The Southern herald., 1893-03-31
OLHIIIB STATESMEN


clerk of the senate. Il frequently fnd
uyself Ga q reminiscent mood To-day
h looking over the senate observed
senator Stewart, Of Nevada, and Sena-
Tor sherman. Of Ohio, in conversation
near the cloak-room door, and DO not
know why, but my memory ran back
through the many intervening years
and I recalled the fact that those two
nen alone Of all the members Of the
senate at the time Of the assassination
d Lincoln, In 1865, remain as members
q this distinguished body.
Senator sherman took his seat In
the senate on the esd day Of March,
1861 lie had been q member Of the
house Of representatives and was elected
10 the senate TO take the place Of Sal-
mon P. Chase, whose election had but
recently occurred. but who had accepted
the position Of secretary Of the tressu-
y BY appointment Of President Lin
colin. With the exception Of the few
years when he was secretary Of the
treasury during the administration Of
President Hayes. Senator sherman has
been continually a member Of the up
per house. When the new state Of
Nevada was admitted 10 the union,
Senator Stewart and Senator Nye were
the first representatives Of that state
In the upper house, and they began
their terms Of service on February /,
1858. Senator Stewart remained in
the senate until March 4, 1875, and re-
appeared as a senator from the same
state March 4, 1851.
Previous 10 the civil war the ses-
sions Of the senate were held in the
room which is now occupied by the SUI
preme court. This is a very small room
compared with the present senate cham
Der; but II was large enough at that
time, because there were fewer states
and consequently fewer senator's jan
uary 4, 1859, the new senate chamber
and hall Of the house were completed
and occupied. was in the treasury
department at the time and heard Of
the assassination about half an hour
after it occurred. | Immediately went
down to the theater and remember the
thrilling seeIies Of that night as II they
had occurred but yesterday knew
many of the senators, as ! was appoint
ed TO a clerkship IN the senate a short
time afterward. was well acquainted
with Vice President Andrew johnson,
who succeeded Mr.. Lincoln in the white
house. At that time suspicion Of com.
plicity in the plot for the wholesale as
sassination Of Mr.. Lincoln and his cab
met pointed to every man whose loyalty
was suspected. Andrew johnson was
subjected TO the unkindness and cruelty
OF suspicion, too. OF course there was
absolutely no ground for that, and no
one who knew the man entertained the
idea for a moment. He was one OF the
ablest and most prominent men of his
time. His subsequent political career
became cloudcd, largely because Of his
consciousness Of his own good inten-
tions and his strong-willed determina-
ton TO have his own way in carrying
out a policy which he believed TO be
right.
There Is another member of the SEN
ate to-day who was prominent in execu-
tive life at that time, but was not a
member Of either house OF congress. |
refer to Senator William Il. Chandler,
OF New Hampshire, who was at that
time assistant secretary of the treasury.
He has not been in continuous public
life ever since, but has been in Wash
ington a great deal of the time. There
are other members Of the senate to-day
who were at that time members of the
house of representatives. They are
Senators Morrill,, of Vermont; Dawes,
Of Massachusetts; Allison and Wilson,
of Iowa; Sawyer, of Wisconsin, and
Voorhees,, Of Indiana.
II think that Congressman 0'Neill, Of
Pennsylvania, who is now called the
Father Of the House, is the only mem
Der of the house Of representatives to.
day who was a member Of that body
upon the occasion of the assassination.
One by one they have all been retired
from public service or have responded