The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-03-01
HOW G. A. GROW GREW.
Interesting "Reminiscences of the Past and
Present Political Career of Galusha
A. Grow.

The result of the late special election.
for congressman at large in the state of
Pennsylvania must be most gratifying
considering the present extraordinary
political situation Of the cOuntry-to the
successful party, and more especially to
the successful candidate, the Hon. Galu.
sha A. Grow. | was well acquainted
with that gentleman in his early man
mood and his first entrance into national
politics over forty-three years ago, and a
little ancient history in regard to that
circumstances would. perhaps, be accept
able to your readers
David Wllmot, who afterwards ac-
CURED a national reputation by introdu-
eng IN congress the celebrated piOvlso
which bears his name to the bin making
an appropriation for the purpoe OF
negotiating peace and purchasing terri
tory OF Mexico. with which country We
were then at war, was ut that time a
member of congress from the 18th Penn.
s%ylvauia district. He was a man of
c mmanding presence a finished orator
and the pride Of his friends, but the
ants for the Office. and when Mr.. Wi!mot
received the nomination for his fifth
term considerable dissatisfaction was
manifested, and for the sake of harmony
he told ii committee that waited on him
that il he would be allowed to name his
successor he would withdraw from the
field. This was tlually agreed to and he
named Gulusha A. Grow, who at that
time vas an obscure young man lust
from college and little known even in
his " county. But Wilmot thought
he saw "the elements Of greatness in
the young man, and his judgment proved
correct. Mr.. Grow was elected by a
large majority. He had just passed the
age required by the constitution hen
he took his seat in congress-. and at that
time was the Youngest man who had
been "a Tetnber OF that body. During
his first session he introduced a bill
granting homesteads to actual settlers
on the public lands, but it was defeated
cratic and did not want any such non
sense. lie remained in congress how
ever long enough to see his pet measure
become a law by tue grace Of a republic
can house and senate, and signed by the
immortal Lincoln. Mr.. Grow was eject,
ed speaker Of the house in the Thirty
seventh congress, called in extra session
July /, 1861, and was the youngest
speaker except Henry Clay, who had
ever presided over that body. Mr.. Grow
was originally Il democrat but was elect
ed to congress as a republican, not as a
democrat, as some of the cyclopedias
have it.
was personally acquainted vita both
Mr.. Wilmot and Mr.. Grow and voted
both "early and often for the former as
a democrat and afterwards as a republi-
can, and know Of my own knowledge
that Mr.. Grow had left the democratic
party two years before he was first
elected to congress.
More than thirty years have passed
since Mr.. Grow retired to private life.
Nearly a generation has gone over to the
silent majority within that time, and he
will meet but few, if indeed any, fami lar
faces in that assembly to which he has
been reelected, and he forms a link be-
tween the former and the prosen' gene
ratIons of statesmen. T.. :. x.