Evening journal., 1901-03-01

Chicago convention Of 1860 was so Sc
we're that he never fully recovered
There is no doubt that, while his
professional ambition was very great.
he had fixed his eye upon the presi-
dency very early in his professional
career, but he took little or no part in
politics until his position at the bar
was secured. During the administra-
tion of President Fillmore, whom he
had supported (for he was a Federalist
from the day when he first understood
politics and naturally became a Whig).
he was appointed the assistant district
attorney for the United States in the
district of New York.
In 1861, Mr.. Evarts being nearly AZ
years Of age, he was made the candi-
date of the Seward Wings for election
as United States senator, and he had
TO face as a rival a man with whom
he was in earnest rivalry for more
than 20 years-Horace Greeley. He
could not secure his own election, but
he could prevent that of Horace Gree
ley, and so he withdrew in favor of
Ira Harris, who was elected.
During the war Mr.. Evarts was so
hesitating a supporter of President
Lincoln that he gave something of Of
Tense to the administration party in
New York state. Yet Lincoln, with
that magnanimity which he displayed
in other similar cases, and which
seemed something more than human,
rendered to Mr.. Evarts confidential
mission to Europe Of the Utmost con-
sequence to the UIIted States, and one
which required the services of a law
yer Of pre-eminent ability, and the Of
fer was accepted and great service rem
dered.
For four or five years Mr.. Evarts was
not conspicuous, but he suddenly re-
newed both his fame and notoriety by
accepting a retainer to appear as one
of the counsel for President johnson
in the impeachment proceedings. The
intellectual service which Mr.. Evarts
rendered on this historic occasion was
very great. He was perhaps the most
conspicuous, as he certainly was the
most famous, of the counsel on either
side. Soon afterward he was made at
tOrney general in JOhnson's cabinet
The great victory of Mr.. Evarts'
career came a few years later, and like
all his victories it was non-political.
He was appointed by Gen. Grant, with
Caleb Cushing and Morrison r. Waite.
counsel to represent the government
before the commissioners who met in
Geneva to pass upon what are called
the Alabama claims. Mr.. Evarts' con-
duct of that case is one of the most
magnificent of professional achieve
ments. 1t brought to him the highest
tributes from the English bar and from
the eminent counsel representing Great
Britain at that time, and its practical
value to the United States is evidenced
by the fact that Great Britain was COM
PEELED by that award to pay to this
country $4,000, 900 for damages done
to our commerce by the Confederate
privateer Alabama.
President Hayes chose Mr.. Evarts
secretary of state, rather against the
advice Of leading Republicans and GER
tainly against the wishes of the domi-
nant element of that party in New
York state, and after his term as sec
retary had expired and he had returned
to the practice of law he was chosen.
as a sort Of compromise candidate, a
United States senator. Attorney gen
eral, secretary of state, United States
senator as he was, he has had a great
er share of high public Office than has
been the lot of most men who have
gained eminence in politics.