The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-06-16
WHAT ONE VOTE DID.
4 BALLOT CAST BY 4 DYING
 MAN
Brought on the War with the
NIexicnns


 ed the result at Waterloo and trans formed the map of Europe. It is in the nature of events that the most momen- tous consequences follow trifling caus- es, and no human brain can forecast what would flow from notifications in the plans of genius, which of them selves apparently have scarce feath- er's weight.
 Something like sixty years ago man lay dying in cabin in the backwoods of Indiana. His physician had pro- nounced his doom, and the victim knew there was no escaping it, though his ail- ment was that insidious, deceptive dis ease, consumption.
 Its all right," said this pallid suffer- CT in his rasping, husky voice; I'm close to the Divide and nothing can stop me from crossing over but you must keep things going for--say, doctor, how far off is election?'-weakly turn ing his head and fixing his unnaturally bright eyes upon his attendant,
 Two weeks from next Monday"
 Gan you pilot me over that date?''
 'I hope so."
 "That ain't answering my question; can you do it?"
 '"The most that l can promise lS to use my best efforts; you may drop off before that time and you may finger for several weeks-no, days
 'I don't care for a single day beyond election; what I want and will have is the strength to ride to the polls at next election. You understand why?' ask ed the patient, with a wan grin. The doctor nodded without speaking.
 A couple of years before, the sufferer was involved in scrimmage in which he killed another man. He was placed on trial and the evidence would have convicted him but for the skill of his counsel Daniel Kelso, who brought about his acquittal. Kelso was now the democratic candidate for the State Sen ate of Indiana, in one of the closest dis tricts in the country He could not af- ford to throw away single vote, and this man, dying with consumption, was determined to live long enough to cast his ballot for the lawyer who had saved him from disgraceful death.
 And he did it. It was a striking ex- ample of the triumph of will over bod fly weakness. Swathed in blankets, the wasted skeleton was lifted into a car riage, driven slowly for several miles on a chilly day to the polls, where he was tenderly lifted out and helped for ward to deposit his vote. The sympa- thetic bystanders cheered the poor fel- low who was taken back to his humble home, where he collapsed and lived but few hours.
 That single vote elected Daniel Kelso State Senator fro Switzerland county, Ind.--a fact which appears in the off, cial records of the year 1883.
 The burning question at that time be- fore the county was the admission of Texas into the Union, The South fla vored it, for 1t would increase the slave area immensely, and for the same req son the North bitterly opposed the step Moreover, it was certain that if the step was taken it would bring on a war with Mexico. The fire was smouldering and required but slight fannig to break into uncomfortable flame.
 Our neighbor was determined to ob- tain possession of Texas and would not agree to the boundary line claimed by her, in which claim she was upheld by the United States. Texas contended that she owned the territory as far south as the Rio Grande, while Mexico maintained that her own ownership ceased at the Neuces. Many unpreju- diced persons claimed that, at best, the admission of Texas would prove of doubtful advantage, since the word Texas" was only Taxes" with the :,,, oa well to note here the f-forgotten legend that, after Texas became ours, our Government asked Mexico to name the bonus which she would accept for taking her back, and Mexico shook her head and replied, Nay, nay" But that was a joke.
 The Legislature to which Daniel kel- so was elected was called upon to choose a United States Senator. The regular democratic candidate announc- ed himself as opposed to the admission of Texas. This so exasperated Kelso that he bounced out of the caucus, talk ing with him friend, and swore that he would hold out till the crack of doom before casting a vote for the disloyal candidate, his friend standing by him. Their action deadlocked the Legisla- ture, which met day after day, only to adjourn without accomplishing any thing by it's balloting. It may be imag- ined what lively time Kelso and his comrade had and what means was talk en to whip them into line. They were threatened, promised, cajoled, argued | with, smiled, scowled upon, and even ! threatened with personal violence, but | both stood like a rock. Gentlemen" finally said Kelso, with | compressed lips, i've are all anxious to | perform our constitutional duty-that | of electing a United States Senator; | anl there is one single way and only | one by which it can be brought about. | Edward A Hanngan represents our | views and is sound democrat; the | choice must be either he or the whig l candidate.
 The situation was precisely as statel | by Kelso. Edward Hannigan took his l seat in Congress just in time to vote on the Texas question. The bill for the admission of Texas passed the Senate by a single vote and that was cast by Hannigan. That such action would have