The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-25
An oLD-TIME STATESMAN.
senator George of Mississippi ana
His Career in Public Life.
From the Chicago Times Herald.

JAMES H. GeoISe OF mississippi removes
a notable figure from public life. He was
not great as an orator and not great as
a statesman. but he was one of the pur-
est and most characteristic representa-
lives of his section, and he did not know
what physical or moral fear was He did
not say "whar" and thar" or "cyart"
and "syarden." like some of the older
style of Virginians but he had the soft.
slurring, vowel-slided southern accent
more strongly than any public man I
know. In the heat of debate this would
cause the galleries to smile. son" he
would say to his committee clerk, CANT
y shut tn do? Pears L me. in reason, v
could f y try right hahd." With the
accent he had something of the manners
of the old southern school, but he was
rough man by nature, and the veneer of
social usage rubbed off sometimes and
showed the gnar,ed grain of the wood un-
beneath He had plenty of temper, which
was not under steady control, and he be-
ieved always in calling a spade a spade.
His disposition led him into many alter
cations with contemporaries, but it can
not be said of him that he ever showed
an unwillingness to combat or a DISPOSE
=
and clumsy. He had a leonine head and
his voice was harsh. He was idolized by
his people and will be incurred sincerely.
Senator George was a man of earnest
convictions and one of the soundest con-
stituuonal lawyers the country has pro-
duced. Perhaps his most noticeable trait
was Independence. He was a living retuta-
ton of the Byronic MAXIM that every man
has his price. Nothing could buy him.
When Mr.. CLEVELAND called congress into
extraordinary session in 1893, with the pur
pose of repeating the Sherman coinage act
and thus utterly demOnetzing silver he
withheld ali important nominations, with
the design of whipping congressman into
line, and he did whip them into line.
American history furnishes no more pa
thetic instance of men surrendering their
most cherished convictions for the sake of
spoils. Senator George would not be led
or driven. He was much interested in the
candidacy of w. II. l.. Hemingway to be
district attorney lor New Mexico. In or
der to placate him Mr., Cleveland appoint
ed Hemingway, but he would not be pla-
ca ted. Then Walter Q. Gresham a man
whom he loved, was sent to him with a
request that he call a. the white house.
''You tell the big beef from Buffalo," was
his bluff answer, that it is no nearer from
the capitol to the white house than from
the white house to the capitol. | get up
fast, come down here and 90 to work.
If he wants me he knows where to lind
me-"
When Mr. Cleveland nominated Judge
Peckham to be one of the justices Of the
supreme court. a nomination which was
subsequently defeated by D. b. HILL he
again requested Senator George to call
This time both Gresham and Lamont were
the emissaries. George went. Il know, Mr..
President, what you want with me-, he
said, as he entered the executives room.
You want me TO vote for Peckham Well
l am going to do it. But l want you to I'M
derstand that am not going TO vote for
him because you want me to vote for him.
am going to vote for him because Judge
Peckham believes in the uuconstituuonal-
ity of tariff tax and in states RI hts. If
he didn't l would see him further in sheol
than a pigeon can fly with a grain of corn
before he could have my vote. The result
of this interview was that Senator Wal
thalI got all of the patronage coming to
Mississippi
Though a learned lawyer. Senator
George knew little of the ordinary things
of life He did not mix in society, and held
ii rather in contempt. An apOcryphal story
is told of him: He dined at swell res
taurant in Washington with party of
five Mississippians. one of them, slancng
at the top of the card, saw the word
Menu" What kind of a dish is 'menoo"
he asked. The senator laughed heartily
Go back 20 the YazOo delta, Bob" he
said, and stay there. Eat cracklin' bread
and drink buttermilk It's all you're fitted
for" After the repast he called one of his
companions aside. Say" he whispered
anXiously, what kind OF truck is that
menoo, anyhow
The dead man was eminently domestic
and passionate.y loved his wife. who was
one of the most charming women in a and
of charming women. They were always
together, and nearly all of his success in
life was due TO her. His high ideals of
duty to ones self and ones country came
from her. and he saw that he lived up to
them He had a beautiful home, two miles
from Carollton, where, when not in Wash
ington he lived the simple life Of a coun-
try gentleman. There, in a building apart
from the family residence, he had one Of
the larges Libraries in the south. Mrs.
George was deeply religious and the sena-
tor had been an agnostic. She placed
neighborng Baptist minister upon his
trail and he got no peace. At meal times,
in his library, in the field. on his visits to
the county seat the minister bobbed up
serenely and exhorted him to come into
the fold He grew tired. Once. riding
slowly home from Carollton and reading
his mail, the preacher burst out Of the
woods on his right hand and began. They
in the senator's language, "saddle-pocket
deep" On the further bank he dsmount-
ed Git down." he said ferce.y. The
minister looked at him doubtfully. He
feared personal encounter. Cit down!"
He got down. Now" said George. "Tm
tired O. ben' harried around tn kentry like
was a cotton-tail rabbit an you was
pack o niger dogs. Beptze me right
here" 1t was winter time, but the veuer-
able statesman would not be denied The
two men waded into the fcy water up to
their armpits and the ceremony was per-
formed. Senator George climbed into his
saddle and looked down on the shivering
evangelist Now. " he said, "you 90 home
and stay home I'm through with this
- foolishness."
lie was more than 20 years old when he
died and therefore the following viii not
be believed. but I IS the truth. ] called on
him some years ago proposing 10 Interview
him. ! found him In his library, ana be
would not talk for publication tie was
'feeln' ve'y poly vey poly. indeed. sub.
Hain't had A well day Tor a week" Dinner
was served at midday and / went In with
him. After grace was said he reached Tor
a dish Of boiled cabbage and heap.d his
plate with Il. This he drowned m vinegar
a 4 j.