Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-26

remember that was almost scared to death
when they put the gavel in my hand, but got
| through somehow When was nominated for
Congress had left Mansfield to practice law at
Cleveland, but on hearing of my NOM
ination came back. My opponent was an old
farmer named Lindsey, whom they called
'Ceedkorn' Lindsey. He had been in Con-
gress before and had gotten the title during his
first campaign from letter which he had writ
ten to one of his supporters. in which he spelled
seed corn Coed korn.' His constituents.
however, claimed that the wings were laughing
at the farmers. They carried seed corn with
them to the polls and made this word the
watchword Of their campaign and elected him.
They ran him for a second term against ME,
but defeated him. l was elected by good
majority and spent my first years in WASH
ington during the Pierce and buchanan admin
istrations."
What did you think Of Buchanan" said I.
II never considered him a great man." re-
piled Senator Sherman. He was Of ordinary
ability and lacked courage. He was controlled
BY the southern democracy and was neither q
to US in the Kansas Nebraska fight, with which
l had much to do and through which came
into national prominence"
JUST BEFORE THE WAR.
Senator Sherman here talked for some time
OF the great men before the war and of the
troublous times Of Buchanan's administra-
ton. He was on the committee Of Congress
sent to the west to examine into the Kansas-Ne-
braska outrages, and during this time he was
often in danger of his life. Ruffians sur
rounded the committee rooms and the Con-
gressmen received many threats to leave,
adorned with pictures Of collins above which
were skulls and eross-bones. Senator Sherman
wrote the report Of the committee and it was
struggled through to Washington inside the
clothing OF the wife of DIR. Robinson, afterward
governor OF Kansas. John Brown was the
sergeant-at-arms of the committee and Senator
Sherman says that Brown told him all the
circumstances of the killing at Ossawatomie
and seemed surprised to think that he should
consider the hanging of men by sort Of Wig
ferred to Ben Wade as q better man than he
was credited with being and said: "Ben Wade
was rough In his expressions and he was often
accustomed to use the word damn but he
never accompanied it with the name of the
Deity, and do not think he ought to be called
prOfane man."
SECESSION AND WAR.
asked Senator Sherman if he realized at
this time that the war was coming.
He replied: Eyes, I had no doub. of it and I
told my southern friends in Congress that If
the states seeded there would certainly be
war. They thought differently and many of
them believed that the north would accept Sc
cession without q struggle. l remember one.
an especial friend OF mine, Crawford of
SOOA6ia. We Oitcu tdlhtu over Tue SITUATION
together and just before he was about to leave
Washington l urged him not to 60. He said:
why, Sherman, am sure to come back again.
am going to the south now, and in two years
l will be back here at Washington as en-
voy extraordinary and minister plenipo-
tertiary from the confederate states to
the United States I replied: You are much
more likely to come back hero as a prisoner of
war. You do not appreciate our people at the
north You have no idea Of our character or
our resources. We have not commenced to
think of the matter Of secession seriously as
yet We have not begun to get angry, but
can tell you that the north will never permit a
disruption of the Union, and if the south at
tempts it every home in it will be visited with
the horrors of war; Crawford did not believe
me, but when met him some years later at the
Atlanta exposition he referred to the converse
ton"
SHERMAN AND HAYES.
Senator Sherman knew President Lincoln
well and a mutual admiration existed between
them. He was intimate with all the Presidents
from Lincoln to Harrison, and he was as close
to President Hayes as any man in his cabinet.
During our conversation 1 asked him what
ex-President Hayes was doing now
Senator Sherman replied: "He Is living as an
ex.President ought to live. He is rich and he
is devoting his energy and his fortune solely