The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-06-22
Urbane Senator Evarts.

Urbane Senator Evarts.
william Maxwell Evarts came to the
Senate In 1886, at the age or 81. He was
four years for the realization of his am
billion. The interval was opulent in no
ble achievements at the bar, in states
manship. In oratory, and the highest civic
and social activities.
lie was Attorney General OF the United
states under Andrew Johnson. and his
counsel on his impeachment. He repre-
scented the Government before the Gene
va tribunal OF arbitration on the Ala
bama claims. lie was the leading at
torney for President Hayes, in behalf of
/ the Republican party, before the ElectOr-
al Com mission. and Secretary of State
! lie was scholar without pedantry,
and man of the world in the highest
sense. without cynicism or frivolity.
/ leaden. Opaque and barren minds that
| wit. brilliancy and Imagination and the
| cCrruscations OF the intellect are incom-
patible with great mental power and so
lidity OF Judgment.
Mr.. Evarts refuted this faIlacy. for ia
addition to his triumphs as a lawyer, In
/ politics. and as a practical man of af-
fairs. he was altogether the most bril-
liant and versatile talker of his time.
| Inc charactellstlc OF MS conNeIsati y
was n genial and humorous urbanity. He
never wounded or stung. lie seldom told
stories or related anecdotes. His wit
was Ike spring That makes the mead,
best In society. art. literature and life,
and had the keenest interest in the vir-
tues and foibles OF humanity. His man.
nor was refined and suave. lie never
posed. nor monopolized. nor strained for
effect; and as he never hurt self-love by
so ne never shocked the devout by pro-
family. nor offended the modest with i'm
publicity.
Probably the mot Of Mr.. Evsrts most
widely flown concerns the apochryphal
feat told OF George Washington in Jerk
ms, a silver dollar across the Rappahan-
mock.
The story goes that a party of tour
! lists, visiting the haunts of Washington
! la virginia, came 10 the spot. where tht
anecdote was related by some local anti.
strength OF the man whom Providence
: made childless that he might become the
Aside from the uniikeIihood that tho
! thrifty George would throw silver dol
lar over the river when pebble would
have done as well. the distance was sc
, great that the skeptics we're incredulous
and another legend seemed on the edge OF
being destroyed when MIR. Evarts came
10 It's rescue with the suggestion that "a
? dollar went much farther In those day
! The explanation Is so simple and 81
4 sat sfactory that the wonder Is IL occur
red TO no one before.
Among the guests at n dinner 10 DAME
Webster in New York was DIR. BENJAMIN
Brandreth, the inventor of a celebrates
= pill known by. his name. Mr.. Evart
united these two great men In a volun
teer toast TO Daniel Webster and Ben
Iamin Brandreth: the pillars OF the Con
Obiections had been filed with the Judi
ciary Committee to the confirmation o
D a nomination on account OF the dissolut
habits OF the appointee.
When the case came up for consdera
a, ton the chairman called for affidavits
u The clerk produced a number from tn
= files. Consulting his docket, Mr.. Ed
= munds thought there were more, an
another batch that had been overlooke
:. "The papers in this case" said MI
: Il possibre' than the candidater'
= Mr.. Evarts was n bon vivant. an fnve
a crate diner-out, and giver of most elat
crate and artistic dinners himself. To
;ady who expressed surprise that one {
Y such slender frame and fragile physiqu
could endure so many feasts WIN the
varying vlands and different wines, h
II replied that II was not much the di
n ferent wines that gave him trouble
I. the indifferent ones.
y at home. Scoffers said he only dram
!, the 90 T.. brands" His State dinner
- otherwise very elegant and costly. wei
Al sion to conviviality was the Roma
punch favored with Jamaica rar
, Evarts was acci gtomed to allude to tn
IA course as s'the iife-saving stationl''
~ Rising to address Informally the gues
= lat a Thanksgiving dinner, he began: "Yt
have been giving your atte0tlOn 10 n lll
Ne key stuffed with sage. You are no
"A about to consider sage stuffed with tn
key"
" Cabinet OF President Hayes the strugg
for places In the diplomatic service w
very active. As he was leaving the 81
vat9r at the close OF very BUSY hSd d .ats.
a., up n very large collection for foreii
w missions;" and when asked what b
e. been done. he replied. Many called
III As an orator Mr.. Evarts was not III
~ Did But he COMPOUNDED the critics W
r. cordemn.d his long sentences i,so 10y sn say,
~ neople who objected TO long sentences
nj ionged TO the criminal classes.
he General Grant was popularity suppo'
10 be habltually grave, reserved and Ia
M turn but on occas on was very vivacio
I'm conversation. with keen sense
/, one evening. after n stag dinner at {
white House. the company assembled
.iil fbe library To smoke. Talk fell upon
happiest period of life-childhood' you
Grant listened. but said nothing till n
81 FOR his oDinion. 90,
t,.vs would Ike 70 be born agai
which Indicated that he had found
'sr lstsnce enjoyable all the way throuSl
Ednunds Quotation.
es- one Of Grants Secretaries OF the NJ
ell vas George NJ Roheson. OF New Jers
a. eor whom Senator Carpenter. ~ wise
In n great jurist and advoca,e.
rcived q violent dislike. Tvs m luest a
HE ,,tton of Roheson was that ne was
-. sreaf lawyer among sailors, ana gr
~ iaffor among lawyers
~. ecr,e one took Thurman 10 trsk
nj / waving referred rather conte mptuousiV
- no henehciar'es Of a certain measure
nv things" -,, zoe,
! =, g.. DE ave all thinga--" TO
~ ,,sn!" Intercepted Mr.. Tdmunds bel
ian 80 could frish his sentence, and the
troir,an OF Indiana. for many "
waoed vfgiiant and unrelentng war
a~er dmcnts 10 appropriation bills, WI