Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-13
ALLEN G. THURMAN DEAD.

ALLEN c. THURMAN DEAD.
 At his home in Columbus, O., at half past o'clock D. m. yesterday. Ex-Senator Allen G. Thurman breathed his last.
 Than Allen G. Thurman. the Old Ro- man." as he was commonly called by his political admirers. this country has pro- duced no greater. truer or abler man. Some have attained higher political hon ors, but none have been more worthy or competent than he to fill them.
 Senator Thurman was born in Lynch burg. Va. in November. 1913. and was therefore S2 years of age when death claimed him. At the age of years he removed with his parents from Virginia to Ohio, in which state he has lived con- tinuously up to the time of his death. At the age of P he was admitted to the practice of law, and continued in the practice of his chosen profession until 1S44, during which year he was elected as a democrat to the Twenty-ninth con- gress and served one term. On retiring from congress he resumed the practice of law. In 1851 he was elected justice of the supreme court of the state of Ohio, and during two years of his term on the supreme bench of his state he served In the capacity of chief justice. On retiring from the supreme bench of his state he again resumed the practice of his profes- sion.
 The great reputation gained by Judge Thurman as a shrewd lawyer and jurist was founded upon the reports contain ing his decisions during the five years he was judge of the supreme court or Ohio. In politics Judge Thurman was always a democrat and great leader of his party In 1867 Judge Thurman was nominated by his party as candidate for governor of the state of Ohio. Against him was nominated Rutherford B. Hayes by the republicans The can vass was a heated one, and notw1th- standing the state at the previous cleo tion had gone republican by majority of 43,000, Judge Thurman was defeated by only 29S3 votes the democrats carry ing the legislature by large majority. In January, 1868. the legislature elected Judge Thurman to the United States senate to succeed Benjamin F. Wade, republican, On the 4th of March, 1869, he took the oath of office as United States senator. making the eleventh democrat then in the senate. At once Judge Thurman took position as lead CT. As a debater he was fearless and scarcely had an equal on the floor of the Tinted States senate. At that time the south was in the hands of the carpet baggers," yet Judge Thurman never let an opportunity to raise his voice against military rule pass. In 1873 the legisla- ture of his state again sent him to the senate In 1876, 1880 and 1884 Senator Thurman was a candidate for the demo- cratic nomination for president, and while failing in the effort to secure the nomination, he proved the truth of the adage that genuine statesmanship and leadership in great political parties sell dom win the highest honors.
 When in 1879 the democrats secured control of the senate the great leader from Ohio, who found only ten other democrats on the floor of the tewhen he entered that body in 1868. found him. self not the leader of a small minority, but the leader of the democratic ma jor- ity.
 On the organization of the senate in 1879 Judge Thurman was elected presi- dent pro tempore by his democratic col leagues. In March. 1881, Judge Thurman retired from the senate, returned to his home in Columbus and resumed the prac- tice of law.
 In 1888 Judge Thurman was the nom- inee of the national democratic party for vice-president on the ticket with MT. Cleveland. Since then he has been. be- cause of feeble health, unable to take any active part in politics. but never for an hour had the Grand Old Roman lost interest in the success of his party Only a few weeks ago, during the state cam paign in Ohio, great concourse of peo- pie gathered in front of his residence in order that they might once more listen to words of wisdom as they fell from the lips of the great leader whom they de- lighted to honor.
 A great man has gone to his reward In the death of Allen G. Thurman the country loses a citizen, a democrat, statesman, who had few equals and no superors.