Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-03
EXIT OF SENATOR Upton
His Death Recalls Many Stirring Incidents
of Pioneer Politics,
FINAL CHAPTER TO A BUSY LIFE STORY
Tr0uble with President Grant Leads
Him Out of the Party-Contcnt
in Old Age with II Minor
Position.
FINAL CHAPTER TO A BUSY LIFE SToR'

This death last week Of ex-senator Thomas
Weston Upton at Washington City, as tod
in press dispatches, adds another chapter
to the early political history of Nebras "a
and recalls many stirring incidents in the
eventful career of the deceased.
Senator Upton and General John NJ.
Thayer were the first two United Sta es
senators from Nebraska They were elected
soon after statehood had been declared.
The story OF Senator Tiptons life is the
story of man who rose to a seat in the
United States senate and who, in the shift
ing of fortune, found himself in his declin-
ing years content to hold an unimportant
clerical position.
Senator Upton was born at Cadiz, o.,
August ). 1917. In 1S45 he served one term
In the Ohio legislature In 1858 he located
in Nebraska and at once made himsc I
known. He was a chaplain in the federal
army during the civil war, having prepared
himself for the ministry prior to his re-
moyal to this state. He was also a law
yer, but on account of his devotion to poll
tics and preaching he never attracted at.
tentlon in the legal profession.
Draws Strnws with General ThHyer.
When Upton and Thayer were elected to
the senate it was a question which should
have the long term Both were starting in
at the beginning OF statehood there had
been no Nebraska senators before them, and
1t was a perplexing issue for which no legal
provision had been made.
1t was suggested that the two senators
cast lots to determine who should have the
long term. After some little parleying, the
statesmen agreed to draw straws. The short
straw meant the short term, Tinton drew
the short straw, and went to the senate
for two years, while General Thayer went
for six years. They entered the senate in
1867. At the end of Tipton's term he was
re- elected for the full term of six years
after a sharp contest with Nebraska's first
state governor David Butler OF Pawnee
county. Governor Butler OF course had
the state house machinery to aid him in
his cause, but despite that support, Upton
secured the caucus nomination by narrow
margin.
Trouble with General Grant.
Prior TO and through the civil war, Sena-
tor Upton was an out-and-out, radical
abolitonist. After serving in the army as
chaplain OF a Nebraska regiment he re-
turned TO the state and made a close can
vass. The statehood proposition was then
before the people. The democrats and
Johnsonte republicans we're opposed to en-
terng the union, while the regular repub-
licans favored it. Statehood won. and then
came Upton and Thayer as candidates for
the senate.
During his second term as senator Upton
had trouble with General Grant then presi-
dent. The difficulty arose over a consular
appointment to which Senator Tipt3n's son
was an aspirant. The senator was Of de-
cidedly positive nature and his falling out
with the president led him to make war
upon him. He took mortal offense at a Sc
lection for consular position and Joined a
coterie Of senators arrayed against the presi-
dent under the banner Of liberal" repub-