The Washington herald., 1914-06-18
HISTORY BUILDERS.
Senator Vasre and His OId-ase

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J ~ M. v. :. EDWAHDs.
zebulon B. Vance was. when knew
him. man Of striking physical person
atty. He had 1T the time of my first
meeting with him served as Senator
from North Carolina for one term and
was beginning second term. While he
was Q man of personal dignity. he was
absolutely free from self-consciousness
and never seemed to be contemplating
his own greatness His manner was un-
conventional and cordial without at any
time lacking dignity.
He possessed the quickest. readiest wit
Of any Of the members Of the Senate Of
his time, and the charm Of his wit lay
in that fact that II was absolutely spon-
taneous. He spoke rapidly and yet al
ways clearly and his addresses In the
Senate were all the more closely listened
to because Il was apparent that he was
speaking In all sincerity and without the
slightest conscious preparation or studied
effect. His bushy hair. his bristling mus
tache. his overhanging eyebrows, and
his ruddy complexion made him con-
spicuous among his fellow-members OF
the Senate.
was walking with Senator Vance one
afternoon through Mcpherson Square in
Washington and CHANGED to see passing
at some distance one who was at one
time a distinguished predecessor Of Sen
ator Vance as q representative of North
Carolina In the Federal Senate. the late
Gen. Thomas Clingman.
He had served in the Senate some years
prior to the inauguration Of Abraham
Lincoln and he was one of those who re-
tired from the Senate after the Confed-
crate government was organized.
said to Senator Vance that Gen. Cling
man had once told me that Senator VIII
lie p. Mangum, who for several terms
represented North Carolina In the Fed
eral Senate, had resigned his seat in that
body and gave as his reason the fact
that he believed that a man should re-
tire from public ofice before he got toe
old to know when he should retire.
Yes" said Senator Vance, 81 have
heard that story. 1t was circulated In
North Carolina about the time I entered
public life. don't believe it was true
think Senator Mangum. who was a
man Of very great ability and at one time
a prominent candidate for the Presiden-
tial nomination. resigned because he had
got tired OF public life
There Is nothing in this prevalent
opinion that men ge. too old to serve vel
as public servants. Take the Supreme
Court bench. Some of the most vigorous
minds on that bench are those of mer
past seventy yeas Of age. Take the Sen.
ate as II Is now constituted. Why, the
other day heard Senator Morrill, who
believe. is past eighty years of age
make a very able speech and one which
had great literary charm. think. take
them as q whole, that the members Of
the Senate who are getting along to
ward seventy years Of age. or who arr
even past that. compare favorably witt
the younger men.
who Is there among the younger mer
who can make a speech that will com
pare in learning and In magnificent ffov
of English with the speech or John Nor
gan. the Alabama Senator? OF course
when a man gets along in years h
doesn't feel like walking quite as fas
as he did In his younger days. Perhap
that is a good thing. II a man has nor
NAL health there is no reason why hi!
mind should not be as good at eighty o
even eighty-hve as II was when he va
fifty or sixty was taking the othe
day with a gentleman who Is familia
with public affairs in England He tolI
me that It very rarely happened that ;
man was put upon the bench of tn
higher courts of England till he Wa
past sixty years of age.
Il never took the trouble to find ou
whether the story were true that Senator
Mangum resigned because he thought ,
man ought to get out of public life .whil,
he was still in vigorous mental healti
lest he stay in too long. because I neve
beloved that such was the reason 70
Senator Mangum's resignation"
Copyright. 1914 by Dr. = J. Edwards All night
;eserred.l
Tomorrow DR.. Edwards will tel
when the West Began to Be Pre-em
inent in Politics"