The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-03-16
ECHOES OF THE FIFTY-FIFTH.

AhAAAAA9 AAANt II IL NlAO llANANAlO Vi a
session, Lincoln got along better with
Congress than any of the modern Presi-
lent; but then, Lincoln WAS the great
est President since Washington. He
knew men better than any man of his
generation, and he controlled men
more completely than any man in our
history. 1t has been frequently said
that the Confederacy would have been
put down in 1862 if there had been an
of military commanders in
Virginia. It may be said, and with
greater truth, that the Oonfederacy
never would have been put down had
there been an exchange of Presidents
in 1862, 1t was faction that ruined the
Southern cause, and faction would have
ruined the Northern cause but for the
wisdom and the patriotism and the pa
tience of Abraham Lincoln.
Cleveland's second Administrator
might have been a brilliant success but
for his aversion to The presence of Con-
gress. Had he convened an extra sos-
sion Immediately on his Inauguration,
March, 1898, and sent in a ringing mes
sage on the tariff, and stood firm for a
sure-enough Democratic tariff for reve-
nue. only, he would have got what he
demanded. Then he could have forced
the repeal of the purchasing clause of
the Sherman law, and the silver cru
SADIE would have died then and there.
Cleveland was elected on the tariff is
sue and brought the silver issue to the
front. The result was disastrous. Nc
Kinley was elected on the silver issue
and brought the tariff to the front. The
result would have been equally disas-
trous if the Spanish war had not come
to send both issues to the rear.
/ don't suppose we ever had Presi-
dent who did not feel more comfortable
when Congress was not in session, un-
less it was Gen. Jackson, who enjoyed
rows with his political adyersaries. 1t
was the same way in England until
Parliament took on itself the executive
as well as the legislative authority. The
Stuart kings hated the very name ot
Parliament, and Cromwell, who was {
king g-and-a-h half, would not let Parlia
meDt sit at all. The first two Georges
also hated Parliament, and had good
deal of trouble because of it, but they
were Germans and never had the slight
est conception of the English polity.
In the debate on the Army Bill ]
fear Gen. Grosvenor was guilty Of som,
chimney-corner history. The cause o
expansion is strong enough in Con
gress, and out of Congress, to stanC
without resorting to the imagination
or facts, as Sheridan pat it. The veter
an Ohio statesman said in the House
last Saturday that Thomas Corwil
died a broken-hearted man, absolutl,
repudiated by the men of his own par
ty in consequence of his famous utter
ance in regaad to the Mexican war
"Were | Mexican, as am an Ameri
can, l would welcome your soldier
with bloody hands to hospitable graves,
Gen. Grosvenor says that speech de
stroyd Corwin politically.
That is news to me. 1t has Away
| been my understanding that the aboli
tionists Of the North indorsed the elo
quence of Tom Corwin as well as til
poetry of Hosea Biglow. Furthermor
it has been my understanding that Obi
repudiated Corwin because he was i
Fillmore's cabinet did not resign whe
Fillmore signed the fugitive slave Law
Furthermore, it has always been m
understanding that Tom Corwin, lik
Choate, was very much of man will
out a party, after the Whig party dice
Furthermore, it has been my undel
standing that Corwin never became
full-fedged Republican. may |
wrong; but my recollection is that b
voted for Fillmore in 1856. Certain
is that he would have been one of Ii
Senators while Pierce was Presidel
had he been as good an abolitionist I
s. P. Chase, or B. f. Wade, Jane
Hamilton Lewis made some Englis
History the other day, and it may
that the production OF chimney -corn'
history is catching" in congress.
Old Frank Cockrell has all the NOR
qualities of a party leader. He has mo,
will power aud courage than any 9TH
man on the Democratic side. He is n
so able as Morgan, not so brilliant
Vest, but he is an abler man than A
kansaw Jones and more brilliant ma
though Jones is the Democratic leade
Jones succeeds German, who got Il
leadership about ten years ago becap
nobody else would baveit, and retain,
it because Dave Hill could not take
from him, though David showed that
would take many Germans to ma
one Hill Germans immediate pr
decessor as leader was Bayard, VI