The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-29
OF HANNIBAL HAMLIN.
Re Often Spoke of Himself as a Yankee
of the Yankees.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK, July l3-The late Hannibal
Hamlin was a thorough and characteristic
New Highlander, and prided himself on the
fact without boastiDg of it. Knowing
that many persons are inclined to refer
slightingly to Maine Yankees, he often
spoke of himself as one, adding that ma
tive of Maine is the most Yankeeish of
Yankees. A solid, practical man, making
no pretense to brilliancy, or to anything
else, indeed, he was devoted to principle,
and invariably commanded the respect Of
his political opponents as well as of his
own party. During his long public career,
extending through period Of forty years,
he was never accused of any lack of integ-
rity, however bitter the party contest. He
was spoken of as Honest Hamlin" in his
state almost as much as Lincoln was
spoken of as Honest Old Abe" in Illinois.
When nominated for vice president on the
ticket with Lincoln in 1850 the Republicans
of Maine declared that two more upright
men had never been named for Office in the
history Of the country, and their declara-
ton was verified by the result.
A tradition still exists in Oxford county,
Ne, where he was born and passed his
early years, that as a boy he never cheated
at any game, and that his playmates would
leave any disputed question to him con-
WINGED that his decision would be just
He was never known to betray any trust.
His given name he never liked, and
thought several times, it is said, of chang
ing it in his youth. lie naturally admired
the character of Hannibal; but, as the
famous Carthaginian was known mainly
as a general, and as he himself had no
military capacity or ambition, he consid-
cred the name absurd To call him Han
nibal, he asserted, was like calling Qua
ker Napoleon. He was always opposed to
slavery, having changed his party relations
five years before the war on that issue. He
said, later, that he regarded slavery very
much as Hannibal regarded Rome. He was
very familiar with the history of that hero,
and frequently alluded TO it among his init
mate friends, usually ending with, "Why,
under the sun and moon, should l have
been called Hannibal"
He always plumed himself on his sound
constitution and vigorous health. For
many wears before his death he had not had
anything that deserved the name of illness.
He sometimes said that he thought he
should live to be a hundred, and he usually
acted as if he considered himself immortal.
going through the bitter Maine winters
without overshoes and without an overcoat.
He was not far from eighty when he first
wore those articles, and then only after
long and persistent urging by his kindred.
1.-The great secret of keeping young" he
was in the habit of saying, sis not to con-
slider yourself old. Not TO so consider your
self is to feel young, and to feel young is to
be young. When | was a boy, persons
little past fifty thought themselves aged
and got ready to go on the retired list.
Now they count themselves less aged at
seventy. My own opinion is that we ought
to live to be a hundred and still preserve
all our faculties, and believe we shall do
so in another century or two. The trouble
is that we have not yet begun to under
stand natures laws. When we do under
stand them longevity will be the rule, not
the exception. Most men do not die; they
kill themselves. Men commit suicide by
their habits much more frequently than by
blowing out their brains, by hanging,
poisoning, or drowning"
He said that he had always enjoyed life,
and that he was anxious to live, though
not day longer than he should remain
sound in mind and body. He often quoted
lines:
1t is not all of life TO live,
Nor all of death TO die.
When nominated to the vice presidency
he declared, with entire amiableness, that
the country at large heard of him for the
first time, which was to certain extent
true. And then he added: 81 was beyond
fifty; had been for years in the house
of representatives and the United States
senate, also governor of Maine. The rea-
son of my obscurity is that l have been a
worker, not talkerl l know I'm not an
orator, and | never assume to be. Many
men in congress make speeches for bun
combe. | can't talk for buncombe, and |
if | could. More time is wasted
by gable in Washington every winter
than would suffice to transact the business
Of three sessions. Some men seem to think
that language was given to them to con-
ceal their absence of ideas, and they use it
most successfully for this purpose" Very
few men who had done so much valuable