The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-28

farmer and cabinet maker, and was once
the sherin OF the county in which they
nved. He was murdered while in the per-
romance Of the duties OF his office. Wal
Ter Gresham's early education was obtain
cd IN the country schools OF the neigh
oorhood. Later he had the advantage OF
one year In the state university at Bloom
lngton, Ind. but he did not graduate.
FROM the university he went 60
Corydon, Ind, where he studied law while
acting as deputy clerk. and in 1854 was ad-
mitted 10 the bar. In 1850 he was elected
10 the legislature of Indiana. At the end
OF the session he entered the federal service
as a heutenant-colonel of the Thirty
eighth Indiana Infantry. In December.
1861, he was appointed colonel of the Fifty
third Indiana regiment, and served under
Grant until after the siege of Vicksburg,
when he was made a brigadier general of
volunteers. Gen. Gresham was trans
ferred to Sherman's command at the be-
ginning Of the expedition against Atlanta,
and took command Of the Fourth division
OF the Seventeenth army corps. In the
severe fighting before Atlanta he was
wounded. He was disabled at Leggett's
Hill in July. 1864, and was obliged to retire
from active service, and on March
l3. 1855, was brevetted major gem
eral of volunteers for gallantry. He
then went to Albany Ind, where he prac-
congress on the republican ticket, but was
defeated During the next few years he
spent part of the time in New York as
the financial agent of the state. During
his war services he gained the esteem OF
Gen. Grant, and in 1869 the latter, being
then President, appointed him judge of
the United States district court for In
diana. Gen. Gresham had previously de-
clined at the hands of President Grant the
offices Of collector of customs at New Or
leans and federal district attorney for In
diana. In April, 1882, he resigned his judg-
ship and accepted the position of postmas-
ter general offered him by President Ar
thur. Judge Folger was at that time the
Secretary of the Treasury. Secretary Fol-
ger died in September, 1884, and Judge
Gresham was transferred to the treasury
department. He remained there but a short
while, however. He was transferred in
September, and in December of the same
year was appointed Judge of the United
States circuit court for the Seventh cir
cult. which office he held until he resigned
to enter Mr.. Cleveland's cabinet While
never very prominent in politics, Judge
Gresham was himself at least three times
considered a prominent candidate for pres
idential nominations; the first time in
1884 and in 1888 by the republicans, and
again in 1892 by the populists. In 1880 he
was a strong supporter of Grant for
third term. After 1888 the orthodoxy of
his republicanism was frequently ques-
toned. He was supposed to lean toward
the democracy, but so little did he en-
gage in politics that the populists at
one time had the idea that he was a fol-
lower of their erratic ways of thinking
on public questions. and there was a con-
siderable movement in the ranks of the
populist party in 1892 to make him their
presidential candidate. The supposition
that his ideas, in his mature age, were
strongly democratic, proved to be true
and when President Cleveland rendered
him the portfolio of the state department
it was readily accepted. That he should
have so far turned his back upon the Re
publican party, which had given him two
cabinet portfolios and two judgships, as
TO become a member of a democratic ad-
ministration, so angered the republicans.
and that he should have so disappointed
them as to prove a democrat when they
thought him a member of their party, an
gered the populists, with the effect that
there was turned upon Secretary Gresh-
ans administration a particularly hot
and partisan fire, but which he withstood
admirably.