Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-05-13
VICTIM OF PARTY rrRY.
Pathetic History and Death OF Former
Senator Ross OF Kansas.

Pathetic History end Death OF Former
Senator Ross OF Kansas.
In an unpretentious cottage home sur
rounded by fruit orchard and alfalfa
farm, close by Albuquerque, New Mexico,
death ended the troubled life Of Edmund
/ Gibson Ross, former senator from Kan
sas, and one OF the seven republican sem
ators whose votes defeated the impeach-
ment Of President Andrew Johnson MT
Ross was over 30 years Of age. To the
present generation he was practically un-
known. Thirty-nine years ago his name
was known throughout the land and was
execrated to a degree incomprehensible to
/ those who have not felt or witnessed the
passions engendered by the civil war. Six
other republicans voted mot guilty" with
Senator Ross. None Of them suffered the
/ sting OF public reproach as deeply as Ross
who, hailing from Kansas, was ostracised
with the venom characteristic Of 1.-THE
bleeding commonwealth"
In congress Senator Ross was strong
party man. Throughout the long haht
over the reconstruction measures. he was
radical of the strictest sect In this
he well represented the intense spirit then
dominant In Kansas, and was thoroughly
popular with the people and his party as
sociates in the senate. He was obedient
to caucus mandates. He had shown no
Indication of aspiring to leadership. His
future was full of promise. When the
congressional leaders at length determined
upon the impeachment Of the president,
they never doubted that they could rely
, upon the Kansas senator to the utmost.
IT was we'll understood that several re-
publican senators were not kindly disposed
toward such drastic measure as i'm
parchment, and toward the end Of the
trial, Senators Fessenden, Fowler Grimes.
Henderson, Trumbull and Van Wrinkle an
nounced their opposition to conviction upon
any Of the charges, and several others
did not believe there was any evidence to
sustain several OF them This rendered
II necessary that every other republican
should vote for impeachment, II a con-
viction be had, and at this point the at
titude of Senator Ross became a source
OF uneasiness to the impeachment man
ayers
Letters and marked editorials advising
Mr. Ross how TO vote reached him by the
thousand. Trusted messengers bore him
significant messages Of bushels Of
money" Party leaders labored with him.
Reelection or political ruin were held I'D
as the alternatives. But TO no avail. He
adhered to his determination to decide
the case upon its merits as best he could
and refused to commit himself. He was
torn between his antipathy to the presi-
dent, HIS deep political prejudice, his am
billions, and his desire to conform to the
wishes of his state on the one hand and
the conviction slowly forcing itself upon
nm ba oh tho&
takes and folIies OF Mr.. Johnson he was
not guilty of the high crimes and INSIDE
meanors in ONCE with which he was
charged nor to warrant his expulsion
from his high office.
This refusal to commit himself in adj
vance made Senator Ross the marked man
of that trial. When the vote was taken
on the famous eleventh article of i'm
parchment which comprises the sub
stance OF all the other charges. on May 16 !
1868, the eyes of the whole nation were upon
him. 1t was felt that the issue rested
upon his vote. And it was true. When he
Joined his 'insurgent' colleagues in voting
mot guilty. furnishing the vote which
acquitted the president, the fury OF the adj
vocates of conviction burst about his
head in a storm the like OF which has never
assailed any other public man. He was
made a scapegoat. The alleged political |
sins of the anti-impeachment republicans
were loaded upon his back and he was
driven into the wilderness OF obscurity.
Upon his retirement In 1871 the former |
senator made several successive news
paper ventures in Kansas, all of which |
proved failures, and but a short time |
suflced to find him again eking out a
precarious existence lat the case" as in
his early manhood. In 1882 he removed to /!
Albuquerque and shortly afterward be- !
came foreman of the Job department Of
one Of the local newspapers, where he re-
manned for the next three years.
Smarting under the fierce denunciation !
leveled at him by his party organs, lead /
ers, and conventions, It was not unnatural (
that Mr.. Ross should have Joined the /
liberal republican movement of 1872 and /
through that have drifted into general .
accord with the democratic party. Hav-
ing done so, President Cleveland was able |
in 1885 partially 70 reward him for his
services and sacrifices seventeen years be-
fore by making him governor Of New Mex
leo.
Upon his retirement in 1889 Governor
Ross htted up small job Office In Albu-
querque Much OF the time he was the only
workman employed. In the humble rou-
tine OF printing letterheads, circulars and
sale bills he spent the next ten years. Dur