Evening journal., 1911-02-21
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Only Man for Whom a
Senator Asked Patronage
BY "HolIand."

When the State of Vermont was rep
resented in the United States Senate
by Justin S. Morrill,, who was the
father Of the first protective tariff law
adopted by the Republican party, and
by George F. Edmunds, now 80 years
of age, it had the unique reputation Of
living I'D to the ideal of Senatorial
duty. Neither of the two Senators, dur
ing their service of thirty-one and
twenty-five years respectively, took
the slightest interest in matters Of po-
litical patronage, except In one in
stance. They were not only willing
that questions of patronage should be
left to the members OF the lower
House who represented Vermont; they
insisted upon it In this connection
It Is interesting to note that the sec
ond and third elections OF Senator
Edmunds by the Vermont Legislature
came without a line of correspondence
or a word of personal communication
by or from him.
In order to explain the exception
that Senator Edmunds made in his
rigid rule regarding his non-partici-
patton in the question of patronage,
there should be a brief recital OF a
little political history
The new and united kingdom OF
Italf had been perfected between 1853
and 1861. One of the first diplomatic
questions brought to the attention OF
President Lincoln and Secretary of
State William II. Seward was this 4:
Who I'm all the United States, is the
/ best qualified to serve as the first Min
lister from the United States to the
United Kingdom of Italy? Secretary
| Seward was persuaded that a man OF
scholarly attachments, as well as OF
some political activity should be APP
pointed. and I'm line with this opinion
he finally recommended to President
Lincoln the name of George p. Marsh,
of Vermont. During most of the forties,
Mr.. Marsh had been member of Con
gress, from which he had resigned TO
become Minister Resident at Constan-
tinople; he had travelled extensively
I'm Europe, and at the time of Mr.. Lin
coins advent to the presidency had
gained a wide reputation as an author
and a scholar. Impressed by Secretary
Stewards line of reasoning and his
recommendation, Mr.. Lincoln nominat-
ed Mr. Marsh as Minister to Italy, in
spite OF the fact that there we're a good
many out-and-out politicians who were
anxious for the appointment as first
Minister to the United Kingdom of
Italy
From 1861 until his death in 1882,
Mr.. Marsh remained in Italy as the
American minister. His diplomatic
service as minister was the longest at
tanned by any citizen of the United
States. Grant, at the beginning of each
of his administrations, and Hayes at
the beginning of his, we're beset by the
political friends of this or that politi-
clan ready 20 serve his country as min
lister to Italy. But 1t was always found
that Senator Edmunds, breaking his
rule not TO ask for patronage, had
sooner reached the ear of the Presi-
dent and Secretary of State than any
of the applicants for the mission.
Following the inauguration of Gar
field, the pressure became unusually
heavy on the President to name an
other than Mr.. Marsh to represent us
at the Quirinal; among other argu-
ments advanced. the President was
! told that Mr. Marsh had been Minister
to Italy for twenty yenrs, that that
was honor enough for any man, and be
ought to be willing to retire. At the
height of this pressure Mr.. Edmunds
for the third time disregsrded his pol
icy touching patronage and said few
words TO the President in behalf Of
his old friend and relative by mar.
riags, George p. Marsh. Those words
were sufficient; Mr.. Marsh remained
as Minister until his death the fol.
lowing year. And when he died all
Italy united in testimonials apprecia.
tive of his service not only as Minis
ter but as a scholar who was familiar
with the Italian history and language
and last but not least, as a man.
Copyright, 1911, by E. j. Edwards. All
rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell Of
alexander H. stephens in His Closing
Years"