Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-06-25
SAT- IN A HISTORIC SENATE.
Thomas L Clingman Was Colleague q
Clay aud Webster.


The news that ex-senator Thomas La
nier Cl;ngman has entered home for Con-
federate soldiers In North Carolina, broken
in health and In purse, has excited the
deepest sympathy among those who knew
tine old man In his palmy days and In re-
cent years. 30 has been q familiar figure
about the capitol, and it was only lately
that his presence was missed from the cor
ridors and the floor Of the senate.
It was a daily sight, Just after the ses.
sion of the senate began, TO sea the Rauut
gray figure, straight as an Indian despite
the burden of ago walk into the chamber
and take a sea. In an unobtrus!ve corner.
Snow white hair. scaat of growth, pae!ly
covered his head, and snowy whiskers
served to hide the hollow cheeks. Occa.
sionally senator would stop for a word,
and the aged Solon would seize the oppor-
tunity to tell o. his antitchacco cure, which
has been his hobby for macy years.
To see Clingmnn In his poverty strickor
old age one found IL hard to picture him
as power in a body Of great MEL. sach as
Clay, Webster and Calhoun. Yet he Wa,
quito prominent, If not 80 famoIs, in tbs
proceedings which marked the historic
time wheL they were his colleagues. Clay
was his idol, and when Ne5ste: made hi:
great 7th of March speech he sat on tht
arm of C!ay's chair, his hand afectionately
resting on the grel. Kentuck.an's shout
der. That was in the old senate chamber,
where the federal supreme court now holdI
its sessions. With Andrew jackson as hi
companion he led the senate inse the ol(
hon r,f en- StutI1nru hill
to hear John Quincy Adams deliver hi
eulogy on Lafayette.
His friendship for Clay lod to duel be
tween himself and Congressman Vance.
of Alabama, growing cut of speech de
livered about tho causes that lod to Clay
defeat. The ground selected for the meet
ing was near Washington, perhaps at Bla
densburg. Pistols were the weapons, ant
one shot was exchanged without effect
Here the seconds, Charles Leo Jones, th
noted exponent of the code duello, TO
| Clingman and Congressman Huger o
| South Carolina for Yancey, endeavored +
bring about on adjustment, and the
| finally arranged tho matter satisfactorily
| During the very first week be served Il
congress Clingman had passage at arm
| OQ G1lC hOUE WlUA 11NhkJ "A6O "a ~
| giniA
The public career of Senator Clingma
| has been a remarkable Que. He Is now 8
years of age, and more than 30 Of thes
were spent in. legislative assemblies Grad
uating from the University of North Cart
lima at 30, he was soon after elected to tn
state legislature, and in 1910 was promot
| ed by the electors to the state senate. Fror
| December, 1643 to June, 1858, he serve
| continuously as a representative of Mort
Carolina in congress, with the exceptio
of one term, participating during this ez
tended period in nearly all important d.
bates, particularly in those relating
foreign affairs, from his prominent positio
of chairman of the committee having th6
field in charge During this service he e.
tablished O record for attendance, neve
missing days session.
His senatorial career v.gan i'll 1S5
through appointment to fill the uuexpire
term of Senator Asa Biggs, who resigne
to accept federal judgeship. He was sui
sequently elected to succeed himself frol
March 4, 1861, but the term was never b
gun. In the preceding January Clingmn
withdrew from the senate with 9TH
southern members, participated as con
missioner from North Carolina in the Coz
federate congress in May, and in July WI
formally expelled from the senate. The
he entered the Confederate army and b.
came a brigadier general and did not fl
ure again in politics after 1868, when /
went as delegate to the Democratic n
tional convention.
| y,u;o ES fha rryaro oyd fOp N lnT
time thereafter Senator Clingman had d
voted himself to scientific pursuits, and
is tribute to his knowledge and enthus
asm that he determined the highest poin
of Black mountain and Smoky mountain
both of which have been called in his ho
or. North Cardinals valuable mineral d
posits were also made known through h
efforts. s.--Washington Post.