The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-03

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IT,
Under the old arrangement Of electoral dis
tricts the county OF Suffolk returned a single
representative 10 Congress. known as the
Member for Boston," In 1889 there was q
movement among Mr.. winthrop's friends 10
nominate him for the place, whercupon Daniel
webstor sent for Mr.. Winthrop, and said: 81
suppose YOU know YOU are again talked Of for
Congress, and. this time, have no doubt, you
can hive the scat IL you really wish II. But l
have reason to think our friend Abbott Law.
renee has now more leisure, and is not indis.
posed for another term. His good will is i'm.
portant to the party, and, as you arc so young q
man. and certain to go later, perhaps you will
not mind continuing in the Legislature for the
present" Upon Mr.. Winthrop's expressing
nssent to this arrangement MI. Webster
continued In a strain that, we arc told.
III lnIeTlOCnIO1 IOnR HII6T "hTu - i
as prophetic: 81 have had less hest
tation In making this suggestion to you, as I am
nv 70 means sure you will like Washington
oyermuch when YOU get there. You have gone
fast in Massachusetts, politics and you may go
far In national ones. You are thoroughly
eouipped for public affairs. You have, in addi.
tim. the advantages of not having TO work for
your living and OF an acquired readiness In de.
bate. which lie a precious thing In the hour Of
need. with all this I question whether, to q
man OF your scholarly instincts and fastidious
tastes. the atmosphere Of self.seeking and mis-
representation which is so apt to surround .
public man of tho first rank at the capital will
not prove erieyous and disheartening; whether
Won will not. ono day. weary Of 1t all and wish
yourself back in your study at home"
The health of Abbott Lawrence soon Obliged
him to resign his scat, and Mr.. Winthrop was
returned member for Boston at the general cleo
tion IN 1910. not merely for the uuexpired term,
but for the now Congress to begin in the ensuing
March. The attitude which he was to maintain
with remarkable consistency throughout his
public life in relation to the slavery question
was defined at this time in a letter to q leading
nbolitionist. He had no hesitation, he wrote, in
saving that his vote would never be withheld
whenever he should see a Just. practicable, and
constitutional mode of diminishing or mitigat-
ing SO great an evil ns slavery. At the Same
TINA he insiste. upon stating explicitly that, II
he were returned To Congress. he should not con-
ceiye It as among the special duties imposed
upon him by his constituents to agitate the
snbiect +, slavery in any FORM. He declared
distinctly that he could not regard it as desir.
able or expedient to attempt any alterations
of the Constitution in relation to slavery: Ger
tainly. the best hone for the country which I
venture to entertain at present is that the
may be once more restored TO it's true interpre.
tation and its rightful supremacy" We are re-
minded BY the biographer that social life in
Washington in 1910 was a very unpretending
affair. It was a rare thing for a member of
either branch of Congress to own or rent q house.
The pay at that time was only SO o day during
the session. with an allowance for travelling OK
pepses, and a few insignificant perquisites, such
as newspapers, letter paper, pens, ink, sealing
wax. plotting books and q penknife. Private
rooms in the Capitol and private secretaries in
the Ruise of clerks Of committees were un.
known. Members lived mostly in large private
boarding houses. tho occupants of which
were mutually agreed on in advance; these
boarding houses were called "messes."
OF mess dinners there was q ~continu-
al interchange. Not confined to one particular
party. they were, 40 . rule, very informal,
though now and then q special effort would DO
made in honor of the Minister of some great
power, some distinguished foreigner. or some
preeminent statesman like John Quincy Adams.
Clay, or Webster. One would say that the most
notable of the dinners at which Mr.. Winthrop
assisted during his first session was q friendly
contest between North and South as to which
could place upon the table tho best old wine.
Moses Grinnell and Ogden Hoffman were among
the hosts on this occasion. while the champion
bottleholder of the South was Isaac e. Holmes
! of Charleston. Fourteen famous varieties of
| Madeira (seven from each ~section) were pro.
| duced and sampled, the upshot being q unani-
| nous and discreet decision to have another trial.
seem desirous OF pusning himseii Forward. MS
hrst EFFORT WAS made on July z. le4l, inc ae'
bate on the distribution OF the pubic LANDS;
this was Followed on inc Zetn OF the same
month by q speech on the national revenue
which is alluded to In the diary OF Jonn quincy
Adams as " a very able argument. In Inc au'
tumn he was active In the stete canvass Even
| In MaRRACnulaItA IYlOr9 detection n4Q RTSaIly