The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-07-13
Fredericksburg, Va. July s, 1899.

icles of The Free Lance In relation u
the great and prominent men OF TINS
country, who have passed away. ana
try 10 retain in memory those that sur
yiye In The Free Lance l noticed
that YOU state that Judge Thos. q.
Semmes, of Louisiana, is the last OF the
Confederate Senators. II l am not mis-
taken, the distinguished Senator from
Missouri Hon. George g. Vest-was in
the Confederate Senate. ! believe there
are but two now living who were In the
United States Senate before the war,
viz: James w. Bradbury Of Maine and
DR.. Graham n. Fitch. Of Indiana
Whilst on this subject, think but four
Of those, who occupied seats IN the Sc
cession Convention VI Virginia. are
now living, viz: Gen. Eppa Hunton.
then from Prince William; Col. Thos
f. Goode. Of Mecklenburg Hon John
Goode, of Bedford, and ex'Lieut. Gov.
Kent. Of Wythe. Will you do me the
kindness to let me know II there are
others living;
wish also TO know If there is any
one now living who was in the Con
federate Congress from Virginia.
Thos. T. Wallace.
Mai. Wallace, who is not only well
known throughout Virginia, but is also
a careful and thoughtful reader, with
an excellent memory is right about L.
s. Senator &. q. Vest, of Missouri
having been Confederate Senator.
Mr.. Vest is probably the last of that
line The statement that Thomas j
Semmes. of Louisiana. was the last OF
the Confederate Senators was first made
by a New Orleans paper, and appeared
without challenge in the Richmond
Dispatch, paper that is rarely ever
mistaken about an historical fact In
deed, The Free Lance cannot recall that
the Dispatch has ever made such mis-
take before, but as it is the exception
that establishes the rule, the esteemed
Dispatch need not feel hurt In answer
to The Free Lance. Hon. John Goode
says;
"Since the death Of Ex-Governor
Holiday am the only surviving mem
Der Of the Confederate Congress Ny
recollection is that Mr.. Kent was not
member of the Secession Convention
though l am not certain. think he
was a member Of the Virginia Legisla-
ture during the time the convention
was in session.
The Free Lance did not inquire OF
Mr. Goode concerning the Virginia Sc
cession Convention, save as to Mr..
Kent. because il believes that the other
names mentioned are all of those now
alive. DR.. Fitch. of Indiana. is, The
Free Lance is informed, now dead, but
the following in connection with ex'
Senator Bradbury. Of Maine, will be
read with much interest, no doubt. 1t
is from the N. Y. Sun
An incident at the Bowdoin College
commencement last week is thus report
ed by the Kennebec Journal:
1.-The feature of the forenoon was
the procession Of alumni from the cnapel
To the church where the exercises were
held IL was a remarkable sight TO see
among those marching down the shaded
campus paths the Hon. james W.
Bradbury, the clsssmate OF Longfellow'
Hawthorne, Abbott. Oheever and Cllley,
bearing lightly the burden OF his ninety
seven years.
MI. Bradburys age is recorded as
ninety-four, not ninety seven. DE Is
the only survivor Of the class OF 1920
a class that included an unusual mum
her of men who afterward achieved re-
mutations. Mr.. Bradbury himself sat
IN the Senate of the United states
more than fifty years ago, where he was
the contemporary Of Thomas II. Benton,
John O Calhoun, Henry Clay, muel
Houston and Daniel Webster. The span
Of his active experience almost stag
gers the imagination. 1t Is more thah
sixty years, for example, since mis- Col
leoe classmate and friend, Jonathan
Oilley. after living long enough TO at
tain high political distinction. was snot
by Graves Of Kentucky in the celebrated
duel at Bladensburg His classmate
Nathaniel Hawthorne, was sixty years
old when he died, and yet Hawthorne
has been In his grave more tnan
third of a century. Mr.. Bradbury re-
turns TO his college this year, as usual
active in mind and body. and leads
the procession along the paths whlch
he first walked as graduate seventy
four years ago.
Ex-senator James Harlan. OF Iowa.
was in the U. s. Senate be-
fore the war and is the last OF the
Cabinet Of Abraham Lincoln VINO Is
alive, as Judge Reagan, Of Texas. is the
last of Mr.. Jefferson Davis Cabinet
Mr.. Harlan is 70 years old. Robert I.
Lincoln married his daughter. Mr.
Reagan is 81 years old.
Judge Roger A. Pryor. Of New York.
and Judge Jno. T. Harris, Of Rocking
ham, who were in the U. S. Congress
before the war, are alive.
The Index Appeal, noticing an obser-