The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-14

leading candidate against him. Finally
Mr. Evarts withdrew his name and a conf
promise candidate was elected.
In 1862 when the question of treating
captured vessels as maritime prizes accord
ing to the rules of war came UP, the gov
eminent called on Mr.. Evarts to conduct
its case He also maintained before the
courts the unconstitutionality of state laws
taxing United States bonds or national
bank stock without the authorization of
congress.
When. after a long controversy. the inn
parchment of President Andrew johnson
was decided upon. Mr.. Evarts was at
once engaged as one OF the counsel for
the president. The result of the trial
was. as everyone knows, an acquittai.
and MIR. -Evarts' mastery conduct of the
case is admitted even by his opponents.
The principal argument on the part of
the prosecution, which was conducted by
a board of seven members from the lower
house of congress, was made by Mr..
Boutwell,. Mr.. Eyarts' reply in behalf
of the impeached president is remember
ed as masterpiece of eloquence and sar-
casm.
In 1871, after Gen. Grant had been elect
ed president the Alabama claims came
up for arbitration. and Mr. Evarts was
again summoned to represent the claims
of his country. What he accomplished
on the part of the United States is ac-
knowledged to be a splendid example of
clear argument and apt illustration.
In 1S74-75 the famous Beecher-Tilton
case came on for trial. Mr.. Evarts was
then nearly 50 years old, but he took hold
of the defense with the vigor and earnest
ness which had always marked his work.
The case was long drawn cut and proved
a terrible strain on the endurance of even
the younger men who were connected
with It. He was the senior counsel for
Mr.. Beecher and retained charge of the
case throughout its tiresome length.
When 1t came time for the summing up
the judge and most of the counsel on
both sides were haggard and careworn;
only Mr.. Evarts appeared to retain his
original vigor and enthusiasm. He spoke
for eight days in closing the case for the
defense, and at the close appeared as
fresh and vigorous as when he began.
The acauittal of his client was the result.
In 1876 the celebrated controversy over
the election to the presidency startled the
country. The case for the Republican
party was put in the hands of Mr.. Evarts.
He made the chief argument before the
electoral commission. the decision of
which put Rutherford r. Hayes In the
presidential chair. After the Inaugural
ton of President Hayes, Mr.. Evarts was
made his secretary of state, in which posi-
tion he won new laureis as a statesman.
He brought to the conduct of the office
the same industry and earnestness which
had made his great success as q lawyer.
When he retired from the cabinet IN
1881 Mr.. Evarts was at once sent to Paris
to take part in the international monetary
conference. In 1856 he was elected to the
United States senate as Republican,
succeeding Eldridge G. Lapman. of New
York.
About two years ago Mr. Evarts suffer-
ed from an exceedingly severe attack of
grip. As he was then upward of 70 years
old it was feared that he would never
recover. Slowly. however, he gained
strength, until at last the disease was en-
tirely conquered. He seems now to be
gradually fading away. the iron frame
and splendid constitution. which formerly
were equal to almost any strain. having
finally broken under the burden of In
cyeastng years.