The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-28
TRIBUTE TolBRIi'uCE.


colorsd Eaes Whose memory all should
IIonor-AI,yays q t:snlisman. il
washington Star. Ex.Attorncy Con.
erai Garland srecoverIng from long
.llneS He Is able to be down stalrs
how and soon expects TO be out. In
speaking to a Star reporter yesterday
nbout the death OF Register Bruce, Mr..
Garland said: E{ st
THE death of h. *. Bruce makes
rhasm among the public characters
that Is not soon to be filed, and reyivcs
rtcolections OF the past in public SER
vices that arc interesting and OF value.
Most ample evidences OF this have re-
Gently been given In all sorts of forms
OF expression by; our people In every di-i
rectIon, and i feel Il u simple duty 10
add something, though small II may be,
10 this volume OF tributeg. Il
Ills was q mild. gertlemanly and
generous character, and he never forgot
on any occasion to preserveSIt When
| came TO tho United States senate In
March, 1877, Bruce was already q mem-
her OF that body and had been for two
YEAR,. Lamar came IN at the same
lime did, and he. very cordially intro
duced mic to his colleague. Bruce, who
was always kind and attentive TO me,
and between us thereafter, at all times.
there existed the best of good feeling
ind friendship. y55.
"lic was a prompt attendant upon the
rcssIons OF the senate. a close observer
u IT. proceedings, and " faithful mem
her Tor his constituents. Often he pre-
SIDED over the deliberations OF TINT
body. and he did It with ease and with
dignity. and upon no occasion did lie,
fall 10 remember that he, was n gentle
man. In April. 1873. when the Demo-
Gratis had control OF the senate, a COM,
nttce TO investigated the affairs OF the
Freedman's Savings and Trust Com
pany was appointed, and Bruce was
made chairman OF It, and the other
members OF thu committee were Angus
Cameron, John b. Gordon, Robert Z.
Withers and myself.
we had Il long and .laborlous inves-
iiSation and Bruce gave his undivided
attention tosit, and presided ut our
meetings with fairness. tlrmness and
great intelligence, and the report OF this
examination TO the senate showed the
good sense and propriety of having
Bruce as the chairman OF that commits,
tee. When he addressed the senate he
always did It in plain and fair language
and TO the point.
HE married while heN was senator,
and his brother senators recognized his
rhanged situation and extended to him
their most heartfelt congratulations
and good wishes. In due course OF time
bright boy was born, and he chris
tened 1t with the proud name OF Roscoe
Conkling, the true and 'stanch friend OF
the father Congratulating Bruce upon
this happy event. l called attention to
the fact that, while he had honored his
son with great name. probably he was
forgetting his neIShbors; that there
was Lamar his colleague, and possibly
myself. who might not be ignored, and
taking the matter rather:in earnest, he
laid his hand on my shoulder and said:
We'll, senator, there will be other OPP
portunities. am sure. and Will GER
tainly remember Mr.. Lamar and your
SELF and We had hearty laugh and
passed 1t or in good humor Bruce was
always In a good humor--T don't think
] ever saw him otherwise. He ever
wore smiles instead OF frowns.
The public trusts he held. after he
left the senate were many and honor
able, and he executed them efficiently
and accepta bly,, for he was faithful and
true. as he found that life was duty.
Steadfast and devoted to his party, for
which ne worked at all times, he was
LIBERAL toward and tolerant Of opposing
views and OF opposing men, ard never
sulled his claim as n gentleman in any
Of his party contests and struggles He
realized the truth OF what Addison
wrote a good while ago. II were happy
for us could we prevail upon ourselves
10 imagine that one who differs from
rs In opinion may possibly be an hon.
est man.. : = -, = - s. ~
Ills example 70 saH. men. was stimu-
latirg and encouraging, but particu-
larry 10 his race to which he was such
an honor, and which delighted to see
him lionored., have an abiding faith
that the wholesome lesson to be de-
rived from his life will not be lost upon
his people, and 1t should, and am sure
will. give us all frori every section OF
the country the most undisguised graf
iflcation 10 see them rally to the stand
ard he carried, and try to hold it as
Steady and as erect as he did
They may well sorrow over his loss
and preserve as time goes or his good
name; and they will not be alone In
this. for all people OF every class who
knew him, or knew of him, will remem-
Der him and his goodly bearing with a
most profound appreciation, and as a
friend OF tweEty-one years give this
little offering to his memory, now that
he rests in the, da rk and silent grave -