Evening journal., 1911-11-21
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The One Vote That Made
Charles Sumner a Senator
By Holland.


Cornelius n. Bliss, who died recent
iy. was for two years Secretary of the
Interior in the first cabinet of Presi-
dent Nick 'nley. He was of New Eng
land stock and was near Of kin by
marriage TO Matthew Borden, the great
cotton manufacturer, who, more than
any other one man, developed Fall
River, Mass, from a little hamlet into
one Of the greatest cotton manufacture
ing centers of the United States. OF
this relative. Mr.. Bliss, when he was
in a reminiscent mood, was fond of
telling anecdotes illustrating some of
the peculiarities of character of that
pioneer cotton manufacturer.
1T is not generally known that it
was to Mr. Borden that Charles Sum
ner owed his seat in the United States
Senate MIR. Bliss once said TO me.
In fact, if it had not been for highly
original and unprecedented action
taken by Mr. Borden it is probable that
Sumner would never have graced the
United States Senate, but would have
deoted himself to literature instead.
"ln the fall of 1850 Mr.. Borden was
elected a member of the lower House
of the Massachusetts Legislature. He
was elected as a Whig At that time n
Gueer sort of fusion had been agreed
upon by the Wings and the Free Soil
Democrats. Nobody thought when {
was first proposed that il would be
successful. but II did result in the cleo
tion of George $. Boutwell, as GOernor,
the same Boutwell, who afterward be-
came Grants Secretary of the Treas
ury.
A United States SeuatOr was to be
elected by the Legislature and at the
caucus in which the fusion Wings and
Democrats participated, Charles Sum
ner who had then become conspicuous
for his slavery addresses, was nomi-
mated. A day or two later the two
Houses of the Legislature voted sep
arately. Sumner received a majority
of the votes cast by Senators. The
House Of Representatives. however,
gave a majority vote TO no one. Upon a
Joint ballot next day no one was elect
Ell.
THE ballotiug was continued for
some weeks. All this time Mr. Borden
could not make up his mind whether
or not he should give his vote to
Charles Sumner and for a number Of
ballotings he cast either blank ballots
or voted for some inconspicuous per-
son. During most of this period Sum
ner was very near a majority, but
could not quite reach it. He was one
short.
Suddenly Mr. Borden resigned his
seat as a member of the Massachusetts
House of Representatives In the COM
munication he made to the people of
his district regarding his action. he
said that he wanted to act in accord
ance with their wishes; if they wanted
him to vote for Charles Sumner Tor
Senator, then they could so indicate
by the simple method Of voting for his
return to the Legislature at the special
election which would be called by the
Governor to fill the vacancy cOnse-
quent upon his resignation The cleo
tion took place carly in the spring. Mr.
Borden was triumphantly reelected
and he said to his friends that the
election meant that the people of bis
district had given him a mandate C
vote to elect Charles Sumner a United
States Senator. And he added. L an
going to do as they say and not as
think
"On the first balloting for Senator
after Mr.. Borden again took his seat N
the Massachusetts, House of Ropresen.
tatives he cast his vote for Charlie:
Sumner and when the tellers ann1unc
ed the result Of the ballotins IL va.
found that Sumner had received JUS
the number OF votes necessary tC
elect him. and no more. In other words
he had a majority over all Of one, ant
that one was furnished by Mr.. Borden
Precisely in this way and no other
the great abolition and anti-slaverl
Senator was placed in his seat in th'
United States Senate which he Occu
pied until 1874.
Nov. I'll tell you one Of the pecu
liar features of our political life, a:
illustrated by Sumner. So far as
have ever been able TO learn, Charles
Sumner never recognized in the 3lignt
est way that his election TO the United
States Senate was due to the action o.
Matthew Borden of Fall River
Copyright. 1911, by f. J. Edwards Al
rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell 0.
''The Wholesale Dinners That Failet