The Washington herald., 1908-05-17

motive OF succeeding tc Mr.. Daniels seat
/ IN the Senate. However that may be. the
/ Senator doubtless would not duck should
/ he spy the lightning descending his way
! He is recognized by both parties in the
Senate as one Of the most astute South
/ ern statesmen IN harness to-day. He has
been one of Virginia's Senators since 1857;
three years before he was sent to Con-
gress for the first time as a Representa-
tive. With the features and locks OF an
old-time tragedian, a cigar always held
! in his mouth. and a slight limp. due 10
the loss OF a leg at the Battle OF the VIII
derness, his is a familiar figure about
/ Washington. At home, when he is cam
paigning, he adds to his picturesqueness
by moving about with the assistance of
crutches, a strong reminder to his con-
stituents that he was one of the stall
wart defenders OF the Confederacy. He
Will be sixty-six next September but his
appearance suggests a much younger age
to the ordinary onlooksr.
Though his life has been a busy one
what with looking after his legal and
political interests, the Senator has found
time to write two standard law text
books, Daniel on Attachments" and
Daniel on Negotiable Instruments" The
latter work resulted from a query put 10
him by clidnt as to whether sight drafts
carried three days of grace. The Senator
had to so to a bank and find out.
Student Embarassea Him.
Some years later the Senator told this
incident to law class before which he
was lecturing. When he had finished,
one OF the students. who had observed
that the Senator was absent-minded.
asked;
Senator, do sight drafts carry three
days of grace?"
The Senator looked the embarrassment
he felt as he replied. Upon my soul.
young man. 7 believe I have forgotten"
When John G. Carlisle went to the
Senate from Kentucky in 1890 he took
with him his Presidential rod, which he
had acquired when he became Speaker
or the Lower Branch Of the national leg
islature. His colleague, while he wore
toga, was Joe Blackburn One day
the two Of them got TO talking about the
formers desire to become President.
John" said his senior warningly. you
live 300 yards too far south of the Ohio
River ever to be President of the United
States"
This was sage advice for that day and
generation (as it possibly is for this.
also). and il Carlisle had taken it he
probably would have saved himself many
nights made sleepless by his ambition.
But as Senator he loomed larger as a
Democratic possibility than he had while
Speaker, and Immediately preceding the
convention Of 1892 his name was on the
lips of Democracy as one Of its best pos
sibilities. Still, on the only ballot of the
convention he got only Il votes, while at
the 1884 convention, held while he was
Speaker, his votes numbered q.
In March Of 1888 Carlisle became. Pres
dent Cleveland's Secretary Of the Treas |
lry He remained at the head of this |
department. till his chiefs retirement four
years later; and all the time he nour- |
shed his Presidential ambitions. Not un- /
IL just before he moved TO New York i
nd established himself there as a law
Ier did he part company with the dream
hat had kept him company for nearly a
iecade and a half
Possibilities of Other Days.
Carlisles successor In the Speakers
hair, the late Thomas B. Reed, put I'D
rs Presidential rod a short time after