The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-28
GRESHAM's BUSY LIFE.
Lawyer. soldier. Jurist. and Occupant
of Three Cabinet Positions.

Lawyer. soldier. Iurist. and Occupant
of Three Cabinet Positions.
Walter Quinton Gresham was horn
March Il, i>sa. in an old-fashioned farm
house. near IaneSville, Harrison connty.
Ind His father. William Gresham. was
sheriff OF the hackwoods county, and no
died the death of a brave officer ia the
discharge OF his duty. An outlaw named
Sipes had defied arrest and terrorized n
dozen officers William Gresham sought
him aud arrested him at dance Tho
sheriff was unarmed and Sipes shot him
dead with his rifle. Judge Gresham was
years old then. next TO the youngest OF
FIVE small children. In his boyhood he
followed the plow by day and studied his
books at night His education was gained
by the hardest kind OF work and sotf-de-
nial. His mother was poor but plucky.
and she managed the farm and kept the
family together. Walter went 90 the dis
trict school. and when he Is years
old an opportunity came TO attend Cory
don seminary. He got a clerkship In ths
county auditors office. and this paid his
board and school expenses. lie spent two
years al Corydon. then a year at Blooms
ington university. and on his return to
Corydon he got place I'm the county
clerks office. Here he studied law. He
was admitted 10 the bar when - years
old, and began 10 practice
He was Whig I'm politics, arld Joined
the htnHhttAn party AS &tloN dS " WEE
organized. His law partner was a dele
gate TO the convention which nominated
John e.. Fremont for the presidency in
1850. Young Gresham stumped the state
for "the Pathfinder" He was nominated
for the legislature I'm 1850 as a Republican
and was elected. though his district had a
normal Democratic majority OF 500 Az
chairman of the committee on military
affairs he brought forward and had
passed militia bill which placed Indiana
on almost war footing. lie was a valai-
able coadiutor OF War Governor Morton,
who leaned upon him and gave him his
confidence. He aided I'm procuring the as
sent OF the Indiana legislature 10 the pro-
posal TO the legislature of Virginia for
conference Of representatives OF the bor-
der states at Washington City.
There n military company in Cory
don called the Spencer Rifles. Young
Gresham was its captain. When the war
broke out his constituents wanted TO re-
elect him 10 the legislature. but the young
military captain was too ardent n patriot.
He enlisted as a private tn the Thirty
eighth regiment Almost Immediately he
was made its lieutenant colonel lie first
saw service nj Shiloh Then he helped
Gen. Vecche besiege Corinth. At vicks-
burg he met Grant After the surrender
Grant and Sherman united i'm recommend
ing Gresham for a bFfgadieF's commission
and he received it, lie was shot i'm the
knee while In command Of a division OF
Sherman's army AZ f.escett's Hill before
Atlanta. Gen. Gresham never fully re-
covered the use OF that shattered leg.
AT one time Gresham was placed in
command OF the post and district OF
NatcheZ. His government Of that turbu
lent city was so wise and iudicious thar
II Is spoken Of 10 this day. IIis sreat
difficulty was with the cotton speculate
ors and cotton thieves. when they
found an incorruptihle man IN command
they resortei 10 every devise and subj
terfuEe 20 deceive him. one OF them
became quite friendly with Gen. Gresh-
am but 10 no purpose Gresham finally
told him to leave town or he would pnt
him in irons. The specula tor. who had
been a soldier. complained 10 eGn Grant
Did Gen. Gresham say he would put
you IN irous?" said Grant
"He most assuredly did"
We'll. then" said Grant 'I would
advise you to keep away from him.
for I have always found HAN a man OF
mis- word"
When Gresham was ready 70 stump TO
.he front again the war had ended IN
1866 he was brevetted major general. and.
being mustered out. began the practles
Of law a New Albany Ind. When Cen.
Grant became president he offered Gen.
Gresham the collectorship 0e the pors
os New Orleans and subsequently tho
district attorneyshlp for Indiana Both
offers We're declined.
that Gresham had indorSeA the applica-
tious Of other men for each of tha
places. and felt himself in honor boiipf
10 refuse them He twice ran for con-
gress. and was defeated ny Michael G..
Kerr In 1879 President Grant apnofntes
him United States district judge for In
diana This appointment he accepted.
and here began hts judicial career. In
the Hzelve years ne had that district
iudgeehip not one Of his decisions was
reversed.
President Arthur called him from N.
bench 70 become a member of his cab
met in 1870. He took the portfolio left
vacant by the death ~ Postmaster
General Howe. One of the notable incl
dents Of his career "a postmaster
general was his exclusion % the r,ouiF~
lana Lottery Company from the use oF
the mails. and this he accomplished N
spite Of powerful pressure. Near the
close ~ President Arthur's term. on ths
death ~ Secretary Foiger. Judge Gresh-
ar, uyaa anr0iu-e1 secretary er the treas
urv n position which he held but a short
time. being succeeded by Hugh NeEfullorh
who died last week. President Arfhur
anuoinfed him United States circuis
tr,sgr for the Seventh judicial district.
4 r.osIfion which he held until he en-
.eraa President CleveiansFs cabinet in
fSs2
r,,gza f,rssnarl's most famous decision
-,ss sr .ha wabash case IN 1856 when ls
p,.ve law Could such hard blrv that that
aa4uta railroad rnaguate could only EsEo
o,,s gn@er aboDt Gresham being aFsshi-
.so,tE for tne presidency. The. Wabash svs-
.sr,.. has been described as ffe master
niece ~ Jay Csould's genius. IN the spring
- 1Ss4 A. was composed of no less than
six,y-elgas separate original corporations.