The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-10-06
THE LATE ThOS. F. BAYARD.
lie Spent a Long and Useful Life and
Died Leaving a Stainless Record
{ Baltimore Sun

Thomas r. BaVard spent gOOd
part of a long and useful life in the
service of his country. But it is as
the friend Of the South that he will be
most atfcctionately remembered by
millions. Of his fellOw-citiZen,. He
was opposed to secession and perhaps
it was his influence more than any
thing else that kept Delaware. his
native state. in the Union But he
was utterly opposed to making war
upon the Southern people and urged
that, a. they had determined to eX-
crcise what he considered their con-
-titutional right to leave the Union,
they should be permitted to go IN
peace without any fratricidal, devas-
tatine war. His voice was always
for peace. As ambassador to Great
Britain. he did more than had been
done by any other man to establish
that feeling Of kinship and friendship
between the two peoples which, with
out doubt. saved the United States
from European Intervention in the
Spanish war. What that feeling Of
friendship has been worth to Us it
would be difficult to measure or to
estimate.
1t was in the Senate of the United
States that Mr.. Bnyard established
his great reputation. In a period Of
rocking corruption iE both houses OF
Congress and in almost every branch
Of the government. his character was
not even assailed. His public life
was absolutely free from blame and
his honesty clear and spOtless-
Mr. Bavard entered he Senate "a
| the successor Of his father in 1869. at
| the are Of fortv-One wears. He went
a a States rights Democrat, and was
| one Of a small band of Democrat, in
| hat BODY which contained the ablest
| and some Of the most INSCRIPTIONS
men of the dominant party These
| latter. flushed with victory, were
| arrogant and unrclenting in their per
! eecution of the South and in their
| hatred of the Southern people. TO
withstand them in their designs to
| humiliate the conquered States and
| to restrain them in their absolute
control required physical and moral
courage And Mr. Bayard never
ninched and was never silent under
the wrong doing Of the majority.
| Entering the Senate upon the SAME
dav with Mr. Bavard, March +, 1869
there was Allen &. Thurman. of Ohio
and William +. Hamilton, of Mary.
land. These three men formed {
close friendship, and not only con
tended for justice and moderation
toward the South. but two of them a,
least. Bavard and Hamilton, with
stood the unsound financial policy o
the Republicans in connection Will
grcenbacks and their legal tender
quality, which is regarded by man,
as the fountain from which most 0
our subsequent financial ills have
| flowed.
The leaders in the Republican part,
in the Senate were such brilliant ant
bold men aS Oliver =. Morton. Ros
coc Conkling. John Sherman. Charlie
Sumner and Henry Wilson. In 1881
upon his election for the third time
the little band of Democratic Senator
whom Mr.. Bavard found in the cham
Der when he entered it in 1869 ha'
so increased that from a numerical
insignificant minority they had a
length grown into a majority, an
Senator Bayard was elected presiden
pro tenn. 1t was during this teri
that he was withdrawn from tn
Senate to fill the office of Secretary {
State. Along with him two othe
able and experienced Democrat
Senators. namely, Lamar and Gal
land, were Withdrawn to 90 into TIL
cabinet. The people of the Unite
States will revere the memory {
Thomas +. Bayard as 4 sincere p;
triot and an honest man.