Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-19

[ TACT, Thought he would not answer 1t at
ell, for he turned to the window, smoked
vigorously for little while, and then said.
In a rather Indifferent way, ''There is far less
snow as we approach New York than there
was in Maine when left the state" But
this utterance was evidently mere device
to gain time, for even as he spoke there
came into his eyes that peculiar and pleas
! ing twinkle which has always been one of
! the personal charms of Mr. Hamlin, and
| then he said; while these three men, of
course, were men Of extraordinary ability,
yet it seems to me as | look back that we
did not put the same glamor around them
which exists today. OF course we knew
them TO be conspicuous, and deservedly so,
but my impression is that we thought that
there We're others whose abilities were
great enough TO command just attention
from the country.
You see" he said, when young eyes
hook backward and see the men of the past
as they are revealed in history and through
tradition or aRecdote there is tendency
to enlarge, to indulge in some Of the Wis
ions of romance. / suspect that that is
the case now in the younger generation
when they think of Mr.. Clay or Mr. Web
ster or Mr.. Calhoun. These were great
men, but they are not the only ones the
country has produced, even of their times.
There were great men before them; there
have been very great men since; there are
very great men now-the equals, in my
opinion, of any who have gone beforehand
there are sure TO be men of commanding
influence and intellect in the future. Each
generation produces men equal to the oc-
casions which arise, and it is absurd to
think that the day of great men is past.
1t never passes, it never will pass, at least
in a country like ours"
/ knew that Mr.. Hamlin was great
admirer of Roscoe Conkling, and while
discussing this matter of great men sug-
gested the name of Conkling. The old
gentleman's countenance lighted up in
stantly By his manner more than by his
words he indicated how great was his APP
probation and admiration of the late
senator from New York. He said that
he had, since the death of Mr.. Conkling,
expressed in letter to Mr.. Conklings
nephew how greatly he admired Conk-
ting's ability as a statesman, and how won
derfuliy he had been impressed always
with Conhing's charm as an orator. He
was inclined to think, take it all in all,
that Mr. Conkling was the equal as an
orator of any Of the men of an earlier gen
Grafton, and in some respects exceeded any
one of them.
He then spoke of Tom Corwin very
briefly, but with smile, as he evidently
recalled that distinguished wit and orator.
He pronounced Corwin very great orator
and a man whom it was always delight
to hear.
asked him if the tradition that JEFF
Davis had once visited Maine and had been
entertained by him was true. He said he
knew Mr.. Davis very well, having served
in the senate with him. "He was a man
of impressive figure in those senatorial
days, of quite distinguished presence, most
courteous and charming in his personal
relations, although contrary TO an impress
sion which now exists Mr.. Davis could not
be called d handsome man, so far as his
countenance is concerned. Yes, it is true
Mr.. Davis once came to Maine, aud | saw
him there, but merely as a personal &C
quaiRtaRce / remember that he wore
great big goggles over his eyes. He was
threatened with paralysis Of the optic
nerve, and had been sent to Maine with bis
eyes imprisoned behind these goggles, be
cause it was thought that the sea air might
improve him, and l understood afterward
that it did"
Mr. Hamlin, however, could not be in
duced to express any opinion about Mr.
Davis abilities, and he followed his usual
practice in declining to say anything what
ever about Davis in connection with the
tremendous events with which his name
was associated.
The trip through Connecticut seemed to
suggest to the old gentleman some of the
famous men of that state whom he had
known, and he spoke particularly Of its
great war governor, Buckingham, with
whom Mr.. Hamlin served in the senate,
and whose funeral he attended as one of
the senatorial committee He said, with
almost inexpressible tenderness of manner
and geptleness Of speech: "Ah, Bucking-
ham was the finest type of a Christian
gentleman whom | ever saw He was
skillful and able as a legislator, but
think that his genuine Christian piety
was so striking and beautiful in its
development of his character that it
overshadowed his intellectual abilities.
When | think of men decrying the Chris
tian religion my mind turns to Bucking-
ham as a refutation of all the disparaging
words that may be uttered against it. He
was in the highest sense true Christian
gentleman, and perhaps that made him aII
the more efficient as great war governor. 3"
He spoke of some of the other war gov
ernors-of Andrew, of Massachusetts,,
whose courage and genius he praised; Of
Morgan, of New York, whom he greatly
admired; of Curtin, Of Pennsylvania,
whose energy and patriotism were one Of
the strongest supports the administration
had, and of Morton, of Indiana. He seemed
especially to dwell upon Morton's genius
and splendid energy, and regarded his serv-
ices as of perhaps pre-eminent value. said
to him that in recent publication an
Indiana statesman long in public life had
spoken well of the abilities of Jesse d
Bright, and compared him favorably intel
| IectuaIIy with Morton. l asked the ex-
vice president if that was his opinion. For
the first and only time during the ride Mr..
/ fIamiin gave evidences of power Of scorn
the strength of his determination, and that
he had some memories of men which were
not wholly pleasant, Nothing could have
exceeded the dignity, the solemnity with
which he replied. There was no twinkle
in his eyes now, but his glance was stern.
/ He Strengthened up his form, so that the
] impressiveness of his manner was in.
creased, and he said: II was the presiding
officer of the senate when Jesse d. Bright