The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-21
ner, Democrat West Virginia, and J. N.
Camden, Democrat, West Virginia.
LONGEST IN SERVICE.

LONGEST In SEX lCE-
There is a popular fallacy in regard to
Thomas Hart Benton's service in the
United States Senate which results from
a misunderstanding of the facts and mis-
computation. 1t is generally supposed that
Mr.. Benton served fully thirty years in the
Senate. Biographies say he served thirty
years without interruption, and his own
principal political work was account
of his observations during his senatorial
service of thirty years" AS matter of
fact his service was nine months less than
thirty yearS-to be exact, it twenty
nine years, two months and twenty-seven
days. His first election as a Senator from
Missouri was in 1920 but Missouri was no, not
admitted to the Union until Aug. 10, 1921,
and, according to the Senate journal. Mr..
Benton's credentials as Senator were pre-
sented to the Senate Dec. s, 1871 His
service ended March 3, 1851. So it appears
that the exact length of time he was in the
Senate was about nine months less than
thirty years.
Until recently these facts were imina-
terial. and of no particular interest. 1t
record as the man who had been longest
in the Senate That is true to-day in re-
spect of continuous service. but, as to ag-
Mr.. Sherman, of Ohio, last June passed
Mr.. Bentons mark of 29:2:27, and is now 200
days ahead of the Benton record.
Mr.. Bentons record stands second in
order; the record of William r. King. of
Alabama, nearly twenty-nine years, is
third, and that of Justin S. Morrill, of YER
mont, comes in as good fourth, he having
entered the Senate March a, 1861, and
served continuously within two months of
twenty-eight years.
John Sherman of Ohio, has the record
for the longest service in the Senate, and
he is equaled by only one person in the
number of his elections to the Senate. Mr..
Sherman and William r. King. of Alabama,
are the only persons who ever received
six elections to the Senate.
The services of Messrs Benton and Nor
rill were continuous, but those of Messrs.
Sherman and King were Broken by reSig-
nations and temporary absence from the
Senate. Mr.. Sherman resigned in 1877 and
went into President Hayes's Cabinet as
Secretary of the Treasury. AT the end OF
his four years term as Secretary he was
reelected to the Senate as successor to
James A. Garfield, who, after having been
elected to the Senate, to succeed Allen u.
Thurman. was elected President OF the
United States and thereupon he resigned
the senatorship, and Mr.. Sherman was again
elected to the Senate, in 1881, where he has
remained ever since. Mr.. King resigned In
1874 to become our minister TO France; SUD
sequently he returned to the Senate, but
again in 1858 he resigned to become Vice
President of the United States, to which Of
flee he was elected on the ticket with
Franklin Pierce.
The six Senators, in addition to Justin S.
Morrill,, who were honored by five elections
to the Senate were Thomas II. Benton, or
Missouri; John Gaillard, of South Carolina;
nibal Hamln, of Maine; Henry B. Anthony,
of Rhode Island, and George +. Ed
munds, of Vermont.
Gen. James Shields was the only man
who had the honor of election to the Senate
from three different States. He served a
full six-year term, 1885, from Illinois; was
one of Minnesotas first two Senat tors,
1883, and in 1879 he was elected as a
weeks remainder of the term of Louis ".
Bogy, deceased.