The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-22

campaign that Marcy made his en-
vfable reputation as manager OF tne :
war department He also gained q
good deal of fame as dipiomatlst-
Buchanan had two secretaries OF state
Lewis Cass of Michigan and Jeremiah
S. Black of Pennsylvania. Cass mao
been brigadier general in the patriot
army. governor of the territory OF
Michigan. ambassador to France Unit
ed States senator and secretary OF war.
After remaining three years in the
state department he was so out OF sym
pathy with the administration tnaI ne
retired and Mr.. Black was asked 10
serve the remainder of the term he
had been Buchanan's attorney general
and was a lawyer of much ability
William H. Seward of New York
served two adrninistrations-tho of
Lincoln and johnson. At no other
period in the history of the country
either before or since, has there peeh
such an opportunity for the display
of craftsmanship. The civil war was
in progress and the French-Mexican
imbroglio occurred at that time. Ar-
Seward developed the rarest good judg-
ment in both of these intricate situa-
lions, and atsthe close of his eight
years of devoted service to the depart
ment of state he was acknowledged
everywhere as the premier statesman
of the diplomatic world
General. Grant gave the place TO ms
old Galena friend and neighbor, Elihu
B. washburn. Mr.. Washburn was not
in robust health, and he abdicated, &C
cepting the French mission in lieu
thereof Hamilton Fish of New York
was called to the office and remained
during the entire Grant regime With
Rutherford B. Hayes came William M.
Evarts, another distinguished New
York lawyer and statesman. James 6.
Blaine, who had been a prominent as
pirant for presidential honors, was
given the position by his successful
competitor, James A Garfield. After
the assassination of the latter he re-
tired to make way for Chester A.
Arthur's preference, Frederick I. FIRE.
linghuysen of New Jersey.
i. Grover Cleveland but voiced the uni
versal sentiment of his party when he
Offered the portfolio of state to Thomas
F. Bayard of Delaware, and Benjamin
Harrison but fulfilled popular expec-
tation when, four years later, he re-
called Mr.. Blaine. When the latter re-
ceived the presidential nomination
John w. Foster of Indiana was asked
| to fill the vacancy and accepted. On
returning to the White House Mr..
Cleveland selected Walter @. Gresham
of Indiana, who died during the term
| ana WAS T0pldCSQ Dy fSlCIdI0 OtilCJ VI
Massachusetts,. During Mr.. Mckin-
iey's tenure of office there were three
secretaries of state-John Sherman,
William r. Day and John Hay, all of
Ohio, also the presidents native state
| Mr.. Sherman retired on account of ill
| health, Judge Day resigned to accept
| a place on the international peace COM
mission and Mr.. Hay served until Mr.
| McKinley's death and was retained by
President Roosevelt.
Elihu Root, the new secretary and
the thirty seventh since the foundation
of the Office. was born at Clinton, N. Y.
Feb. Is, 1S45. His father was professor
! of mathematics %at Hamilton college,
/ and his talented son is an alunnus Of
that sterling institution. After grad
uation young Root taught for awhile
| at Rome academy. In 1857 he finished
the course at the New York university
law school and in 1883 was appointed
4 attorney for the southern district of
New York by President Arthur Mr..
| Root was a member of the state con-
| stitutionaI convention of 1894 and was
appointed secretary of war Aug. 1,
1899, by President Mckinley and re-
appointed March 5, 1901. In August,
| 1908, he resigned from the war depart
ment for the purpose of resuming his
law practice. Since Jan. 1, 1904, when
his resignation took effect, he has been
connected with nearly all OF the i'm
portant corporation litigation in New
York city, and his acceptance of the
portfolio of state is regarded by his
friends as a tremendous sacrifice of
personal interests.
EBERT o. WOODSON.