The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1922-06-28
GREAT SENATORS
OF OUR HISTORY
Interesting Data on Statesmen
of the Past-Mississippians
Prominent.

In the 1870 decade the great Uni
ted States Senators were Roscoe
Conkling of New York and James
G. Blaine of Maine on the Repub-
lican side, and on the Democratic L.
Q. c. Lamar of Mississippi and Ben
jamin H. Hill of Georgia. The de-
bates between these giants on the
aftermath of the American Civil
War were stirring reading for these
strenuous times. Mr.. Blaine was
the only one that had kept his i'm
print on the legislation and history
of his country. The oratorical duels
between Conkling and Lamar, and
Blaine and Hill are preserved in
forensic literature.
we'll recollect when was nine
year old boy, my grand sire said 81
want you, James to go with me to
see a great man, Matthew H. Car
penter, of Wisconsin, United States
Senator from that state" l was
awed on seeing him, deformed in his
lower body, with a handsome face
and hearing his musical voice. His
legal attainments were profound but
he was failure in that august body
because he had not been trained for
public life in the golden days of
manhood.
The 1880 decade was noted for
four of the strongest men in the Uni
ted States Senate, viz John Sher-
man of Ohio, George F. Edmonds of
Vermont, John G.. Carlisle of Ken
tucky and James 2. George of Mis-
sissippi. John Sherman had spent 40
years of his life in the House, Senate
and Cabinet and was a master on
government finances. Carlisle as
congressman delivered the ablest
speeches on the question Of Bimetal-
lism and in the Senate on monome-
tallism-the Gold Standard. My an
alysis of the Presidential campaign
of 1896 was Carlisle VS.. Carlisle, the
silver Carlisle VS.. the Gold Carlisle,
though Mckinley advocated Bime-
tallism without the ratio, Bryan 16
to and Palmer monometallism, Ed
munds and George framed the fed
eral Antitrust law, but Edmunds
was unhorsed by George as the
greatest constitutional lawyer in the
Senate when the new 1890 Missis-
sippi Constitution was attacked.
George carried it in his saddle bags
and confounded them with franchise
qualifications in the New England
States.
BY the way, the only instance /
know of where great speeches like
Carlisle on two sides of a question
occurred in Mississippi. Sergeant s.
Prentiss was employed to defend a
man for murder. The trial took place
after the testimony, the prosecution
opened the argument for the state,
and the defense was allowed two
hours for their side and the District
Attorney to close. Prentiss, who was
in his cups, when his turn came de-
livered speech asking for the con-
viction of his client. He had taken
up one hour and court adjourned for
dinner. His attention was called that
instead of defending his client he
prosecuted him. On reassembling of
court Prentiss with one hour left
concluded in one of the most master
ly arguments for the defense ever
heard in murder trial, stating as
a preliminary what he would say if
he were the state attorney before
noon, but now on what grounds the
prisoner at the bar should go free.
That ws genius. The jury re-
turned a verdict of acquittal.
Another, who was heralded fore
most place among the seats of the
mighty was William M. Evarts OF
New York, but his admirers were
soon disappointed in him. He had
passed the age to gather political
experience.
The decade of 1890 saw four men
who had kept up the traditions OF
strong public service in the Upper
House of Congress in Geo. F. Hoar,
of Massachusetts,, John C. Spooner
Of Wisconsin, John t. Morgan of
Alabama and Stephen Mallory White
of California. Imperialism brought
about by the Spanish-American war
was the issue. United States Sena-
tor Spooner was the master mind in
framing, forming our expansion pol
icy. Senator Morgan did more in
the realms of practical statesman
ship than any publicist in a half CEN
tury in his persistent advocacy Of
an Isthmian Canal by which the
marriage of the Atlantic with the
Pacific has already taken place. Let
us hope a movement will be there
created to his vision and mankind
bless his efforts for amity in trade
and social intercourse between the
nations of the East and West.
Editor, have written on this sub
ject to confirm your editorial the
day of small men, in public life and
that they must be trained by serving
the American people from middle for
ty to be successful in either the Up
per of Lower House of Congress. /
have mentioned the failures because
they entered the political atmosphere
after SIS years old. notably, Carpen-
ter, Evarts and even might add
Root, who was worsted by former U.
s. Senator Leroy Percy with in
ductive logic on the proposed a.
mendment of electing senators by the
vote Of the people.
Have just read Rev. w. H. Wells
on Senator George Wharton Pepper
of Pennsylvania. II is refreshing and
Illuminating. James #. McCaleb,
Byrnmore Plantation, Jan. 25th., in
Port Gibson ReyeiIle.
e-m~e-