Evening star., 1898-09-12
4 REMARKABLE DISTRICT,
Interesting Facts Recalled by the
Death of RenreSentatiYe NorthwaY

interesting F'acts Recalled by the
Death of Representative Northway.
The death last Thursday OF Representa-
tive Stephen A. Northway recalls to mind
a district that, in some respects, has no
parallel among all the congressional dis
tricts of the country. The ''old nineteenth"
as 1t is familiarly known in Ohio, has had
but six men to represent it in Congress in
upward of seventy-six years. This is a
record that can hardly be surpassed or even
equaled by any other district. Further than
this, all of these six men were distinguished
for their abilities far beyond the limits of
their district and state, and in the larger
field of national affairs their fame extends
and will endure as long as the nation itself.
Elisha WhittleSey, Joshua r. GiddingS,
John Hutc hins James Abram Garfield,
Ezra B. Taylor and Stephen A Northway
are the names of a galaxy of statesmen
who brought honor and fame not only to
themselves in their day and genera ton,
but to the "old nineteenth district" the
state of Ohio, and the nation itself. Good
old biblical names they each bore; how
far their names Influenced their lives can
never be told.
Elisha WhIttlesey was first elected to
Congress in 1922, twenty years after the
admission of Ohio a state of the Union,
and served continuously from March A. 1923
until 1898, when he resigned He was sue
ceeded by Joshua R. Giddings. who served
from 1898 to March }, 1859. Mr.. Giddings
declined a denomination, and was succeed
ed by Judge John Hutchins. who. after a
service of four years, 1S59-1S63 was sue
ceeded by Gen. Garfield. Upon the latters
election to the presidency. in 1880. he re-
signed his seat in the House. November 8,
1880, and Judge Ezra b. Taylor, who had
been elected to the Forty-seventh Congress,
was subsequently elected to fill out Gar
fields unexpired term. Judge Taylor con-
tinued to represent the district until 1893,
when he voluntarily retired and was sue
ceeded by Mr.. Northway, who had since
represented the district He lad been re-
nominated but a short time since, and as
nomination in that district is equivalent to
an election, his service would at least have
rounded out the century. but for his un-
timely death. Who his successor will be is
as yet undetermined but it is safe to say
that the choice of the district will be one
who can worthly wear the mantle of
GiddingS CIR a Garfield.
OF these six men all were sons of farm
ers and began life in humble circumstances.
All were lawyers by profession. But one,
Judge HutchinS was ever defeated for re-
nomination, and that was partly due to the
fact that his successor. Cen Garfield, was
a soldier and the war spirit ran high in
the western reserve in 1862. Whittlesey
and Giddings were soldiers in the war of
1872 Garfield's army record is too well
known to be enlarged upon here. Judge
Taylor also has a brief war record He is
the only survivor of this remarkable line
of congressman, and although in his sew
enty-sixth ar. he still enjoys yigor OF
mind and body, with as Keen an interest III
the welfare of his country as when he
served it so well and faithfully in the lower
house of Congress.
Whittiesey after he retired from the
House was sixth auditor for over two
years and first controller for nearly ten
years. He died while holding the latter
office. in 1863. He was one of the organ
iZers of the Washington Monument Society,
and firm friend of the capital city.
Giddings was a noted abolitionist, and
famed not only for his ability and learning
but also for his personal courage. Like
Garfield and Northway he was tall and
commanding of presence, six feet and over
in height, with a frame and constitution
that nothing could tire.
Judge HutchinS was perhaps the least
known of these men, but he was lawyer
of the highest standing, a fluent and ready
debater and but for the logic of the situ-
alton at the time of his defeat for renomf-
nation, in 1862. by Gen. GARFIELD, would
have undoubtedly advanced to the very first
rank among the members of the House. He
was by no means the least among his col
leagues of the Ohio delegation, which in
cluded Pendleton. Vallandigham, William
Allen James Nj. Ashley, Sheliabarger, S. S.
Cox Albert G. Riddle and John A. Bing-
ham, Thomas Corwin and John Sherman
also served with him in the House. AS to
Garfield and Taylor and Northway, their
service comparatively. has been SO recent
| that nothing further as to them need be
said, except that matchless indeed is the
record of these sons of Ohio and of this
one congressional district-the old nine