Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-06-29

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ftful fever be sleeps well he has en-
ishcd the fight he kept the faith Only
& representative in congress-ons Of
s57-he has q hold upon the public
heart such as has been equaled By very
few American Statesman He win for
ever remain ons Of tie most unique
figures in our annalA The history Ct
tho republic cannot be Adequately. eyen
inteIligibly. written without giving a
high plaza and large space to this plain
Missouri farmer. As the mighty Rred-
erick said Of his iElnstri0ns Ancestor.
the great e~lactor. ii may be truthfnily
said Of Band. This man did great
things"
That much must b admitted By
every candid mind. whether hnsetal-
list goldbug. Dernoczstc Republican.
grsenbacksr, P0Pulist CT what not
Yet il is simple truth 10 sAy-that be
possessed not enc Of the characteristics
usually deemed necessary for a great
publie career. He was not an crater.
though his manner Of speech was luni-
nous He vas not a profound scholar,
for his reading and his tho1ghthad besn
confined almost exclusively TO economic
Subjects. H-epossesssd not the glamour
ot military rsnoEn. yst be was a hsvs
frontier Indian fighter. BE was not Of
coumandiRg presenee, though his rug
ged face was u + passport to the
affection u his fellOwA he had no
scintillafing wit. DO babblipg humor,
and was not skillful at rspartees but
his utter fearleszness in debate made
bis antagonists give him q wide berth
when be was On his feet He could hit
snd hit hard. and this many Of them
knew by sad experiences. he had no
wealth On the contrary, be was poc
in this worlds goods and had no desire
for great riches he was not a manipu-
Iator ofmen OF ga practical politician. T"
He had no more idea Of how 10 lay
wires. pull strings CT pack conventions
than has my s-yezr-old boy. In him
there was not even the trace Of dem
agogy, and be had a supreme con-
tempt and lofty scorn for time servers
and double dealers Re had no princely
manners to win him fnendA for bis
were diHident and hrusque- He had no
personal magnetism, and yet he bound
men 10 him with hooks Of steel
Kept HIs Honsr Bright.
Without arrogance be possessed an
honest, manly pride. which would not
have faitered Neptune fer his trident
or Jove for his power to thunder. Such
was his rectitnde OF soul that be would
not have abatsd one jot or little Of hi
political creed 10 have been psrpetual
president Of the republic. He absolute
ly refused to stoop 10 conquer and look
ed with amazemept upon those who
crook the pregnant hinges ef The knes
that thrift may follow fawning. NJ
matter who ran mp Gessier'a cap In thl
market place, this stalwart Missouriar
refused to worship Others might tenn
porize and do expedient things. III
would not; be kept his honor bright a
the spear Of Achilles or the plowEhar'
ot Cincinnatua
II this Ean was destitute Of thl
wiIes Of politicians, If be ~disregardei
ali the cunningness Of demagogue
from the time Of Aicibiades TO tn
present hour. in what lay the secret o
bis wondrous hold upon the minds o
menf What made him a force In poll
ties with which all statesmen in botl
his own and in opposing parties had 3
reckoni To young men contemplatini
, q public career ! commend q careful
even p~rsyerful. study Of this mans life
Cor long after all the demsgogues
manipulators and time servers Of on
day molder in forgotten graves histori
ans will discuss and applaud his deeds
His power was due to his perfect In
{ tegrity Of mind, his rugged honesty
bis leonine courage, bis devotion to prin
. ciple, his persistency Of purpose. d
/ was what Mark Antony Wanted him
! self TO be and what Mark most assured
IL was not. "a plain, blunt man, VIII
loved his friends" and they returne
) his love in Scripture measure, heape
: mp, pressed down and running over. ]
be bad understood anything d politiea
management, be would have reaches
the White House. the ne plus ultra, tn
ultima thule. Of human ambition. A
1t Is, be belongs 10 that very SINAI
b, group Of American Statesmen who hav
. achieved imperishable fame withou
being president. These you can coun
upon the fingers Of your two hand
without counting twice, but whoeve
is missing from that goodly compan,
Bland will stand there immortal Thi
man was Of the stuff out Of whicl
/ martyrs are made, and in his unosten
tatious way be would have gone IN
dauntedly and uhhesitatingfy to I'll
, block, the eibbet or the stake for wha
be considered right. Iregard 1t as
blessed privilege 10 have known hir
: and 70 have been counted among hi
0 friendA / hambly and ~fervently than
God for such a noble and unsslhsh life
: for ! say with Owen Meredith that