The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-09-27
GLINGMAN N An asylum
SeniIe Infirmify Of the Once Fa-
nous Party Leader.
WAS SENATOR AND SOLDIER
Represented North Carolina i'm Both
Houses of the American Congress
Before the War-Leader of Whig
Pprty Fifty Years Ago-Fought a.
DGel With Yancy.

M1rganto,. n. C., Sept 2T.-Gen. Thorn
as l.. Clingnan. ex-United states Senator,
whosc name thirty-five years ago was on
every tongue In this country, WAS admitted
Saturday To the State Asylum for the
IDsane in tids city. Gen. uingman does
not become an inmate OF this institution
because OF acute arrangement of his
mind
His case is one Of mere senility. 1t is
against hhe policy OF the institution TO
receive such inmates, but in the case OF
man who. as representative in Con
gress. as UaiteG States senator and Con
federate general, rendered the state con
spicu"us service, it VAS felt that an ex-
ception might be made. Aged, poor, M
firm mentally and ply sically, the state
Offered e., care for the once great states
man, and during the remaining years of
his life &c will give hiIa home and pre-
tec.ins hand.
Gen. f1ingmsn was born eighty y-one years
ago an Ilis State Few men today realize
what a political factor he was during the
quarter of q century eading with the sur
reuder Of Lee. Looging upon him today,
bowed with age, expressionless from
men tai infirmity, depressed finn poverty,
few people woIsld recall without SUI
nTfse the record ne made as states
man, orator. legislator, warrior, duelist
and scientist.
Few men bcfore :he war made 80 re-
RI aia ip tf.a IA. or
During he slavery debate in Congress his
speeches were fulI of Southern fire and
enthusiasm, and his fame became inter.
national because of his aggressive attitude
toward the Clay -Bulwer treaty. One
siseech, on the causes of Henry Clay's de-
fea,, lee 10 uuel with William lancy, OF
Alabama
The political career of Gen. Clingmaa
began when, in 1885, then a young law yer
at Hills,sDro. n. C , he was elected as a
whig 10 the State legislature from Surrey
county. In the autumn OF 1886 he removed
TO Ashevdle, az there was prospect that
the proposed Charleston and Cincinnati
Ralroad would pass through that place.
In the convention held To discuss the sub
lect of the change OF route he took = lead.
lag place. agc opposed Col. NcnningeT,
of SOEi "a GaRalina- an experienced debater,
With such ability that his nauie became
known tbroaeisopt the country, and his
feilOw-,ewnsIaen rewarded hin with an
election Ia the State senate.
He bsecarae d leader of the whig party,
and in lS43 was elected to Congress owe:
James Graham, aud continued almost con.
tinually in office until June Ia. 1858. In
1855 he was appointed TO fill the vacancy
in the Senate left by the resignation of Asa
BigEs- At the en- of his term he was rc-
elected.
on January 2I, 1861, Gen. CIingman
withdrew from Congress, with the other
Southern members, and in May was sent
to the Confederate congress to give assur-
aDce that North Carolina would support
the cause of the South. He entered tue
Confederate army ascolonel OF the Twenty
fifth North Carolina Regiment, and in
eigth mouths time he was made brigadier
general. lie was in command of the de-
fense of Goldsbcro, and held Sullivan's
Island and Rattery Wagner during the
attack on Charleston. He led the attack
on Newbern IN Februaly, s64: broke But
Ier's lines at Drury's Fluff, MAY 10. nd
forced him to retire to Bermuda Hun
ducds Was wounded at Cold Harbor; re-
peIjcd he attack on Petersburg, June q.
attacked and defeated the enemy near
Petersburg, August l9, capturing 2.l0o.
In this fight he was severely wounded, and
was only able TO reioin his command
few DAYS before JohbSon's surrender at
Greensboro, in April, 1865.
Gen. Cllngman was a delegate to the
national ne:nucI attic convention teld i'm
1868. SiBce that time he has studiously
avoided politics. He explored the nIoUu-
tains of his ha tive state, discovered that
they contained the lOftiest peaks of the
Appal chian Range, the chief one OF
winch Was measured by him in L $50, and
bow bears his name, opened the mica min es
of Mitchell and Yancy counties; made known
the existence in the State OF cOrundum, zir-
con, rui,les anu Dther gems. He Contrib
Utcd much to Scientific knowledge, and
published several volumes, Including
Speeches and ''Follies Of the Positive
p pphers.'
Gen. Clingman was never married. ID
lis related, however, that the only time he
ever voted for legislation that he could not
heartily indorse was during his early years
in Congress, when a woman was sent 20
him bv a schcming lobby, and he fell a
victim TO her entreaties.