The Washington herald., 1916-08-26
AFTER DINNER POLITICS.
When Three Famous Senators Took
the Oath.
By DR.. Il. J. EDWARDS.

Although Hannibal Hamlin, as Vice
, President in the administration Of Presi-
dent Lincoln. administered the oath Of
membership OF the Senate to some who
became of great influence, two or three
even being sure OF permanent fame
nevertheless il was as a witness from his
5eat in the Senate of the swearing in Of
three Senators in 1870 that he saw what
seemed TO him perhaps the most inter-
sting ceremony Of that kind of which
he was ever an observer.
This interest, great as 1t was at the
moment, was enhanced by the PERSONAL
tiles and careers Of the three Senators
who were, at the hTst session of Con-
gress in isjO admitted 10 the Senate.
Ohio had made choice Of Benjamin r.
Wade as Senator. whose service was to
begin az this SESSION Of the senate. Wade
had already gained State ard even nation
al attention by reason Of his remarka Bile
taggressiveness, his moral courage, and
physical as well. for ne was not afraid
to engage men even in physical encounter
with some Of those who threatened 10 at
tack him.
Wade was person Of pon arful
physiqUe. His features were stTouE and
| rugged. His eyes had flashes OF what
seemed ike Illumination revealing the
great mind that lay behind them. Tlad
President johnson died in the lattCr pa I
| of his administration, Pen" Wadr. as
President pro tempore Of the Senate,
would have succeeded him. There was
very striking contrast between Wade and
the senior Senator from Ohio. who. had
Ing the junior Senator by the arm. az
vanced TO the desk of the president pro
tcmpcre, MlllaTu Fillmore, who had been
Vice President, having few months
earlier succeeded to the Presidency
through the death Of President Taylor.
1t was Salmon p. Chase-who eleven
years later, became Secretary of the
Treasury under President Lincoln and
afterward Chief Justice OF the Supreme
COurt-who introduced Benjamin +.
| Wade to the President pro tcmpOTe and
asked that this junior colleague be sworn
| in as Senator. Chase was OF noble phys
| ical proportions and there never sat in
the Senate chamber any man whose head
was of finer outline. 1t was sometimes
said Of him that he had the head Of
| Apollo. His was the perfection OF quiet
| dignity and grace Of manner, thereby
Offering a strong contrast TO the rugged
personality of Benjamin F. Wade.
Then there followed the taking of the
| oath by Charles Sumner of Massachu-
setts. who, Unexpectedly to himself had
| been elected Senator through A Coali-
| tion or fusion Of parties in the Nassa-
1
| gained high repute as a scholar and as
an orator. He was spoken of as the
| perfect type OF the intellectual aristoc-
| rscy Of Boston. He was on terms OF IA
| miilsr intercourse with many Of the great
men Of Europe What impressed many
of those who saw him then was a re-
markabIy beautiful head OF hair never
! to be lost even when Sumner arrived
| at old age. II was a profUsion of silken
| locks, kept with what seemed to be care
| less care. His figure was erect. HIS
| face was very solemn as he walked
down the center aisle, leaning on the
arm of his sponsor. who, curiously
| enough, was none other than Louis Cass,
| Of Michigan, who, three years earlier,
tad been defeated for the Presidency NY
General Taylor. Cass' career was really
| behind him. but the careers Of the others
| who on that day became Senators and
| OF the men who introduced them really
| began upon that momentoUs occasion
and Hannibal Hamlin never forgot it.
lCo7vriEtt ,9!g iy the Mcclure essysper
| Sfr-TnEfe.N