The sun., 1902-03-09

eet Iace, TOOK the chalr ana uellNefeu
his address. II was full OF patriotic senti-
ment. well in harmony with the feeling OF
the Republicans and Democrats alike who
were members OF the House. As he uttered
the following words, the silence of even the
galleries was profound. and tears glistened
in the eyes of many of the old members:
If the Republic Is TO be dismembered.
and the sun Of its liberty must go down into
the endless night, let IL set amid the roll of
cannon and the din Of battle, when there
is no longer an arm to strike or a heart TO
bleed in its casue, 30 that coming genera
| tions may not reproach the present with
being too imbecile TO preserve the priceless
| legacy bequeathed by our fathers, 30 as TO
transmit it unimpaired to future time
This was an auspicious beginning The
noble words have quoted exactly expressed
| the spirit Of the House. The period dur
| ing which Mr. Grow presided as Speaker
| of the House was full of anxiety; some
| times with alarm for the public safety; but
| the Republicans and Democrats alike were
confident that the Union would triumph
There was never day. never an hour.
even during the session Of July %. 1851.
the day after the battle OF Bull Run. when
either Republican or Democratic mem
bers felt apprehension Of the final result
The anxiety was as to the basis on which
the Union should be restored
Speaker Grow filled his great Office so
well that do not think single appeal was
taken from his decision, and before he an
nounced on the 4th Of March, 1893, the
final adjournment Of the Thirty-seventh
Congress- he had received the cordial com
mendation OF his course from every pem-
ber of the House
Il should add that while Mr. Grow was
courteous and considerate. AZ the presiding
officer Of the House, and impartial and just
in his decisions, he himself was treated by
the members with more consideration and
kindness in that period of public danger
than might have been accorded under other
conditions
But Galusha A. Grow left the Speakers
chair with the sincere respect and the kindly
wishes Of all the members of the Thirty
seventh Congress, with the universal feel
ing that he had filed that great Office at one
Of the most trying periods in our history,
impartially, ably and well
But II is not as Speaker Of the war House
that Mr. Grow is best known. His enduring
fame rests upon his advocacy of the Home
stead law, for free homes for free men.
His maiden speech in the House was upon
MANS Right TO the Soil and for ten years
at the beginning of every Congress he intro
duced his bill 20 secure free homes 10 the
pioneers who settled In the West
II was not until the Thirty-sixth Congress
that he saw any progress In that Congress
Owen Lovejoy reported Homestead bill,
and II passed the House by a vote Of lla
e. II, ba Cuhsfi-
tute proposed by Mr.. johnson Of Tennessee,
afterward President Of the United States,
was adopted, authorizing the sale OF public
lands 10 actual settlers az rs cents an acre,
but making no provision for preemption
by settlers already on the ground.
This was agreed to I'm conference. re-
ported TO the House by Mr.. Colfax of In
diana and passed President Buchanan,
however. vetoed the bill thus clearing the
way for the complete measure with which
Mr.. Grows name was identified
II was reported to the House in 1859 by
Mr. Aldrich of Minnesota, and its original
author had the pleasure. as Speaker, of
signing the enrolled bill, 20 take effect Jan 1.
1863 Speaking Of the measure and Mr.,
Grows connection with it, Representative
Myron r. Wright, from Mr.. Grows home
district, said
The exact origin Of the idea, afterward
exemplfed in the Homestead law, is some
what obscure. 1t certainly was one of
those measures which evolve themselves
| from the will of the people. gathering in
| force slowly but surely, until IL overcame
| all opposition.
L believe the first bill presented TO Con-
| gress granting small tracts of Government
lands free TO actual settlers was introduced
in the Thirty-irst Congress by Horace
Greeley. and although no action was taken
on his bill yet he continued TO advocate
! the measure in the editorial columns of
the Netc York Tribune until the proposition
became enacted into law. Early In his
Congressional career Mr.. Grow became
an earnest advocate of the Homestead
bill and the name Of Galusha A. Grow is
indissolubly connected with that patriotic
and excellent measure
The first decade OF Mr. Crows Congress
sional service was about the most exciting
ten years Of the legislative history of the
country. 1t Immediately preceded the
Civil War, when the passions Of men were
influenced by the struggle over the question
of the extension or restriction Of the limits
Of slavery
Young, drdents anu OF strong cOnNlc-
tions, Mr.. Grow plunged into the contro-
versy that ragged, with all the force Of his
nature. Ready resolute, and resource
full of commanding presence and power
full voice, which at four score has lost none
Of it's resonance or range, athletic and
muscular, he took an active and leading
part In all the phases Of the controversy.
He did not escape personal encounter
on the floor of the House, although far
from seeking il, but did escape any Of the
usual consequences at that time attend
ing such Affairs. On the afternoon OF
Friday, Feb s. 1858, the House was con-
sidering President Buchanan's message,
recommending the admission of Kansas
70 the Union under the Iecompton Con-
stitution adopted in November of the
previous year Various motions had been
made for its disposition.
Alexander II. stephens, of Georgia,
moved To refer il To the Committee on
Territories; James Hughes, Of Indiana,
TO a special committee Of II; Mr.. Harris
Of Illinois. to a special committee of is,