The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1905-04-28
LITCHFlELD COUNTY
WASHINGTON.

so great influence as at the DAY OF his
death. The fact is significant because
it suggests the character of the man
and indicates the predominant feature
Of his career-the steady growth and
broadening se]f-development which
made Of this hard-headed "Yankee"
lawyer. who retained his ancestral
traits to the last, one of the few lead
ing figures of the Senate. He has died
thus in the fulness of his powers, as a
man might wish to die, spared the
pain that has come to his smaller
calibered colleague and nameSake,
Senator Platt of New York, of seeing
bis hold and influence decay. But the
public loss is great. There seems no
one in the Senate to quite ill the place
he had made for himself, no one to
exercise the restraining and deliber-
alive influence, almost authority,
which he had come unofficially to exer-
else. Much less does there appear any
measurably take his place in the
national councils. He was partisan,
the republican stamp and seal were as
much to him as to any man, but his
principles we're high, and he held them
high; he was cautious with all the
caution and shrewdneSS of the native
Yankee, and he grew in breadth with
the years.
Senator Platt's death was not unex-
pected by his friends. The strain of
the winter in Washington had told
trial he conscientiously insisted on
presiding, although much of the time
he was not we'll and should have spared
himself. The visitors in the galleries
who were critical because they could
not hear each word that he uttered
had little idea of what at times it cost
him physically to perform his office
And finally the exposure and fatigue
he suffered at the funeral of his friend
and colleague, the late Gen Hawley,
whose eulogy he delivered, was more
than his age and weakened health
could Withstand. From the first of
bis attack Of pneumonia bis friends
have feared that it would end as it
now has.
Orville Hitchcock Platt was born in
Washing ton, Litchfield County, July
10, 1927, SO that he would have been IS
on his next birthday. He was the son
of a farmer, Daniel G. Platt. and
worked upon his fathers farm until
he was 20 years old. His education
was gained in the common schools of
Washington and in the academy there
of Frederick w. Gum, the still famous
"Gunnery," from which we're gradu-
ated SO many men who afterward made
their mark in the world. 1t is "The
Gunnery" which appears in J. q. Hol-
''The Birds Nest" Mr. and Mrs Gum
appearing as "Mr and Mrs Bird Mr.
Platt studied law at nearby Litchfeld,
in the office of Gideon H. Hollister,
the Connecticut historian, and was ad-
mitted to the bar in 1849. After
spending six months in law practice in
Pennsylvania he returned to Connecti-
cut in 1851 and located in Meriden,
where he retained his city residence
to the time OF his death. In 1855 he
was clerk of the Connecticut Senate,
and was elected secretary of state in
1857. In 1861 2 he was member Of
the state Senate, and in 1864 and 1865
was elected to the House-the latter
year serving as speaker. In 1877 he
was chosen state attorney for New
Haven county, and held that place
until elected in 1879 to the United
States Senate to succeed William FL.
Barnum, democrat. Mr. Platt was rst
a candidate for the Senate in 1868
when a sharp contest occurred in the
Connecticut Legislature between the
supporters of Ex-Governor William A,
Buckingham and the late Genera
Joseph r. Hawley. He had conducted
no canvass, but steadily received thu
votes of a minority of the republicans
who finally ended the contest by vot
of 1879 the chief candidates at thu
start we're General Hawley again anc
Governor Jewell, Mr. Platt coming il
once more with a strong balance O
power, but with larger prestige ant
greater influence than before. At ON
time General Hawley came within tw'
votes OF the necessary majority, whil'
Mr. Platt on the same ballot had onl,
three votes, and on three other ballots
only five votes. But Mr. Platt'
strength grew from that low ebb ane
he was finally made the party nominee
equivalent to election, after a memor
1885, 1890, 1897 and 1908. and his tern
} Of service would have expired March 3
1909. He had thus actually served 2
years in the Senate, and had beer
elected for five full terms, or for 3
years.
During his long term in the Senate
! Senator Platt served on various differ
emit committees and did large service
In his earlier years he was a narro1
partisan, albeit an honest one, bu
while he was never moved to indie
pendence of action, as was Senate
Hoar, he took an increasing broade
view. He was for 10 years and more
member of the committee on terri
tories. During that time the westel
states of North and South Dakota
Idaho and Wyoming among other
were admitted to the Union. Fo
whatever part he may have had in thi
Senator Platt was aSSailed on tn,
grounds that these states had INSULT
cient population to warrant their ad
mission, and that they we're admitted
from purely partisan motives in tn
expectation that they would add t.
the republican strength in Congress
Senator Platt served for considerabl
period and with much value as a mem
Der of the judiciary committee of tn
succeeded him as chairman of tina
committee. Second in historic i'm
pOrtance to the introduction of tn,
"Platt amendment" is the duty per
formed by Senator Platt in presiding
over the Senate when convened as
court in the recent impeachment tria
of Judge Swayne of Florida. This wa
the first impeachment trial to com
before the Senate in 20 years, and TO
the reason that the ponderou
machinery of impeachment is s.
seldom put in motion, rather than TO
any noteworthy features of the tria
itself, Senator Platt's position as pre-
siding officer of the court is lent a per
manent distinction. His conduct 9
the proceedings was characterist;call.
simple and businesslike, betraying nt
effort to lend unnecessary impressive
ness to the trial and by so much was ;
Disappointment to the mere spectators
Physically Senator Platt was no les'