The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-28
DEATH OF GEORGES ,BOUTWELL
IFNER iBIE EX-SENATOR DIES At
ms HOME IN GROTON, MASS.


cabinet Member and [. y. senator.
GRorov. Mass. Feb a. Ex-Gov. George
{ Boutwell, died at INA o'clock this morn
Ing so quietly that one could hardly tell
when the end cane Death was the result
Of pneumonia
Dr Warren did not expect death 10 ensue
during the night and he retired al the
R,utNc house reasonably early and adj
vIsol tho family TO do the same. Miss
Boutwell, retired at 1879 clock and bad
her frat good rost since Friday night When
she babe hor father good night he asked
If she would DO mar. and also if her brother
Fnnk would Toe at hand Sho told him
they were close by ana that Miss Waters,
Nil, nurse and friend. would be- with him.
He clo,oi his eyes and said goodnight
A. o'clock Or Warren went In and
found that conditions had changed for
the worse. shorty holoro O'Clock, DR..
Warren called tho household, telling them
he bolcvci .ho end was near. Mir Bou.
del leH minutes later
GcorLo Scwall Boutwell, wcs born on
Jan g..Its 5, at Br1okiae Slnss lie was a
desoou liant Of james Boutwell, who was
admitted as freeman in Lynn in lds3 and,
ON bis mothers s.de. Of Jacob Marshall
IN, inventor of the cotton press. The
Rou;well5 wore poor and he had only such
educational advantages as the district
school, Thea possessed Ho cleikcd In a
country s.ora and read until he was able
10 touch school, but he left this work to
kcap shop at Groton. and there his home
wa, from 1875 until ne die
Groto1 in Mr. Boutwel's youth was an
Ia Il -.
fact that several eminent lawyers lived
there gave it some fame Margaret Fuller,
whose father was a lawyer Of Groton, was
Mr. Boa. Wells Sunday school teacher. An
opinion that he gave Of her at one time Ia
interost sting. She pressed her opinions,
said Nj. Boutwell, in a style which ind-
Gated that they we're not open TO debate
Mr. Boutwell's probtv and capacity for
business, with tho severe training of con-
slant study ngat and day, made him re-
epectei and influential He entered politi-
cal life As matter OF course. He was a
Democrat because he believed in old JefTer-
sonan principles. In 80 far a. he repre-
sented tho 80 called middle and lower
classes in their struggles to overthrow the
cid aristocTacy OF the state he was called
by many dem1gogue yet in his support
Of Democratic principles he was consid-
cred sincere II never defended slavery
He fought az inst the annexation OF Texas
20 was several times beaten at the polls
because he acted Independently OF his
party. Many OF these differences were on
the liquor question,
He represented GFoton in the general
court sor seven Of the years between $40
and 1850. He also served on several com
missions. who're his business ability was
successfully employed He grew fnst as a
factor in the politics Of the state and was
elected Govelnor in 1851. He had little
sympathy with civil service refonners and
promptly turned out Of Office all the Wings
then IN. When he vent out of the Gov
errors Office be became secretary Of the
State Board of Education. visiting every
town in the State, infinitely studying the
school system end in five years service
making 100 addresses
When the Republican party was born
Mir. BoGtyelPs ant-7lavery tendencies took
Rim naturally into the new ranks Before
Lincolns Inauguration ne Was one of those ,
who saw clearly the coming crisis aud he /
urged that Mr. Lincoln should be protected |
a. the Inauguration by an armed force. |
From the very drst Of Lincolas term he 1
advocated emancipation. and from 1859 to 4
1903 when he was Ia Congress, the former /
old school Democrat was among the more I
radical Of new Republicans.
When President johnson WIS impeached !
Mr. Boutwell, took q! leading part in tho pro- I
ceedl1Js and he always maintained tina; the (
votes Of the House and Senate really estab- 7,
li5hed the principle that the Exc utive mi ght /
be hnpeachei fora which we're not ndict- !
able offences. Among his acts of the time I
which provoked much comment wss his 4
proposition. in lSC6. 10 establish the exist I
ing governments and make a military dis /
trlct out OF no whole South. The Four
tee1'h and fifteenth amendments par
ticul1rly the latter, were largely his work. |
The Tenure Of Office act Intended to keep |
Secretary Stanton IN control OF the army |
IVES drawn by him. He came ont about |
that tlms in favor Of short terms for Presi-
dents The mposs hility Of removing the |
Executive making it desirable. ne thought.
for frequent elections,
he financial world was not pleased, in
1853. hen President Grant appointed MIR.
boutwell, Secretary of the Tres sury. It
was thought h was too radical. but after
four months service i was generally OBJ
served that iutelhglblc, business like pur-
poses frankly announced in advance and |
faithfuly adhered 70, constant recognition
OF the law and consistent disregard Of
popular clamor were characteristics of
the new Secretary Undoubtedly he bet
tered the administration OF the Treasury,
which had become very corrupt under
President johnson. One Of his best re-
membared acts as Secretary was his order
during the Black Friday panic OF 1862
that gold should be sold for the purpose
OF normalizing the market He applied
the surplus revenue TO the redemption OF
bonds for the sinking fund aad in that
way increased the credit OF the Govern
maut
II was said Of Secretary Boutwell, that he
was narrow in his financial views and igno-
rant Of financial history. He was n strong
Hrotectionist and cared little for the prin-
cipes Of civil service reform. in his own
department at least Toward the end OF
his term he attempted, at first without
success. to refund part of the public debt.
and In a later attempt paid a syndica te OF
bankers a considerably larger commission
than was authorized by law Congress
pronounced that transaction improper
Mr. Boutwell, was elected United States
Senator from Massachusetts in 1871 and was
not reelected in 1877 because of the hostility
Of Gen BENJAMIN + Butler He was APP
pointed a commissioner TO revise the United
States statutes in 1871 In 1880 he served
a. counsel for the Government in the settle
ment Of the claims OF Frenchmen arising
out II the civil war and at about that time
ne took part in numerous cases involving
questions Of international law.
Nr Boutwell, did not approve OF the
course Of the Republican party in regard
70 the Philippines. He made many speeches
In opposition and became president Of the
Anil-lmperalist League in 1900. For the
last twcnty-eight years he devoted most
Of his time 10 the practice Of law and writing.
lie wrote The Lawyer, the Statesman and
Inc Soldier = s'Ihe Constitution Of the