The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-05-30

He rose to the rank of major-general !
tba voImnteers during the rebellion. He
was for IA years United States dlstrlc |
iudge for Indiana and for eight year
United States circuit judge TOT ln.np!
and held three cabinet porttollos pos
master general and secretary ot u
treasury under Arthur ana secretar! u
state under Cleveland: ~, ..,.
Mr.. Gresham came from English Stock
His ancestors moved to Virginia ana
later TO Harrison county, Indiana, WnSE
he was born on st. Patricks day, looz;
In 1888 Gresham's father was electel
sheriff and the next year was murderer
nv n noted desperate whom he mad goh
TO arrest His mother was LETT WIDOW
with five small children. Waiter y. wa
but two years old when his father wa
piIiad Walter grew up with but two or
three winters schooling until he was
wears of age. By dint of hard work an
the assistance of his brother, he succeeded
in entering the seminary at Corydon: Two
wears there and one at Bloomington
university completed his education 50 far
as schooling was concerned. he p5Sah
the study of law under Judge w. A. fof-
err, one of the most noted characters OF
Southern Indiana. while acting as deputy
clerk and in 1854 entered into partnership
with Thomas C. Slaughter, an eminent
LAWYER of that time and Afterwards Judge
of the circuit court. In the law Gresham
had gained good reputation as caretn',
painstaking lawyer.
With the first shrek of wars alarm,
Governor Morton appointed him lieuten-
ant colonel of the Thirty-eighth Indiana
regiment, but before he saw active seq
vice. he was appointed colonel of the
Fifty-third Indiana in December, 1861.
Gresham's regiment was ordered to Joi
Grant at Fort Donaldson, August IL
1868 he was appointed brigadier general
ON the recommendation of Grant AMI
Sherman, and placed in command of the
Natchez district. In the following spring
I he was placed in command OF the div s!On
! of the Seventeenth corps OF the army OF
Tennessee which took part in the cam
paign at At!"nta.
At ..aggetts Hill, Fort Atlanta, he WAS
struck by sharp shooters bullet just be-
/ low the knee. To the day of his death.
| Graham never recovered the full use of
, his limb.
The war over, General Gresham re-
turned to his profession forming a law
partnership at New Albany, Ind. In 1866
he was nominated for congress against
! NJ. c. Kerr but the district was heavily
Democratic and he was defeated. When
, General Grant became president he ap-
pointed him United States judge for
| Indiana. When Postmaster General
Howe died in 1888, Gresham, then hold
4 ing court at Evansville, was rendered the
cabinet position by telegraph and ac'
copied.
4 Near the close of Arthur's term, on the
death of Secretary Folger he was ap
pointed secretary of the treasury, pos;
ton he held until October. 1884. Pres
dent Arthur, who had taken him from the
bench. had the satisfaction of restoring
him to succeed Judge DrummOnd. II
! 1888, Judge Gresham was made prOmi-
ent candidate for the Republican nomina-
ton for the presidency at the Chicago con
ventiOn. His liberal views On the tariff
brought against him the antagonism of the
extreme protectionists at Chicago. Judg
= Gresham with other Republicans openly
| disscnted from the Mckinley law and il
t 1892, after the nomination of Mr.: Cleve
land by the Democrats, he, with Othe
, distinguished Republicans renounce
their allegiance to the Republican part
and advocated Mr.. Cleveand's election
After Mr.. Cleveland was elected in Eel
ruary, 1898, he summoned Judge Gresham
t to Lakewood, n. j., where after cor
> sultation, he rendered him the position o
premier of the cabinet, he was forming
l Judge Gresham assumed the duties o
secretary of state on March I, 1893.
= During his short term as postmaste
D General Gresham accomplished much
= Letter postage to Canada was reduced
: and the postal convention with Mexico
: was signed. Another great service h,
rendered to the country was the re-estab
# lishment of the fast mails
n AS secretary of state in the present ad
ministraton Mr.. Gresham has had t.
i deal with, perhaps, more veXatious intri
d cate and delicate diplomatic affairs thai
i has fallen to the share of most Secretarie
of state. His treatment of these wa
9 marked by the strong individuality whicI
q was part of the man. Perhaps from hi
! long judicial experience he was dispose,
to view every question from the stand
" point of exact justice. To him it mad
, little difference how any line of actor
promised to affect his country, he coul
Il and did disabuse his mind of any persona
II feeling in dealing with any internationa
I question and the first consideration wit
" him was always fairness. If his ow
=, country occupied false position in
y matter, he thought it his duty to set
/, right even at a sacrifice of material intel
u, ests as it might appear at the time.
y Secretary Gresham had much to dis
J., satisfy him with the state of our foreig
y relations when he assumed office tn
:. last time. and in his characteristic tashlo
~ he set to work to shape these to met
Il his own ideas without delay. Such
-, course was certain to subject him to bl
Ill Ter criticism and he fully knew it, but
was in no respect deferred from doi1
what he thought was right. This brOugl
him face to face with the great questic
/ of the hour at that time-the anneXatiC
Ia of Hawaii. He had decided views upC
a this matter even before he came into Il
-, | oab;not and If was unOn his recommend