and
from that time was continuously in public
service
He was elected to the Thirty-fourth Con-
gress, and reelected to the Thirty-ffth,
Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh. In 1864
he was appointed a Judge Advocate in the
Army; in the same year was appointed
U. S. Solicitor in the Court of Claims; in
May, 1885, was Assistant Judge Advocate
in the trial of Mrs. Suratt and others
charged with conspiracy to murder Presi-
dent Lincoln, and was again elected to the
Thirty-ninth Congress, and reelected to the
Fortieth, Forty-frst and Forty-second In
March, 1873, he was appointed .. S.
Minister to Japan, and with this ended his
political career, which was certainly excep-
tional in its continued public service, and
| auOluS ample pTOOl Ol eACepLIoual dul41GlSs'
RESPECTED THE CONSTITUTION.
| Bingham took an active part in framing
the legislation of the war and reconstruction
| periods. He was member of the Central
| Directory" as it was opprobiously called
| by the Democratic members. 1t was select
committee of thirteen. on reconstruction,
with Thaddeus Stevens at its head, and it
ruled the House with an iron hand Its
| hor ,Rr nrl, &ho Of
hams mind. Though radical in principal,
he had all the lawyers regard tor constitu-
tional principles and could never be in
| duced to lend his support to any measures
of doubtful constitutional authority. Be-
lieving fully in the war power Of the Gov
ernment as expounded by the publicists on
international law, and of its right to use
that power in dealing with the rebellion, he
| yet ever sought to keep as near the limits Of
constitutional authority as the situation per-
mitted.
| called ga natural lawyer" and made no
mistake in adopting that profession. 1t was
the square peg in the square hole" He
was an exceptionally good debater.
He had no equal in this respect in
the House, and besides was by all odds
the most fluent in speech. He discussed
every subject precisely as though he was
arguing a legal question in court. The
| Speaker was to him apparently the Judge
and the members of the jury. He had a
singular habit of detaching himself in
thought from his auditors, and spoke as
though he was arguing their case, to which
his relation was merely professional one.
HIS COLLISION WITH BUTLER.
He was not the best-tempered man in the
world Indeed at times he was exceedingly
| irascible and easily provoked, and impa-
tient of contradiction. He was an ugly
an attack on him doubtless "wished he
hadn't" He never was caught tripping in
debate and never suffered discontinue. He
and Butler occasionally came into collision,
and, as may be imagined, the sparks flew
| lively, as when on one occason he sneeringly
referred to Butler as the hero of Ft Fisher,
to which Butler replied that the gentleman
from Ohio had shown his military prowess
in the hanging of Mrs. Surratt, an innocent
woman, on the scaffold, and to which Bing-
ham retorted, in the bitterest of tones, that
''such remark was only possible to man
who lives in bottle aud is fed with a
spoon"
Bingham's readiness in repartee, as we'll
as his felicity of expression, was shown in a
reply to Eldridge, who had quoted some
passages from speeches of Bingham and
Colfax made on previous occasion. ''The
gentleman did well to read SO much of our
speeches as he did, for they reflect no dis
credit upon us. He also did we'll, perhaps,
to omit SO much of our speeches as he did,
for that reflects credit on his ingenuity"
His general style is we'll shown in his
speech on the Suffrage Amendment, from
which make few extracts:
A SPECIMEN OF HIS STYLE.
The interests of this great country de-
mand that we shall so frame the funda-
mental law that we will not take vengeance
| for the past, but security for the future.
We should SO amend the Constitution as by
this work of generous deIiverance by the
| will of brave and victorious people, we
| shall hasten that time for which all good
men pray, when We shall again be one peo-
| pie, with one Constitution and one country.
| We should frame the amendment so as to
| carry out this humble petition of the great
man whom but yesterday the people lifted
by their ballots to the highest Office in their
| gift, Let us have peace" Those words,
| LET us have peace" ought to be written in
| the heart and mind of every one of us when
| VIC come to deliberate on this question.
| LET us have peace" ought to be written on
the archways of our Capitol, and, if possi-
| BILE, ought to be written on the azure
/ arch which bends above US like the arms of
| beneficerce to which weary men look for
| hope and consolation. "Let US have peace"
| by an act Of peace that We may restore the
| broken fabric of American empire. LET us
have peace" by the works of peace and the
| arts of peace, that the land which but yes
| terday was stained with fraternal blood,
may grow green and beautiful under the
hand of honest toll. "Let us have peace"
that we may preserve the holy temple OF
our liberties until it shall lift its headstone
OF beauty above the towers of waste and
war, filling the whole earth with its glory,
and drawing all nations unto it. Let US
have peace that by our sublime example
we may teach the whole world chow good
and how pleasant thing it is for brethren
to dwell together in unity"
HIS CREDIT MoBILIER TROUBLE.
Bingham's characteristics were strikingly
exhibited in the course of the credit
Mobilier investigation. He was one of the
members whom Oakes Ames had graciously
permitted to take few shares of the stock;
but he escaped the smirch and scorching
with which some others were visited by his
boldness and truthfulness. Called rs wit
ness before the Committee of Investigation
he made clear, frank statement of his con-
nection with the matter without permitting
himself to be interrupted by questions, and
then said: "Now, believe have given to
the committee full and candid statement
without equivocation or any mental reserva-
tion, and am ready to answer any questions
touching the matter"
'tDo you think it an altogether proper
thing" asked member of the committee,
''for q member of Congress to hold stock in
an enterprise that depends for its success on
Congressional legislation"
eyes," thundered Bingham. 'National
banks are chartered by Congress and wholly
under its control, and have no doubt every
member Of this committee has a pocketful