The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-07
suNsEr DAYS OF sENAroR Ross.


senator. whose name Within the genera
ton mas been upon every lip whose vote
saved Andrew johnson from being driven
in ignonliny from the presidency, bending
N his cid age over a w0Sd-saws the man
who prevented the now ali-buJ-forgotte
rame OF Benjamin T. Wade from going
into history as the eighteenth president
Of the United States ending his days in
poverty and ohscUrIty. such are the ex-
trenles of fortune which have fallen 70
the lot OF former Governor and former
Senator Edmund =. Ross. OF Albu-
Guerque.
Governor Ross. as he is known 10 his
neighbors. was born seventy-fiye years
ago at Ashland. o. near. both in place
and time, 10 the birth of Senator William
e. Allison of Iowa He IS one of the
oldest printers living He began learn
ing his trade at eight years of age
Thenceforth the printing office vas his
Sniy school. his journeyman's certificate
his only diploma.
The slavery excitement OF. the early
ffties found the young printer foreman
of icb Office in Milwaukee. OF New
England Puritan ancestry and northern
Ohio birth. he was naturally an intense
Aboltionist. The formation Of the young
Republican party ST I;ipon, Wis, there
fore appealed 10 him With rare force He
soon after took an active part IN bring
ing about a meeting at Milwaukee for
the organization of the new party at that
place. he shortly removed TO Kansas,
ana. with the vigor OF youth and ardor
Of intense conviction, entered the fight
for freedom in the new territory. II
1856 he founded the Topeka Tribune, one
Of the first newspapers west OF the Mis-
souri, river. which was of great service
TO the anti-slavery cause. When the
war began. the young editor enlisted as
q private in the Eleventh Kansas cav
airy. lie saw active service through the
war, and at its close was mustered out
as ueutena mt colonel. When Colonel Ross
returned TO Topeka. the legislature was
in 2 deadlock over the election OF a SEN
ator Ills service e his party and com
try before and during the war stood
him in stead, and the deadlock was
broken by his election 10 the senate.
In congress Senator Ross was a strong
party man. Throughout the long night
over reconstruction. he was a strict rad
zeal In this nc well represented the in
tense spirit then dominant in Kansas,
and vas thoroughly popular with the
people and his party associates IN the
senate. He was obeCieut TO caucus man
dates. He had shown no indication of
aspiring TO leadership. His future was
full Of promise. When the congressional
leaders at length determined upon the
impea chment of the president. they never
doubted that they could rely upon the
Kansas senator TO the utmost. 1t was
well understood that several Republican
senator's were not kindly disposed toward
such q drastic measure as impeachment,
and toward the end OF the trial. Senators
Fessenden, Fowler. Crimes, Henderson,
Trumbull and Van Wrinkle announced
their opposition to conviction upon any
of the charges. and several others did
not believe there was any evidence 10
sustain several of them This rendered
it necessary to conviction that every
other Republican senator should vote for
impeachment.
At this juncture the attitude OF Sena-
tor Ross became source of much IN
easiness TO the impeachment managers.
After the senate had been organized as
a court TO try the charges he had stead
tasty refused TO discuss the merits OF
the case or 10 indicate how he would
vote. His only statement was that he
would hear the evidence and the argU-
ment, and would then vote in accordance
with his cath TO give the accused presi-
dent a fair and impartial trial Rumors
of corruption and undue influence began
10 fly about Washington. Letters and
marked editorials advising Mr.. Ross how
TO vote reached him by the thousand.
Trusted messengers bore him significant
messages. Party leaders labored with
him. Reelection or political ruin We're
held up as the alternatives. But to no
avail He adhered 10 his determination
to decide the case upon its merits, as
best he could, and refused to commit him
self. He was torn between his antipathy
10 the president. his deep political pref
udice. his ambitions, and his desire 10
conform 10 the wishes of his state on the
one hand, and the conviction slowly
forcing itself upon him on the other
that whatever the mistakes and foilies
OF Mr.. Johnson. he was not guilty Of the
high crimes and nlisdemesnors ia office
with which he was charged. nor 90 war
rant his expulsion from his high Office.
This refusal TO commit himself in ad-
vance made Senator Ross the marked
man of that trial. When the vote was
taken, May 16. 1865. the eyes OF the whole
nation were upon him. II was felt that
upon his vote the issue rested. And It
was true When he joined hts ''insur-
gent" ooIeag CUES in voting mot guilty.
furnishing the vote which acquitted the
president, the fury Of the advocates OF
conviction burst about his head. Upon
him as a scapegoat the alleged political
sins Of the anti-im parchment Republic
cans were loaded. and he was driven into
the wilderness of4obscurity.
Upon his retirement IN 1871. the ex-Sen-
ator made several successive newspaper
ventures il Kansas all Of which proved
failures; and but short time sufficed
TO find him again ei1ing out a rrecarious
existence at the case" as in his early
manhood. IN 1sS2 he removed 10 Albu-
querque. and shortly afterward became
foreman of the job department Of one
OF the local newspapers, where he re-
NAMED for the next three years. Smart
ing under the fierce Geuunciation levelled
at him by his party organs. leaders. and
conventions Mr. Ross made the mistake
OF joining the Democratic party, with
which be I'm reality had 10 sympathy
But the act stood MIN in good stead in
1ss5. when President Cleveland sought
partially 70 reward him for his services
and sacrifices seventeen years before. py
making him governor IF Nsw Mexico
Irpon his retirement IN 1@4. Governor
Ross fitted 10 a small JOB office iu Aihu-
uuer0ue. Much OF the time he was The
only workman employed. In the humble
routine Of printing letter-heads, clrcu-
lars and sale balls he spent the next ten
years. Two years ago Governor Ross
sold his plant and purchased small
farm on the edge ~ the town. Here. Sc
a little Mexican adobe house, surrounded
hy trees blt otherwise typical q TIRE
dun. gloomy f0-biddlng residence n the
Southwestern native. h. Is spending The
sunset years ~ q NE ia which romance
ard pathos have been most strangely
Blended.
When 7 called on him. recently, Z
found him in HE woodward in tire rear %
bis bouse-a rusty, heur crerit-iooklug
cid man. Win an CID hant-sau BE- uas.
us-h painful EFFORT. Wrestling from tHc
trunk % q fallen piri7n TIE WOOD with
which q cook his olnler. Inc former
senator ls perforce his oua nan ~ lA
work us Appearance 81 these snnzii