Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-09-09

lumber business in which he was
partner. In 1854, at the age of 81, he
was elected to Congress as Wing, and
is probably the only politician now
holding any Office OF Importance in
America who was put into public life
by that party. Two years later the
Wings had disappeared the Repubi
can party bad taken their place, and
Sherman was reelected then ana in
1858 and 1850 as Republican. The
fourth term, however. he did not serve
out, being elevated TO the Senate in
stead. The rest of the story is chiefly
nosebag. He kept himself in the
Senate until 1877, when he entered the
Hayes Cabinet as Secretary of the
Treasury. In 1881 he got back into ths
Senate. and chung to his scat with re-
newed tenacity until last winter, whom it
was made worth his while to relinquish
it. The master. builder of McKinley's
fortunes, the redoubtable Mark Hanna,
decided that he could best control the
administration be hal placed in power
IL he were in the Senate. To secure
vacancy it was necessary to prise the
venerable Sherman out of one of the
two Ohio seats. The consideration
which fetched him forth was the Sec
retaryship of State in the new Cabinet,
the Governor Of Ohio having plsdged
himself TO appoint Hanna us his sue
cessor There was no secret about any
phase of this bargain at the time. The
American people, aGhast at the spec
tacle of this superannuated and char
acterless old tax-eater at the head of
the new Cabinet hnd ii explained to
them that in no other way could Mark
49,, -. sI
Senate. There was tine further tacit
assurance that the old mau would only
remain Secretary Of State for a short
time, and that meanwhile an active
young Assistant Secretary from Ohio
would do all the important work. APP
parently, however, the question Of pup
seals in Behring waters was felt 10 he
the sort of thing thar "the old man"
could be allowed to amuse his senile
leisure with.
Now that English readers have been
| introduced to John Sherman, they
might do worse than glance over his
"Eerolections. As a study IN a GER
tain unclaseitied pathological develop
ment, which would he criminal if it
were less sheep-ike in its frank COW
ardiCe. and which carries seltishness to
an altitude whore the air is too rareied
| for shame or the consciousness of dis
| honor to exist, these 'RscolleCtions"
stand quite by themselves No other
| politician writing in the English Ian
| guage-or in any hackwoods perVersion
| OF it-has drawn a more innuGently
complete picture of the unpleasant
things inside him. The quotations
from his speeches and writings hegin
with 1851, and, covering 40 years, touch
upon practically every issue, and sub.
| division of an issue which has agitated
two generations of American citizens.
Ii is scarcely an exaggeration IL say
that there is not a single question upon
which Sherman does not quote himself
for and against the SAME proposition.
The badness OF his self contradictions
is amazing. On Slavery, ON the Con.
duct OF the War, on Reconstruction. on
the johnson impeachment, on the
Tariff. the Shipping laws Civil Service
Reform; on every conceivable phase of
the veXed Currency Probl0n you find
him uneasily balancing his basket of
self-interests, creeping sinously from
one side to the other, affirming to- day
what he denied yesterday, and repu.
dating next week both affirmation and
denia--and all in such obvious ODE
/ aloItu W lHbLluClHf III HAGl
implicit good faith TO himself, that
when he makcs a book about his say
ings and doings the thought Of sup
pressing or smoothing over the evil
dences Of his unworthiness does nut
rise III his mind. Scattered here and
there, one doea ind certain clumsy and
hating attempts to reconcile the more
elaring of these contradictions but
these are SO infantile in their concep-
tion that they really serve AZ finger
posts to particularly shady by paths.
Consider, for example, the native
simplicity of mind that sees nothing
amisa in reproducing a letter such aa
this which follows. 1t ia John, newly
made Senator in Congress, who writes
to his brother william, then some time
retired from the army, and presiding
over a small military academy in Louis
lana. 1t is midnight of April l2th,
1861, and the telegraph hHs spread
through ali tho cities of the North the
news that Fort Sumter has been fired
upon that very day. Throughout the
North tho widest patriotic furore has
brust forth, and has retlected back
upon the national capital very frenzy
of nonular passion. Washington is
6eething with the most tremendous
emotions it has ever Known = the 6treota
are crowded. with hoarHely cheering
thrnngs, the hotels swarming with Con
gressmen aud officials beside them.
selves with eEcitemeut--and Senator
Sherman sits down 10 1hu5 address His
brother:
"hy all means take advantage of thu
present disturbances to get back into
the army, where you will at once put
yourself in high position for life, |
know that promotion ANA every facility
for advancement will be cordially OK.
tended 10y the authnritie1 You are q
favoritA IN the army aud have great
strength in political circles. | urge
you to avail yourself of these favorable
circumstances 10 secure your position
for life; for, aftor all, your present elm
v ploymant IS of uncertain tenure ia these
stirring times
All tho other menuirs dealing with
that period tell us of public spirited
men rushing TO volunteer, there is not
Ia history any mure wonderful chapter
of national farvur and self sacrifice than
that which reCounts the rising Of the
mud sill" North at the tiG!Ings u;
, Fort sumter But John Shurman'E
/ school blood played him no boiling
i tricks. His calm eye dlscerned in ali
, this commotlon merely life Job foi
; ono OF the family. Thirty five years
I later it does not suggest itself to MIN
, that the letter might as VOL mol he
/ printed. Indeed, what is there wrong
in it? As he says, the old family
. motto, Conquer Death by Virtue, .
seems to him rather meaningless
| uhrasph The Sherman muftu IN lis