The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-17
~ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
s THE LAST OF A 5
{ ONCE FAMOUS RACE. s
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES


once wen known all over ,Ihe country,
but which has been forgotten for a
third of a century, recalls to memory
political conditions and social institu-
tons which have passed away, and re-
wives to the recollection a stirring and
dramatic era long since dead. Thomas
L. Cfingman Is one of ille few Southern
statesmen who were national figures be-
fore the war who have survived to re-
cent years. Zebulon b. Vance, who died
while in the senate few years ago, sue
ceeded Clingman in the house CT repre-
sentatives in 1858, serving to 1861, when
he entered the confederate army ami re-
entered congress shortly afr the war.
Alfrd H. Colquftt, CT Georgia, who also
died a fow years ago while a senator,
was in the house of representatives in
1886, in the first haff OF the term of
President Pierce. Senator. IEham G. Har-
ris, OF Tennessee, whose death occu-ted
few months ago, was in the house
of represent atives from 1S49 to 1858.
Cifngman's service in congress began
in 1S43 six years earlier than Harris ,
and before tnat of any other man who
has in recent yeaIls been in puonc lie.
Gallslna A. Grow, of Pennsylvania,
whose congressional service began car
Tier than mat of any other man now
in either branch of congress or in any
other national office, entered the house
of representatives in 1851. Secretary
5 Sherman and Seua tor Morrill,, VINO rank
next TO Grow in p.Ior.ty OIL service, put
who have been IN onlce more thao twice
as long, Went into the mousse IN 1900
Two enen are still Ewing, but have been
out OF office for more Inan forty years,
in congress earleIa than GROW.
These are James w. Bradbury, OF Maine,
ana AaItheus Fetch, CT Michigan, VINO
served la the senate from 1S47 t. 1883 but
who have held no important Office since.
Ex-senator Bradbury, who is about "a,
and who has long been the oldest in age
OF all the survivors of those who have
served in eli her branch of the national
legislature, received national mention in
1886 through the circumstance that, af-
ter having voted the Democratic ticket
in every canvass for seventy years, be-
ginning with the first election of Andrew
Jackson he turned against his party and
supported Mckinley.
-Four other living statesmen OF the
ante-belum days should be mentioned.
snhese are Richard w Thompson ard
George w. Julian, of Indiana, James
Harlan, of Iowa, and Henry J.. Dawes,
of Massachusetts,. Mr.. Thompson, who
is SO years of age, having been born in
the year OF great babies" 1909, Which
produced OdTNlii, OlduSlOilC, lSi.liJ sum
Ltncoln, iHamlin, oliver Wendell Homes,
Robent C. Winthrop, and many Others,
whose names are familiar to all or a
large part of the world, entered congress
in 1871, earlier than any other man now
alive and two years earlier than Cling
man. Mr. Julian, who is so years of age,
entered the house of representatives lii
IS49, as one of the first free soilers ever
elected to congress, the Free Soil party
having been founded in 1S48. He was
the candidate for vicepres.dent on the
Free Soil ticket of 1852, on which James
P. Hale, of New Hampshire, was the
presidential nominee, was one of the
founders of the Republican party i'm
1864, and for years past has been the
most distinguished survivor of the men
who took prominent part in the anti
slavery movement. Though an indie
pendent. in politics ever since 1872, Mr..
Julian made several speeches last year
in aid of the republican ticket. Mr.
Harlan, who is n years Of age, and
whose career on the ma tional stage dates
bac ok TO 1885, when he was elected to
the senate, and who is one of the pioneer
republicans was conspbcuousiy NEIL
toned in connection with the repJabli-
can nomination for governor recently.
MR. Dawes entered the house Of repre-
senta JRes in 1857, two years later than
Sherman ard Morr.ll, and offer a con-
tinuous service in congress along to
that year, retired from the senate in
1898.
General Clingman, who entered con-
gross while Tyler was president and
who served sueeessiveGy in house and
senate, except for one or two short in
tervals, until two rnopths after Lin
coins election, restgn!ng in January.
1861, after few states had seeded, and
four months before his own state went
out, was at the beginning of his career
mn ardent Wing. 1t is commonly as
stunned by the average reader of today
that the South hal always been solidly
Democratic, as it has been for The past
third of a century except during the
reconstruction period, and that the Wing
party was almost If not quite as ex-
clusvely northern as the Republican
E. party has been save ia the reconstruct
fion days and In, the past two or three
years. Therefore, 1T will be hard for the
general reader to understand how it
was that Clingman was a prominent
Wing, and yet had loag career in con-
giess.
frhe fact is, however, the Wing party
was not confined ITO one section. Its
greatest leader Henry Clay, was Ken
tuclian. One Sotthernor who was con-
spicuous enough TO be elected president
was a Wing This was Ia chary Taylor,
who resided In Louisiana. Another man
who went to the presidency was a Whig.
This was John Tyler. OF Virginia. who
was elected vice-president on the Ticket
with w. III, Harrison, and Who went, to
the higher office on Har-ison's death q
month after the inaug uration. The man
who was governor of Virginia, Henry "A.
Wise, when John Brown was hanged,
had been "A Wing until a few years b.
fore that time. So had the vice-president
of The Confederacy. Alexander II. Ste
phers, formerly been q Wing. Robert
Toomhs. of Stephens state, Georgia, who
was one OF the mast violsnt seceissionists
in the years Immediately preceding the
war, and who was popularity but erro-
necusly reported as having boasted that
he would cam the roll of his slaves in the
shadow Of Bunker I'LL. monument, had.
a'few years earlier, 'baen an ardent and
influential NhhS. Judah p BENJAMIN.
of louisiana, one of the most acute law
yens of his time. who was attorney gem
eral in Jefferson Davis cabinet was a
Wing when he was sent to the scnat
In the last years OF the life of that par
fy. The brilliant, erratlc and unfortu-
nat Thomas A. Marshall, OF kentucky.
was prominent member of the same
party during nearly that ralty's entire
existence, and so was his nephew, Hum
pnrey Marshall, who was subsequent
~ prominent officer in the Confederate