The Portland daily press., 1894-08-24


On the opening day of the Thirty
second Congress, in December, 1851, a
tall smooth-faced young man of twenty
seven, walked to the clerks desk and
took the oath of Office. Curious eyes
closely scanned the new mem ber's make
up, for he came to the House as the
comparatively unknown successor of a
man of national repute, David Wilmot,
whose proviso had occupied the atten-
ton OF previous Congresses to the al
most total excursion of other matters.
The young mans name was Galusha
A. Grow, and he soon demonstrated that
those who had selected MIN to succeed
so notable man had made no mistake
in their choice. He early became the
leader of the courageous and brainy men
who, during the exciting days preceding
the war, waged unyielding battle
against the demands of the slave power
on the doorsof the House, and the lead
ership which he gained at the outset of
his congressional career, his great abili-
ties and answering devotion to duty
and the right easily enabled him to re-
tain during the twelve years he remained
in Congress. There was no important
measure introduced during his period Of
service that did not feel the influence of
HIS VOICE AND VOTE,
while to his determination, persistence
and far-sightedness was the final pas
sage of the homestead act, with perhaps
single exception the most important
legislation of Congress, and which has
done more than all else to make the
W est SO great and prosperous.
Pennsylvania has no more honored
citizen than Gaiusha A. Grow, none with
more stainless record, free from all
faint of personal profit or time serving,
none who has rendered TO his country in
its hour of need more efficient and pa
triotic service.
Mr.. Grow graduated from Amherst
College in 1874, and after studying law
became partner of the famous David
Wilmot. Speaking of bis association
with Wilmot, Mr.. Grow said recently:
An interesting chapter of history at
taches to it. In 1S4S Wilmot had sup
ported Van Buren,, the Free Soil candi-
date~for President, and this coupled
with his own position as author of the
proyiso, made him unpopular with
large element of his party. When he
came up for reelection in 1850 there was
trouble. The district was composed of
Tioga, Bradford and Susquehanna coun-
ties Wlimot secured the regular nonii-
nation in Bradford county, and was also
named by the Free Soil wing of the
party in Tioga county. With two Dem
ocratic candidates. iJ was evident that
Wing would be elected. Wilnot
agreed to retire if his opponent would,
and was accepted as a compromise. Tt
was close to the time of election, and
me at work on the farm repairing
bridges. One week after my nomina-
tion i was elected to Congress by ]. 200
majority. Two years later my majority
was 1877, and in 1854, as a
result Of my stand on the Kansas Ne
braska bill, there was no candidate
against me, and l was unanimously
elected" Mr. Grow entered public life
at
4 CRITICAL PERIOD.
The previous Congress, which con-
tained but nine avowed anti-slavery
men, had passed Clay's omnibus bill
and the fugitive slave law, and all mar
tiles save the small contingent of Adolf.
ttionists hoped and avowed that the
slavery question was settled for once and
iali. But early in the administration of
President Pierce the successful attempt
of Senator Douglas to repeal the Mis-
souri, compromise started anew differ
ences only war could settle. 1t is one
OF the ironies of the "irrepressible
conflict that the successor OF David
Wllmot, who had been defeated largely
on account OF his anti-slavery views,
TOOK ana from the outset maintained,
an even more radical and advanced DO
sieion than his predecessor. Already
an eHcetlve speaker, on Mr.. Crows
shoulders fell the brunt of the bitter but
fiultless battle in the House against
the repeal, and when it finally was
passed by Congress and received the Ex-
ecutive sanction he publicly and per-
manently broke with his old party as
sociates and became the Congressional
leader of the slowly swelling forces of
the newly formed Republican PARTY.
once it's caucus candidate for Sneaker
and finally the presiding officer of the
first war Congress-
One OF the most noted incidents of Mr..
Crows career was his conflict with
Keitt on the floor of the House, which
he describes as follows:
That was during the debate as to
whethe Buchanan's message on the
Lecompton constitution of Kansas
should be referred TO the committee on
Territories, which WAS Democr attic or
to n select committee of fifteen. 7 had
previously been chairman of the com
nittee on Territories, while
BANKS WAS SPEAKER.
and was then member of the commit
tee, and, accordingly had charge of the