The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-11-11
HISTORY BUILDERS.
The Outcome Of Throwing a Cushion.
Written expressly for The waShngtun He-lHJ
by DIR. q. J. EDWARDS.

III" Ss III -hhDSs
The late Jonas French. of Boston. was
for some years the leader of the Demo-
cratic organization OF the State of Mas
sachusetts. He was the representative of
that State on the Democratic National
Committee. His relations with Grover
Cleveland were more than friendly. They
could be described accurately as init
mate. Mr.. French gained some authority
and much influence in commercial and
financial activities In Boston.
Not many persons. excepting those WHO
were familiar with the excitement and
enthusiasm of the early days of the civil
war. knew that Mr. French served in the
army, and ii IS also forgotten. except by
few of those who were OF the genera
ton which was active in civil war days
and who are now living. that II was with
great difficulty that Mr.. French was able
to serve in the army.
He was always n Democrat and he
was without any sympathy for the strong
abolition sentiment which prevailed in
Boston for some years before the civil
war. He was one OF those who were
persuaded that those who were called
abohtionists were not without some re-
sponsibility for the sentiment which crys-
tallized at last into civil war.
Nevertheless. when war began and
President Lincoln called for volunteers
Mr.. French was one OF the first to enlist
He stimulated enlistment and was very
active in creating the strong public SEN
timent which prevailed throughout Mas
sachusetts. He was elected an officer in
one of the Massachusetts regiments. but.
to his chagrin and establishment. Gov.
John a. Andrew. who afterward gained
high reputation as a war governor re-
fused to sign his commission. II looked
for time as though Mr.. French would
be compelled to 60 to the front either IN
noncommissioned officer or with his
knapsack on his back and his musket on
his shoulder.
the front with Massachusetts troops.
within a few days after President Lin
coin called for 5000 volunteers. offered
Mr. French a place upon his stan in
charge of the commissary department.
and 1t was in that way that Jonas French
began service in the Union army
When Mr.. French and his friends asked
Gov. Andrew why he refused to commits
sion Jonas French as an officer in a
Massachusetts regiment the governor re-
piled:
He was one of the mob that attacked
Wendell Phillips at the time the latter
was driven in danger OF his life from the
platform of fremont Temple IN boston
Wendell Phillips was to make an aboli-
ton speech on that platform. but the
vast hall of fremont Temple was filled
with a mob strongly antagonistic to him.
II was one of the historic episodes of
Wendell Phillips career"
Yet II was afterward learned that all
the part that French had In that dis
turbance was the throwing OF a cushion
from his seat In the gallery where he
was seated to the platform, but II was
for doing this, nearly eight years earlier. !
that Gov Andrew refused him the COM
mission as an officer in the Massachusetts,
regiment.
Copyright 1916, By Z. ]. Edwards. AL Rights Re
serTedD
Tomorrow DR.. Edwards will tell when
Edison Had a Sudden Inspiration"