The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1903-10-17
rom SHERAAN.

/OHN SHERHAN
The~following portraiture of
John Sherman, from the pen of
Hon. Geo. G. Vest. long a United
States Senator, throws some
light on the character of this So
called statesman, who now So
journs in Hades with his brother
William:
Mr.. Sherman was, in my Judgment. the
most distinguished and valuable leader of
the Republican Party since the Civil War.
He had noqo of the qualities that make a
popular idol, but men followed him be-
cause he was bold, aggressive and had great
ability. He was not brilliant and had no
personal magnetism, but his mind acted sys-
tematicaliy and logically, like a machine,
und ;sturbed by impulse passion. He was
in no sense orator, his delivery and voice
being poor and his vDcabulary exceedingly
limited. He was proverliaiIy= ,he colds,
and most unsympa, athletic man iu public Fife.
and when Garfield lay dying an the White
House, in the sultry heat of 4 WashiWgton
summer, Don Plat irreverently suggested
that the physicians could dispense with the
use of electric fans and ice in the Presidents
sickroom BY placing John Sherman in the
cellar, which would lower the temperature
| throughout the entire building. .... .....
Mr.. sherman. cared nothing for the aes-
thetic and sentimental. Music, poetry,
painting, sculpture and the beauties of nature
had no charms for him. He regarded
everything from the practical and material
| standpoint, and when looking at the Fails
| Of Niagara would have thought more of
utilizing the water power than of the males
| tic rush of the maddened river. He was
| handicapped by no vices and his self con-
| troll was perfect. When he addressed the
| Senate both sides of the chamber gave him
| the closest attention, because his speeches
| were always logical and full of infor n.
He never spoke to the galleries, but to the
Senate, and what he said was pertinent 10
! the subject under consideration. In one
respect he differed from the immense maj r-
,ty of his colleagues by never noticing the
attacks of his enemies, matter how
severe uni Just they might be. l heard
| hin, declare one location that the public
| man who permitted himself to be placed on
the defensive was.lost. He did not pr e,end
| to have been consistent, and treated with
contempt all assaults upon his record. Mr..
oAsCSHoon uo SSuSS VI huilCfs Auo was
aesess haown to laugh at any story, no mat
tet how humorous it might be or how we'll
it was told.
AS matter of fact, 1 found Mr.. Sherman
to be 10th statesman. with bro I'd an en-
| lightened views, and a politician willin! to
| use all the means necessary to obtain party
success He was an extreme Federalist,
| believing-like Alexander Hamilton-iu a
| strong central government and with little
sympathy tor the masses who,in his opinion,
should be governed Ivy their wealthy and
educated fellow Citizens. He an op-
| timist, with absolute Condolences in the re-
sources otstkFs country, and had no doubt
| that the doctrines of Hamilton would in
| time substantially control the policy of our
| Government Impassive, self-contained,
| with strong intellect and sublime courage.
he graPPled with the most difficult problems
| of craftsmanship, never losing confidence in
himself and always commanding the conf
| dence of his followers.
John Sherman took promi-
nent part in the enactment of the
XIII, XIV and XIV Amendments
to the Federal Constitution, the
most foul crimes ever com mitted
in the history of the world; be-
sides he did other diabolical
things against the South that
will entitle him to berth with
his brother William to the end of
time, not to speak OF the con-
tempt in which he is univers ally
held by all Democrats.