New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-01


absence of nearly forty years he again elected
TO Congress from Pennsylvania being chosen as
member-at-large in 1894. and he remained MEM
Der of that body until 1865.
Galusha A. Grow was born at Ashford (now
Eastford). Wndham County. Conn., August 81,
1924 His father died when he still child. and
when he was ten years old he went with his
mother and elder brothers to Susquehanna County,
Penn. There he worked on the farm. helped in
the general store which his mother established at
Glenwood. RATED lumber down the Susquehanna
River, and in winter attended the district school,
In 1885 he and his sister attended the Franklin
Academy. at Hartford. Penn. Two years later he
entered Amherst College. from which he was grad
uated in 1874
The year following his graduation from college
he began the study Of law with F. B. Streeter. OF
Montrose. Penn. and in April, 1884, he was ad-
mtted practise in the courts OF Susquehanna
County. Soon after his admission to the bar
David Wilmot United him to a law partnership at
TOwanda. Al the snd OF year his health COM
PEELED him 10 seek open air life. The next two
years he spent in surveying and numbering. At the
end OF that time he called to succeed Wilmot
I'm Congress Mr.. Grow had tho greatest admra-
ton for his partner and predecessor. and approved
the position he had taken the slavery question
as the only just and righteous one.
HOW HE SUCCEEDED wILNIOT.
The way he came 10 succeed wnmot in Congress
forms INTERESTING chapter IN history. and II can
be told in NIr Crows own words Early in 1894
he spoke follows that point:
In 1873 wilmot had supported Van Buren,, the
with his own position author of the proviso
made him unpopular with large element Of his
there was trouble The district was composed Of
mot secured the regular nomination in Bradford
County and was also named by the Free son wing
cratic candidates it evident that a Wing would
be elected Wimot agreed TO retire " ms oPPoheHs
close TO the time OF election. and the com
farm repairing STIdge5 one week after my nom
ination was elected to Congress by / 30 majority
Two years later my majority was I0TI. and in 1884
as result OF my stand on the kaEsas NEBRASKA
unanimously elected.
Mr.. Grow entered public life az a critical period
Tho previous Congress. which contained only nine
avowed anti-slavery men, had passed Clay's omni-
bus bill and the Fugitive Slave law. and all
parties the small contingent of Abolitionists.
hoped and avowed that the slavery question was
settled for once and all. But early in the admin
istration of President Pierce the successful at
tempt of Senator Douglas TO repeal the Missouri
Compromise started anew differences that only war
could settle, Although David Wilmot had been
defeated largely on account of his anti-savery
successor took and from the outset maintaned an
even more RADICAL and advanced position than that
less opposition against repeal. and when the Mis-
So sour IT h nn od became law he pub
came the leader In Congress of the newly formed
was once the caucus candidate for Speaker and
finally the presiding officer Of the War Con-
gress, chosen without even the formaiity Of a
caucus.
SPEAKER IN WAR TIME
Mr. Grow was elected Speaker Of the House on
July T. 1861. and so ably and acceptably did he dis
charge the duties of that office that at the close OF
his term a unanimous Of thanks was given
him-the first unanimous vote given TO a Sneaker
in many years. Previous to his election to the
speakership he had been chairman of the COM
mittees on Indian Affairs and Territories being
at the head of the latter committee during all the
Kansas troubles
One of the most important and DISTINGUISHED ser
vices which he rendered to the country during this
period was that of securing the passage of the
Free Homestead law. II took him nearly ten years
to carry it through and during much of the time
introduced the bill in the first Congress In which he
gress in support OF the bin He believed that the
M sUu" bn nPt b maze inc 5ubS lands
In small homesteads upon those without land for
leaders opposed the bill, because they knew that
the territories would be settled by small farmers
from the free states 4 modified bill passed
In Buchanan's administration but II was vetoed
PS h and had h out as aae s
of signing his pet measure.
ATTACKED BY a FELLOW MEMBER
In the period just before the outbreak of the
Civil War the assault in the Senate OF Brooks on
Charles Sumner was not unique. Mr.. Grow had
passage with Kilt of South Carolina. but In the
general fight which ensued Barksdae OF Missis-
sippi his wig, which ludicrous sequel restored
the good humor of the body. But Mr. Grow was
Il little later challenged TO duel by Branch, of
North Carolina to which Mr.. Grow replied that he
regarded duelling as at variance with the pre-
cepts of tho Christian religion and the sentiments
of Christian people; but he added, ''Iny personal
rights and the freedom of debate guaranteed by
the Constitution / shall defend whenever and
wherever they are asSailed." In editorial re-
ferTing the close OF the Congress In which Mr..
Grow last served during this earlier period THE
Tribune said that he has evinced a fertility OF
resource, a command of parliamentary tactics a
promptitude in Selling opportunity a wisdom
In act and brevity of speech such have rarely
been exhibited on that floor"
In 1862 the Pennsylvania Legislature reappOr-
toned the Congress districts of the state and
Sllsouehanna County united TO Llzerne thus
making Mr.. Grows district strongly Democratic
and preventing his reelection. He was a delegate
10 the National Republican conventions or 1884,
1858 and 1892 and chairman Of the Republican
State Central Committee in the campaign which
resulted in the election OF General Grant In 1864
Mr. Grow came within vote OF being nominated
for Vice-President instead of Andrew Johnson
oFre