The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-09
TriumDhs of Old Age.
Philadelphia Ledger.

The nomination of Henry G.. Davis,
81 years of age, for Vice-president on
the Democratic ticket, recalls the SINH
lar nomination of Allen G.. thurman
at 10 to be Cleveland's running mate
in 1883, as we'll as the selection by the
gold Democrats of John M. Palmer at
rs as their candidate for President in
1896. However much the man in the
street may choose to depreciate it, the
office of Vice-PrC-.dent is essentially
an important and, contingently, a vast
ly important one, and so long as Veter-
ans are nominated for it not quite
everything will be falling to the lot of
the younger generation.
Should Mr.. Davis be elected he will
preside over a Senate containing such
specimens of vigorous old age as
George F. Hoar, of Massachusetts, at
II, and John Il. Morgan, of Alabama,
at S0-not to mention the still older
Pettus, or Allison, Cullom, Teller
Frye, Proctor and half q dozen others
who have passed the scriptural limit.
Leaving the Senate chamber and
surveying the country at large, We
see ex-senator John H. Reagan, of
Texas, the only surviving member of
Jefferson Davis Cabinet still active at
Sc; Russell Sage, not yet q cipher in
Wall Street, at ST; George s. Bout
we'll laundering against his old party
on the Philippine question, at So; Levi
p. Morton, hale ana hearty az 10;
George f. EdmundS mentally vigorous
at rs, and Joseph Jefferson, delighting
the grandchildren of his first auditors
at IA.
In Mexico, President Daz has just
been reelected at rs; in Austria,
Francis Joseph still rules at the same
age; in Denmark, King Christian has
passed his eighty-sxth birthday; and
in Canada, Senator Wark is pursuing
his legislative duties at the ripe am
rounded age Of full century.
One does not have to look far to
find historical instances of. very old
men welding great power. Benjamin
Franklin S best service to his country
was rendered after he had reached 70
PalmerStOn was Prime Minister OF
England when he died at 81. Glad
stone became Premier for the fourth
time at SO, and held the office for
two years. Bismarck was rs when the
German Emperor forced him from the
CHARACTERISTIC. Metternich also was
driven from power at rs, and Crispi
assumed the Premiership Of Italy at
the same age. Talleyrand, dying 1T
"a, had under successive French
rulers, been a power all his life. Pope
y
shown no signs of intellectual decrepi-
tude when he died of old age last
year, at 80.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson,
after retiring from active life, were
fruitful Of counsel until death car
ried them off on the same day, at the
respective ages of 81 and So. John
Quincy Adambs was power in the
House of Representatives when strick-
en- at 81. Henry Clay, at rs, was still
a leader in the land.
In other walks of life there stand
out among musicians Handel the
original Grand Old Man" who played
| the organ at q performance of his
Messiah" eight days before his death,
| at IA and Verdi who, reaching the
| age of 81, was prolific almost to the
last. And among painters, the great
Titan, who welded his brush after
he had passed his ninety eight birth
day.
| With some writer's the idea Of old
age seems inseparably connected Who
thinks of Samuel Johnson, for IN
kStance, save as the ancient autocrat
| of Grub street; of Walter Savage Ian
| der but as bluff old lion; or of
Samuel Rogers except as the nonagcn-
arian giVer of breakfasts Goethe's
name evokes the spectacle of the dying
veteran with his cry for more light
Voltaire's that of his triumphal prog
ress through Paris with face shriy-
eled to nothing" in the year of his
death; Swift's, that of the mad old
! man expiring, "a driveler and a
/ show.
/ One even associates the idea of age