Evening journal., 1915-05-27
New News Of Yesterday
A Famous Address By
John c. Breckenridge
BY Holland.

am indebted to ex-senator Henry
W. Blair, of Washington for an ex-
tremely interesting incident associat-
ed with the removal of the United
States Senate from the chamber it
long occupied, which is now the court
room of the Supreme Court of the
United States. TO the Senate chamber
as il is today.
Ex-senator Blair is one of the sur
vivors of public life in Washington
from 1875. TO 1891. Both branches Of
Congress while he was in service
three terms in the House of Repre-
sentatives and two terms as Senator
from New Hampshire contained as
able and brilliant a body of legisla-
tors as were members of earlier Con-
gross. Ex-senator Blair tells me
that il is only recently that he had
knowledge of the very remarkable
address which was delivered by John
c. Breckenridge who. speaking as
Vice President, delivered what may be
called the valedictory when the Sem
ate was about to depart from the
chamber it had occupied for many
years
when ! consider the extraordinary
historic environment and the great
event with which these ceremonies
were connected, the extent and
solemnity of which were then por-
tending, but not within the scope Of
absolute vision, Il seems to me that
Nice-Prosident Brockinride was in
that address giving utterance TO an
exalted and prophetic condition of the
national mind" says Senator Blair.
The occasion 10 which Ex-senator
Blair refers must have been marvel
ously impressive TO the Senators. lt
was in the year 1859. Vice President
Breckenridge alluded to the historic
events with which the Senate which
had so long occupied that chamber
had been associated. There must have
been something especially solemn
and impressive as he indicated by his
/ gestures the seats which were oc-
cupied by Webster by Clay and by
( Calhoun. These three Senators. whose
names and services have now become
a part of the history of the nation
We're identified, each according to his
distinguishing characteristics, by
| Vice-President Breckenridge Ex-
Senator Blair Is convinced that the
young men Of the present generation
! would receive great benefit If they
were to read Vice-President Breckin-
ridges address and were also Ia
learn what the occasion was which
brought IL forth.
It seems to me-" said Ex-senator
Blair. 'as something more than the
individual John c. Breckinridge could
have done. yet as belonging to him
as fully as Webster is entitled to the
credit of his own inspired peroratior
in his historic reply to Senator
Hayne. There is more than Breckin.
ridge or Webster in this sort of work
As the mind dwells upon the whole
situation at any time when an extra
ordinary speech is delivered, there q
likely to come the conviction that tn
thought and the manner Of the OK
preston come from the gods NOR
than from the mere man who give
utterance to It. The civil war and il
domination of national literature ma
now partially obscure the achieve
ments, especially those intellectual
and oratorical. of some Of the YER
great men who afterward were as
sociated with the Confederacy. II
can by any suggestion persuad
young men TO read this address o
Vice-President Breckenridge, whicl
may be found in the Congressiona