The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-10

Of tire senate. and I. is 9 remarkable fact
that she grade OF rrsn who have filled this
position IN the last quarter OF century
Is even higher than it was in the cartier
days 81 the republic Wade. Carpenter.
Thurman. Bayars. Davis Edrnunds.
Sherman and Ingalls, take rank IN ability
higher than almost any Of their predecss-
sors.
In many respects the most capable and
versatile OF the vice-rressdents was one
who fell from the high estate and is
known TO the public OF the present day
chiefly SIS traitor. I mean, OF course,
Aaron Barr. When he last took tie vice.
presidential chair he rad but recently in
CURED opprohrium ard was a fugitive
from justice as the slayer OF Alexander
Hamilton. The few months Immediately
before he took hts seat was passed in hid
ing. lodging trial for murder. But he
presided with SO much grace, dignity and
inparsiality tina. he commanded the adj
mirasion OF the senate
When he took his leave he made a
speech which will ever 1--we as a model.
He moved his hearers to tears. and was
the recipient OF a resolution OF thanks.
which was anything but rersanctory. It
was said of hin, that he presided with the
.napartiality Of an angel and the rigor OF
devil. Perhaps he might have regained
his popularity before the people il he had,
after his retirement, not entered into the
Blennerhasset conspiracy, which was he
Nevea and partly proved TO have involved
plan for 6isunion. and certainly meant
foreign conquest at the expense OF the
peace and good name OF the United States.
Theneeforscard he was man without a
country. and there is no story more pa
thetlc than tina: of his wanderilgs IN Eur
ope, making occasional social eoncaests,
but ofsener cooling his heels IN the ante
chambers OF royalty. dogged by the police
and subsisting on food that N other days
he would have been ashamed to give 10
his negro servants, to whom he was a
model master.
Calhoun was another great vice-press-
dent but by no means the equal of Burr
IN fitness for that particular position. He
resigned the office to take a senatorship.
He never magnified the vice-presdential
Office, and. with all his pride and mien,
seemed to consider the vtce-presidenr as
the representative Of the federal authority
OF less Importance than the individual
senator who was accredited representative
of a sovereign state. When on the floor
as senator he never addressed the presid-
Ing officer. but the senators themselves.
His form OF address was Senator's" in
stead OF the customary Mr.. President"
his manner in the chair was a perfect
combination OF dignity and deterence-
John c. Breckenridge was an interesting
figure In the chair. He was rhe personi-
hcation Of courtesy. Chester A. Arthur
was man OF very much the same pat
tern, and his too short occupancy Of the
chair prepared the country for the courtly
dignity which characterized him in tahe
White House The best parlamentarian
ever in the vice-presidentiai chair was
Schuyler Colfax.
Most OF the vice-presidents have been
troubled throughout their terms by the
buzzing OF the presidential bee. anu there
is always a disposition among opponents
of the administration to fiatter vice.
president by ninstering TO his ambition.
The presidents have too often yielded to
the weakness of treating this officer as an
heir apparent whose very existence is an
unwelcome reminder OF the possibilities OF
succession.