The Washington herald., 1908-05-17

Tor such a Work as IL Now Issued.
a volume that has Just been published,
'"Ihe "reminiscences Of Senator William
NJ. Stewart, OF Nevada" is likely to at
tract a much wider popularity than the
merits OF the work as literary perform
anee may warrant. Not that the book
has not great literary merits, for It has;
IT has the merit OF simplicity, which is
much sought after these days by men of
letters. and which has been achieved in
this book largely because its author has
had to tell plain tale, the force OF its
truth neseding no embellishment.
Here is a man at eighty-three vigorous.
or clear and alert mind-a man who
has seen many things. known many men.
who has deliberately set down the story
OF his life, II is. OF eourse-for II cannot
help but be-a picture OF the history of
the country during that period, and this
intensely human document. besides the
great interest it has as plain, unvar-
nished tale" viii probably prove Of great
value to the historian OF the future.
For Senator Stewards life has. been one
OF unusual action and adventure. It has
been filed with color and dash and en-
eTgy, and his mind carries him back to
the early schOolhouse and to the first
money be earned grading wheat. through
a career as frOntiersman, neighbor TO the
Indian, friend OF ranchmen, miners.
judges, statesmen. In the building of a
great Western State he has had no in
considerable share He has made laws
and enforced themi he has made and lost
fortunes; he made a fee Of half million
dollars IN the famous Comstock litiga-
uoni he declined a place on the bench OF
the Supreme Court Of the United States;
he sat IN the Senate Of the United States
Tor twenty-nine years; was a friend of
Abraham Lincoln. and il was 10 him that
President Lincoln addressed the last note
he was ever 10 write on this earth.
Many Facts TO Relate.
II a newspaper were to set out TO inter
view this man. the reporter would be
confronted with an embarrassment OF
riches. for here is a man who has lived
big things and whose adventures are as
fascinating as any novel And he him
self has set it all down here from his ca
reer as a poor farm boy I'D to a seat in
the great war Senate. Here you may
follow him from the farm to shipboard.
making his way to the Californian Edo
raoo where, with broken shovel and a
STUB OF q pick, he hewed out the begin
nlngs or his first fortune, which, when
made, was to be lost in a single night.
This is American romance. for il is
true picture Of American life and Ameri-
can possibilities. In no other country in
the world would such a life as this be
possible.
An Introduction TO the book has been
written by Mr.. George Rothwell Brown.
who in one place writes:
The years spent in the Golden West we're golden
years indeed. Many years after his arrival in
the promised land-yeaTs during which he carried
his LIE IN his hands with reckless abandon. years
during which he fought Indians battled with ban-
dts. organized and enforced rude frontier justice
playing mans part In a mans hfe-lnany wears
after he had planted his pick in Grizzly Ditch.
Marx Twain and Bret Harte, called pioneers. "
appeared upon the scene and wrote the stories this
blueeyed WoE-hsted, fearless giant helped e1la4
! seem to ses him now. with q deuinger IN each
hand c0Wing the bully Of the camp. a man who
had sixteen nOtches IN the handle Of his gun and
was generally reputed % Be a stranger 10 fear
Many another man since then. including one who
had been a President Of the United States. have
qualled under the lightning fash from Stewart s
eye. It Is a mild blue eye when he Is at peace
with he world, an eye that makes children smile
and Iitt up their arms 70 him: bat when his shaggy
hFows are in frown-Bell the slayer OF those six
teen men laughed away the pistols with jest and
said: Il like yow kind have drink
His Retirement Well Earned.
II is not necessary to recapitulate here
the facts of Senator Stewards birth and
TO follow him step by step to his we'll
earned retirement Of to-day. but one rnay
with propriety pick out certain Of the in
cidents he has related so well. Here. for
instance, is a picture Of election methods
of half a century ago. Senator Stewart
writes:
While I was rracticing law in San Francisco in
ls54 / had ofice IN Montgomery Block sdiofn
ing the Office Of Judge Bolts OF Virginia brother
Of Gov John Minor Bolts. Judge Bolts went to
the polls ore election day to exercise the right Of
nanchise- The precinct in which he voted was
about the toughest in town. When the Judge AZ
tempted 10 deposit the ballot the bystaniers took
him of his feet, elevated him, and PASSED him from
one 90 the other without letting him touch the
ground foT than block During the perform
snce they made his clothes look as though they
had been picked from rag bag. He came into
ny room IN most excited condition frothing al
the mouth, with his eyes flashing vengeance against
the world.
I've changed my politics." he cried.
What has happened. iudgel"
What has happenedi" be reared. I've changed
my politics
What politics have you adoptedi"
I am IN favor of absolute monarchy limited !
only By right Of assassination
We'll" said l. do you think that better than |
our form Of government
There IS a possibility Of vengeance in that kind |
Of = goFemmeut for wrongs and insults inflicted
he answered, By the eternal, there Is none herei |
! have been bamboozled and hurled about for the |
last half hour, and God knows how can ever get /
even with those WTe.ches!"
Or can We be sufficiently grateful to /
Senator Stewart for the picture he has /
given US Of Abraham Lincoln. He says:
The morning after took my seat in the Senate /
called upon President Lincoln at the White House /
de received me iR the most friendly manner, tax 1
Ing me by both hands, and SAYING:
! m glad 70 see y0u here We need as many
loyal States as we get and In addition TO that
the gold and silver in the region you represent has
made It possible for the government to maintain /
sufficient credit to continue this terrible war for
the Union | have observed such manifestations Of |