New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-02


says Senator Hoar in the opening lines Of his
Autobiography will wonder that a man who
ought 10 be able to tell so much has really told
30 httIA What the autobiographer has TO tell
he tells in So graphic and sparkling pages. In
the selection and arrangement Of his material,
In the winnowing of his vast store of reni-
niscence, the senior Senator from Massachusetts,
shows skill and judgment. He writes as he
speaks-with distinction. Yet so broad is the
neld which his personal and political expert
ences cover that one comes to share his regret
that. with all he tells. he must leave so much
to perish unrecorded If he had felt from the
beginning the impulse of the true diarist-such
an impulse as moved John Quincy Adams-he
could now, as he Well says, write q very large
part of the political and literary history of the
United States" Trusting to memory alone he
gives IN these two volumes varied picture of
The times he has lived through of the actors
on the stage Of politics among whom he has
moved, and Of the half century OF national
achievement TO which he has been so active and
so honorable a contributor
Senator Hoar's recollections of notifies and
pohical leaders begin with Daniel Webster
'heh IN the beginning Of his DAYS Of emhitter-
heht and observation. They cover the rise Of
uhe Republican and the death of the Wing
parties. the contest with slavery rebellion re-
construction, and the long subsequent struggle
oI the two sections TO readjust themselves 10
the results Of the Civil War They end with
the era Of pacihcation under William Mckinley
hho with the nations newer struggle TO shoul-
der the responsibilities thrust upon IT through
the war with Spain Entering Congress as a
Representative in 1869. and serving continu-
ously ever since ia House or Senate Mr. Hoar
mas mao chance TO measure and Judge the
quality OF practically every leader in national
po4lics since the first administration Of Presi-
dent Grent- OF Presidents Grant, Hayes Gar
Held, Arthur, Harrison and Mckinley he has
much 10 say. He passes no sentence whatever
on President Cleveland But he writes freely
or most Of the great party chieftains and states
men OF his day-Of Blaine, Conkling Logan and
Sherman. Of Sumner. Henry Wilson. Chase
Morton. Zachariah Chandler Schurz. Boutwell,
Banks and b. F. Butler. Of Edmunds Bayard
Beck Lamar, Allison, David Davis Morrill,
Evarts' Hale, Frye. Cushman X Davis. Ingalls,,
Vest, Cockrell and WaIthau 1t would be q
pleasure to review length the judgments
which the Massachusetts Senator passes on each
OF the great political figures of one Of our great
political eras. But space allows us TO note only
Jew of his personal criticisms and estimates
Mr. Blaine. whom he opposed a candidate
for the Presidential nomination in three Repub-
hcan National convention, proved he saws
when chosen in 1854 "a much stronger candi-
GATE than l had supposed, and his subsequent
career in the Department of State l believe
satisfied the majority Of his countrymen that
he would have made an able and discreet Presi-
dent" Nh. Blaine lac adds. would have made
a stronger candidate than Mr. Hayes in 1876
and would undoubtedly have been elected in
that campaign. OF the Maine leaders traits Of
character he says:
The public, friends and foes, Judged of him
by a lew striking and picturesque qualities.
There has never been in our history upon
whom SO few people looked with indifference.
He was born to be loved hated. Nobody
occupied a middle ground as to him. In addi-
ton TO the striking qualities which caught the
puphc eye ne was man Of profound knowl-
edge Of our political history OF a sure literary
taste, and Of great capacity as an orator. He
studied and worked out for himself very alb
struse questions, on which he formed his own
opinions, usually with great sagacity. How far
he was affected in his position by the desire
for public favor viii not undertake TO say. I
think the constitution Of his mind was such
that matters were apt TO strike him in much
the same way they were apt TO strike the
majority Of the people OF the North, especially
OF the Northwest, where he always exceed
lhgly popular. Mr.. Blaine a brilliant
and able man, lovable patriotic farseeing
kind he acted in great way under great
responsibilities. He was wise and prudent when
wisdom and prudence were demanded. If he
had attained TO the supreme object Of his ambi-
ton his term would have been most honor
able period, in my opinion. in the history Of
the country.
OF Conkling and Conkling's political ideals
and methods he speaks with an exceptional
severity:
He unit TO be the leader Of a great party
and was sure, if ne were trusted with power
10 bring il to destruction. He was possessed Of
an inorclnate vanity He was unrelenting in
his enmities. and at any time willing to
sacrifice 10 them his party and the interests
of the country. | can hardly think oF a
man of high character in the Republican party
except Grant. who retained Conkling's friend
ship. His resignation of the Office of Senator
showed lacking in
political wisdom or In lofty political morality.
This note of scorn rarely intrudes. however.
;nto the Massachusetts Senator's personal tudg-
ments. He speaks rather disparagingly of Carl
schurz a political figure. and INDUCES in an
elaborate and unsparing analysis of the charac-
ter OF Benjamin F. Butler But in the main
his estimates are generous and kindly. He pays
an afectionate tribute to the greatness of L. Q.
C. Lamar and Of Mr.. Lamar's friend and col
league, General Walthall OF this last named
Southern leader-too little known to the general
public, and too taken from public Ife-he
makes this unqualified assertion: If l were to
select the one man OF all others with whom 1
have served in the Senate who seems TO me
the most perfect example of the quality and
character Of the American Senator I think it
would be Edward c. Wathall. of Mississippi"
Interesting. however. as this ''autobiograp ply"
is a collection Of political portraits. it has
another and more serious aspect. 1t is meant
by the author TO be-and is-an elaborate justi-
fication Of his own political ideals and of the
ideals OF the generation Of statesmen which
fought the fight against slavery and gave the
negro freedom and citizenship. 1t is also a
plea in defence OF those applications of the doc
trines enunciated in the preamble of the Dec
laration OF Independence which NJ Hoar has
made to problems like Chinese exclusion and