The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-05-31
FRIDAY, MAY 81, 1895.
SECRETARY GRESHAM DEAD.

Walter O. Gresham, Secretary of
Stete in President Cleveland's cabinet,
died last Monday at Washington, af-
ter brief illness.
Walter Quinton Gresham was little
more than sixty three years old when
his record as soldier, jurist and states
man was closed by death. He was
essentially an Indianian, though of
late years claiming residence in Illl-
nois. Born in log cabin in Harri-
son county, Ind, on March II, 1889,
and receiving all his early education
and legal training in that State. he
abandoned prosperous law practice
and membership in the State Legis-
lature in August, 1861, to throw his
whole energies into the prosecution of
the war for the defense of the Union.
His gallant and conspicuously able
services in that capacity secured him
the strong friendship of General
Grant and the respect of his Corfed-
crate opponents, which was frequently
manifested in after life.
He entered the service as lieuten-
ant colonel of the Thirty eighth In
diana Volunteers, was bievetted bri-
gadier general for gallantry in the
siege of Vlcksburg, and retired as
major general
After the war closed he was brought
forward prominently as a political
candidate. He ran for Congress in
the New Albany, Ind, district in 1866
as a Republican and was defeated.
Then he was appointed financial
agent of his State in New York city,
and while holding this position was
selected by President Grant for ap
pointment as United States District
Judge in his native State.
In 1880, when one of the customary
changes in the complexion of the In
diana Legislature made it possible to
elect Republican to succeed Joseph
Z. Mcdonald, to the United States
Senate, Judge Gresham and Benjamin
Harrison were the leading candidates
for the position, and Mr.. Harrison
secured the election.
After the death of Garfield, in 1882,
Judge Gresham was rendered the
position of Postmaster General in
President Arthur's reorganized Cabi-
net, and resigned his District Judge
ship to accept it. When Secretary
Folger died, in 1884, after his over
whelming defeat as candidate for Gov
ernor Of New York by Grover Cleve-
land, Mr.. Gresham was transferred to
the Treasury portfolio, thus vacated.
The duties of Cabinet officer and
the exacting requirements involved IN
the disposal of the patronage of one
of the greatest executive departments
of the Government were not to his
taste, and at his own request Presi.
dent Arthur nominated him, after
barely three months service as Secre
tary Of the Treasury, to the position
of Circuit Judge for the Seventh Judi
cial Circuit, which embraces the States
of Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin
He retained this position until, at Mr..
Cleveland's urgent personal request,
he joined Mr.. Cleveland's second
Cabinet as Secretary of State. Blu,
in the mean time varying political
movements had brought his name for
ward as candidate for the Presidency
In an interlude in the convention
at Chicago, which subsequently nomi
mated Benz jamin Harrison, Colonel
Robert G. Ingersoll was called to the
platform for patriotic speech, and
after thrilling the convention with one
Of his finest bursts of cloquence, sud
denly sprang the name of Judge Ores.
ham as Presidential nominee and at.
tempted to stampede the convention
to his support.
The utterly unexpected anti climax
which followed this dramatic incident
is something which even the most
experienced frequenters of political
conventions will always bear in mem
ory. 1t seems as if the entire conven-
ton rose as one man and hooted
down the eloquent speaker for what
was regarded as an attempt to take
snap judgment on them, and Judge
Gresham's name was not again seri,
ousiy considered by the convention
In 1899 the Populist party sent a
delegation to tender Judge Gresham
a nomination at the head of theii
ticket but he declined to accept the
offer, and remained on the Bench
until he resigned, at the personal re-
quest of Mr.. Cleveland, to become
Secretary of State.