Smyrna times., 1898-10-05

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rom Jove of an important message.
He possessed the dramatic power of
his hearers with his sincerity
and honesty of intention in his treat
ment of public questions, but those
who heard him from the critical stand
point often wondered how minor mat
ters could be so skillfully wrought up |
to major and important issues.
His Americanism was claimed to be |
large, but his course in the crisis of
the Nation, of GA peace man, OPP
posed to maintaining the Union by
force of arms, the captain of a company
disarmed by the authority of the Gov
ernment, and sympathy for those
whose object was legalizing and ex-
tending slavery, would be passed over
by many who admire his other quail
ties, and obliterated by historians, had
he ever acknowledged the error during
his life.
In other matters that were entirely
State issues-the Acknowledgement as
sessment law of '73, and his influence
in the Legislature to defeat Temper
ance law which was likely to pass, pc
titioned for by DIR. Caldwell and others,
with Is, 900 names thereon, majority
of the voters at that time, are among
the incidents that many believed to be
adverse to the interests of the State.
1t was in the Senate of the United
States, which he entered in 1869, as
the successor of his father, Mr.. Bayard
established his greatest reputation.
He with Mr.. Thurman and two others
were sworn in at the same time and
though forming a small band as State
Rights Senator, they fought persis
tently at every turn such men rs COnk-
lin, Morton, Sherman, Sumner and
Wilson. In none of these fierce de-
bates was Mr.. Bayard's character ever
assailed. 1t was in the days following
the corruptions incident to a long war
and Reconstruction, but his life was
absolutely free from blame and his
honesty never impeached. 1t was dur
ing his senatorship that the Green
| back craze came near swallowing up
his party: his trusty friend, Thurman,
known as the "Old Roman, had been
captured and he was left alone with
only Senator Mcdonald among the
leaders, ct his back, but as chairman
| of the Finance Committee he withheld
the Report instructed to make, and
stood bulwark until the wave receded
and the party was saved. He had wor
the applaudit of the Nation. His per
sOnal feeling, though not in the same
position to fight it, was the same OF
the matter of the Free Coinage o.
Silver.
In 1881 he was elected to the Senat
for the third time, and he was serving
as President pro tenn when called b,
Mr.. Cleveland to be Secretary o
State.
When both Gen. Hancock and Mr.
Cleveland were nominated he stoo
second in the electoral vote, and hi
friends believed that but for hi
"Peace-at-any price" position at th
time of the Rebellion, MIR. Bayar
might have received a majority vot
and been nominated for the Pres
dency.
But perhaps the greatest of the man
political disappointments that NJ
Bayard has had in his life was tw
years ago when he returned to take h
part in the accustomed campaign, an
found that his state had turned its baC
on him. The Free Silver sentimel
had captured his party and he was n
asked to make a speech. The on
thing for him to do was to retire to Il
. shades of "Delamore Place" and med
tate on the change year may bril-
among political friends.
When Mr.. Cleveland was elected t
~ second time he appointed Mr.. Baya
Ambassador to England, and thou;
u called an Anglo-maniac at the tin
under the new order of things he
better understood and credited wi
laying the foundation for the go
state of feeling between England a
= America to-day. He was in no sens
u machine politician, and his memo
20 will be revered as a sincere patriot a
an honest man.