The evening times., 1900-10-22
JOHN SHERMAN.

coming junior rodnan in the corps Of
engineers engaged On the Muskiugum-
He was placed in charge OF the section
of the work in Beverly early in 1888, ard
so continued until the summer of 1S39
when he says he was removed because
he was a Wing. The responsibilities at
tending the measurements of excavations
and embankments. and the leveiing for a
lock to Il canal proved better education,
he says, than could have been procured
elsewhere in the same time.
He began the study OF law in the office
of his brother, Charles Sherman. and in
1874 was admitted TO the bar. He formed
a partnership with his brother in Mans
| field, and continued with him until his
I entrance into Congress, during which time
: his ability and industry gained for him
both distinction and pecuniary success
! Meanwhile in 1S4S he was sent as q
/ delegate to the Whig convention held in
! Philadelphia, that nominated Zachary
| TayIoT for the Presidency, and in 1852 be
/ w&s delegate TO the Baltimore conyen-
( tion which nominated Winfield Scott. His
attitude as a conservative Wing, in the
! alarm and excitement that followed the
t attempt to repeal the Missouri Compro-
mise, secured his election to the Thirty
| fourth Congress, and he took his seat on
i December 3, 1855. It is said of him by one
| of his biographers that he was ready
! and forcible speaker, and that because OF
=! his thorough acquaintance with public
! affairs he became from the first an aC
| lno+gledged power in the House
t He grew rapidly in reputation as de-
| batter on all the great questions agitating
! the public mind during that eyentful
/ Period; the repeal of the Missouri Com
| promise, the Dred Scott decision, the fu-
! gitive slave law, the national finances,
/ and other important measures
/ His appointment by the Speaker Of the
? Eouse as a member of the committee 20
enquire into and collect evidence in re-
| ga-si to the border troubles in Kansas was
| an i'm: ortant event in his career. Owing
| to the illness of the chairman OF the
| committee, William A HAYWOOD, Of Michi-
| gan, the duty Of preparing the report de-
| volved upon Mr. Sherman. 1t is said that
| every statement was verified by the
| elearest testimony, and that it has never
| been controverted by anyone.
! This report when presented to the
House, created a great deal of feeling and
intensified the antagonism in Congress.
| being made the basis Of the canvass OF
| 1856 He acted with the Republican party
| in supporting John G. Fremont for the
| Presidency because that party resisted the
| extension OF slavery, but did not seek its
abolition. In the debate on the submarine
telegraph he opposed the ffty-year con-
tract, saying:
Il cannot agree that our Government
should be bound by any contract with any
private incorporated company for fifty
years. And the amendment I desire to
| offer will reserve the power to Congress
| to determine the proposed contract after
| ten years
All bills, it is said by his biographer
making appropriations for public expendi-
lures were closely scTutinized, and the
| then prevalent system of making contracts
| in advance of appropriations was de-
nouneed by him rs Illegal.
AT the close of his second Congressional
| term he was recognized as the foremost
man of his party in the House OF Repre-
sentatives.
| He was reelected to the Thirty-sixth
/ Congress, which began its first session
amid the excitement caused by the bold
raid of John Brown. In 1853 he was the
| Republican candidate for the Speakership.
! He had subscribed with no knowledge of
! the book, for Hinton r Helpers 'Impend-
| ing Crisis and this fact was brought up
against him and estranged from him few
of the Southern Wings, who besought him
/ to declare that he was not hostile to
slavery. He refused, and after eight weeks
of balIoting, in which he came within
| three votes of election, he yielded to
William Pennington, who was chosen.
! Mr.. Sherman was then made Chairman of
| took decided stand against engrafting
new legislation upon appropriation bills.
saying: 1.-The theory of appropriation bills
| is that they should provide money for
! carrying on the Government, to execute
i existing laws, and not to change existing
laws or provide new ones
| In 1886 he was again elected IN the