Anecdotes of public men; by John W. Forney.

A VALEDICTORY. I55
we look back to our associations on this floor with many of our
Northern colleagues. They have, one after the other, fallen in
their heroic struggle against a blind fanaticism, until now but
few-alas! how few-remain to fight the battle of the Constitution. Several even of these will terminate their official career
in one short month, and will give place to men holding opinions
diametrically opposite, which have recommended them to the
suffrages of their States. Had we remained here, the same fate
would have awaited, at the next election, the four or five last
survivors of that gallant band; but now we shall carry with us
at least this one consoling reflection-our departure, realizing
all their predictions of ill to the Republic, opens a new era of
triumph for the Democratic party of the North, and will, we
firmly believe, re-establish its lost ascendency in most of the
non-slaveholding States."
It is hard to believe that the author of these sentiments was
born and lived to manhood in the North, and that all this hate
and scorn should have been cherished by one who ought to
have been filled with gratitude to a government that had so
long protected and so frequently honored him. Yet these are
very characteristic words. They describe the man like a photograph. He had really come to despise his native section, and
the feeling finally so absorbed him that he would consort with
none who did not agree with him about slavery. He made his
own ideas the test in all cases, grading his likes and dislikes
by the favor or disfavor with which these ideas were received.
His animosity to Douglas, Broderick, and-while he was on the
right side-to Andrew Johnson, was intense and unnatural;
while to those who opposed Buchanan and his Lecompton
treachery in I858, he showed no mercy.
The curious part of the above extract is the unconscious trib.
ute to the old flag and the promise "not to fire first;" and yet
in a little more than two months the rebellion had not only
adopted a new flag, but authoritatively began the war by firing