Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-24
FEW DIE---NONE RESIGN.
BUT THIS is NOT TRUE OF UNlTEr
STATES SENATORS.

Throwing of the Senatorial Toga Bring
Up the Rear of a Procession More Than
Two Hundred Strong-Long Death Roll.
Especial Correspondence.l
WASHINGTON, May 4.-There is an old
saving of office holders that few die and
none resign. When asked few weeks
ago il he intended to retire from the SEN
ate Mr. Edmunds adroitly threw his.ques-
toner off the scent by replying, "Did you
ever know any one to resign public office
unless he had a better one in view" Yet,
the adage and the senator to the contrary
Notwithstanding, we have within month
had two instances of resignation from the
senate-Mr. Edmunds stepping down on
account of his health, and Mr.. Reagan, be-
cause he wanted to make sure of good in
come in his declining years. There was
something pathetic about the resignation
of the latter After fifty-two years of pub
lie service in his state, in the Federal
congress-, in the Confederate congress
and cabinet, and again in the Federal
congress, he felt it necessary to
resign in his old age and poverty,
so that the fortunes of politics might
not leave him stranded at last Who
was it exclaimed if he had served his God
Oue-Udll SO VIGIL DIS nG udQ StFNtu LIS GULL
try, etc? Thinking one day about the old
saying that few die and none resign, con-
cluded to supplant maxims with facts. So
looked up the records and was surprised
to find that there have been more than 225
designations from the United States SEN
ate and nearly 100 deaths of senators in
office. Considering that only S85 men all
told have sat in the senate, these figures
strike one as being somewhat remarkable
refutations of the old adage. 1t appears
that in the early days of the republic seat
in the senate was not considered so high
an honor nor so great a prize as it is
in these times; and it is safe to assume
that in the first half century of the gov
ernment. senatorial seats were not bought
and sold as they have been in some
instances in later times At any rate, res
ignations have been much fewer of late.
Nowadays when a man steps voluntarily
out of the senate it is generally, as Mr.. Ed
munds says, with a certainty or expecta-
tion of getting something better, such as a
seat on the supreme court bench or a place
in the cabinet. Even in recent times, how
ever, there have been a few instances of
resignation from other motives. Conkling
and Platt resigned for pride's sake; few
years ago General Gordon, now senator
elect from Georgia, resigned to go into.
money making; Jonathan Chace, of Rhode
Island, resigned two years ago because he
could not afford to live in Washington on
a senator's salary; Simon Cameron re-
signed to make room for his son Don, and
now Edmunds and Reagan, who have been
conspicuous men for full quarter of a
century, throw off the senatorial toga.
Most of the recent senatorial designations
I1a1 s,,+<@ .l1,, IL
cabinets
In the old days there must have been
either a mania for resigning or some politi-
cal tradition which required men elected
under certain conditions to step out before
the expiration of their terms and give some
one else chance. Except on some such
hypothesis it is impossible to explain the
large number of voluntary retirements dur
ing the first half century of the senate.
There was scarcely state that did not have
from half dozen to dozen such instances.
In Alabama William R. King resigned
twice, first in 1874 and again in 1853; John
W. Walker one of the first senators, re-
signed in 1922. Other designations were
John Mckinley, 1887, and A. P. Bagby,
1S4S.
Arkansas has had three designations
SERVER, in 1s4S; Borland, his successor, in
1853, and Garland, in 1885, to go into Presi-
dent Cleveland's cabinet.
California has had but one resignation,
that of Senator Casserly, in 1873. Colo
RADIO has had but one that of Senator
Teller, in 1882, to go into President
Arthur's cabinet.
In Connecticut Oliver Ellsworth, a first
senator, resigned in 1876, and was succeed
ed by James Hillhouse, who served four
teen years and then resigned. johnson,
another firsG senator resigned in l79l;
Roger Sherman, who succeeded him, died;
his successor, Mitchell, resigned; his sue
cessor, Jonathan Trumbull, resigned; his
successor, Tracy, died, and Tracy's success
sor, Goodrich, resigned. Senator Smith
resigned in 1854.
The little state of Delaware has had re-
markable number of designations, as fol-
lows Read, 1898; Vining, 1898; Latimer,
1901; Wells, 1904; James A. Bayard, 1913;
Rodney, 1928; Thomas Clayton, 1897; Nc
Lane, 1929; Nandain, 1886; John M. Clay
ton 1886 and 1S49; James A. Bayard (sec-
ond), 1864; Thomas F. Bayard, 1885.
designations in Georgia have been:
jackson, 1895; Milledge, 1909; Crawford,
1911; Bibb, 1916: Troup 1918; Forsythe,
1919; Walker 1921; Cobb 1928; Berrien,
lSE9, IrOup dStlu Ill 1oooi oOIAiOh "e5oih IL
1852; Colquitt, in 1S48, and Gordon, in 1880.
Illinois has had but one resignation, that
Of Ninian Edwards, a first senator, in 1924.
Iowa has had adthree-Harlan,i in 1865; Grimes,
in 1869, and Kirkwood, in 1882. Kansas has
had one-Caldwell, in 1873.
The early statesmen of Kentucky were
fond of throwing off the senatorial toga
Here is the record of one seat in the senate
Thurston resigned in 1909, and Henry Clay
filled out the term; Bibb succeeded Clay
and resigned in 1914, Walker filling the
term; Barry came next, but resigned in
1876, Hardin filling the term; then came
John J. Crittenden, who resigned in 1873
after johnson and Bibb again Crittender
came in once more, and resigned second
time in 1910; Guthrie resigned in 1868
The other seat Jared in tom way: join
Breckenridge resigned in 1905; his successor
Adair, resigned in 1906, Henry Clay filling
out the term; Pope, who succeeded Clay
resigned in 1914; his successor, Bledsoe
resigned in 1919; Bledsoe's successor, Tai
bot. resigned in 1920; Talbot's successor
Logan, resigned the same year; finally Tai
bot was induced to serve out full term
and Rowan initiated his example; theI
Henry Clay was elected for two terms, bu
resigned in 1842; Crittenden, who succeeded
him, resigned in 1S4S, and was succeeded
iby Metcalf, and. Metcalf in turn was sue
ceeded by Clay, who resigned once more Il
1852
10 ..nesrrVa aaH xrrar