Evening star., 1896-08-07

Judge Shelln nbarger.
ent at his bedside when the end came his
wife, his two daughters. Miss Anna Shell
labarger and Mrs. ]. H. Young of Spring
field, Ohio; Mr.. Young. Miss Brandbriff,
sister-in-law, and Samuel Shellabarger, his
grandson. Judge Shellabarger's death was
caused by heart failure and complication
Of stomach and bladder diseases incident
to old age. The funeral will take place
tomorrow afternoon at O'Clock from the
residence on 18th street, and the remains
will be taken in special car to Springfield,
Ohio, for interment.
Owing to the absence from the city Of so
many lawyers, the Washington Bar Asso-
citation today decided to postpone action
upon the death of Judge ShellabarSer until
a later period.
Announced I'm Court.
The death of Mr.. Shcllabarger was deeply
regretted at the city hall. and in Equity
Court No. 1 Mr. George E. Hamilton an
nounced 1t to the court, Judge Cole and
moved that the court adjourn as a mark of
respect to his memory. The motion was
seconded by Mr.. ]. ]. Darlington. and Judge
Cole granted the notion directing the clerk
to enter on the minutes of the court that
out of respect to the memory of the de-
ceased, long able and distinguished men,
ber of this bar, it is ordered that this court
do now adjourn.
A Sketch of His Life.
The death of Samuel S. Shellabarser has
removed another of those disting uished
characters whose names are insep irably
connected with the legislative history of
the late civil war and the subsequent turbu-
lent period of our national existence occa-
stoned by the efforts of Congress to effect
satisfactory reorganization of the seceding
n n hair l.ar
political status. Mr.. Shellabarger was born
on a farm in Mad River township, Clark
county, Ohio on the 10th of December,
1917. At the age of tWenty-four he was
graduated with honor from Miami Uni
versity and afterward received from its
faculty the degree of doctor of laws. Short
ly after his graduation he began the study
of law, and i'll 1916 was admitted to the
bar, entering upon the practice of his pro-
fession in the city of Springfield. He soon
attained high rank throughout the state as
a lawyer and public speaker. Having serv-
ed for a short time in the legislature that
framed and adopted the present constitu-
ton of Ohio, he was. in 1850. elected to
seat in the House of Representatives of
the United States from the Springfield dis
trict, subsequently serving llso in the
Thirty ninth. Fortieth and Forty-second
Congresses. Upon the final adjournment
of the Forty-second Congress he refused
denomination. intending permanently to re-
tire from public life and devote himself ex-
cluSlVely to the practice of his profession.
His Congregational Career.
Almost Immediately upon taking his seat
in the Thirty-seventh Congress-, although
at that time a novice in the art Of state
craft, Mr.. Shellabarger became a conspic-
uous participant In the debates of the
House upon measures Of national import
ance and concern. and soon came to be re-
garded by his associates as one of the
Lars and
intellectual giants of the time. He was a
man of strong convictions, courageous, of
spotless integrity and honesty of purpose
deeply religious, and never failed to Keep
his promises and engagements If possible
to do SO. AS an orator his style was of the
purest type of forensic eloIuence. Clear
logical, concise and impressive, he never
failed to command the closest attention of
his audience. and upon his retirement at
the close of his congressional career he
was looked upon by the country at large
as one of our foremost statesmen. The
first of his speeches that attracted general
attention was one made in defense of the
right Of the executive, in the alb ;ence of
a statute authorizing, to suspend the
privilege OF the writ of habeas corpus OF
the force and effect of his argument upon
the occasion President Lincoln said after
ward to the Speaker of the House that lit
was conclusive, at least, as to the specific
cases of dangerous persons"
The Reconstruction Act.
In the Thirty-ninth Congress-. while the
reconstruction act was under consideration
by the House, the friends Of that measure,
after long and heated discussion, differed
SO materially in opinion as to the manner
of governing the seeded states prior to
their restoration to representation in Con-
gress, that it's ultimate success was greatly
endangered. A protracted and intense strug-
gle ensued, and during the night before the
bill was put upon its final passage Mr..
Shellabarger withdrew to the privacy of
committee room, and, without having
consulted or advised with anybody there
drafted what is now the sixth section of the
statute. This provision was handed in ex-
actly as originally drafted, and read at the
clerks desk. after which 1t was adopted,
vote. Years afterward Thaddeus Stevens
in communication to his colleague, Judge
Kelley, said that lin its intrinsic qualities.
and in its effect upon the nation it was by
far the most important single item of legis-
lation ever passed by Congress-" and under
its operation the seeded states framed new
constitutions and were governed until they
became possessed of their former political
rights.
In Twenty Years of Congress-" speaking
of Mr.. Shellabarger's speech of January 6.
1866 In support of the reconstruction bill,
Mr.. Blaine says:
''Other speeches have gained greater
celebrity, but 1t may we'll be doubted whether
any speech in the House Of Representatives
ever maze more enduring impression or
exerted greater convincing power upon the
minds of those to whom 1t was addressed.
1t was far more valuable exposition of the
reconstruction than that given by Mr..
mony, 1T contained no harsh word, 1t made
no personal reflection: but The whole duty
of the United States, and the whole power
OF the United States to do its duty, were
set forth with absolute precision Of logic
The reconstruction debate continued for a
long time, and many able speeches were
contributed to it. While much Of value was
added to that which Mr.. shellabarger had