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rapid success was due almost wholly to his personal skill and energy. The com- pany was soon involved in patent litiga- tion, first with the powerful Brush Elec- tric Company of Cleveland, and later with the Westinghouse Company, of Pittsburgh. Hle met these formidable antagonists with undaunted courage, and beat them both. From that time on he was recognized as one of the strongest men in the field by electrical manufactur- ers and promoters of the United States. Until his death he was the head and man- ager of the great electrical manufactur- ing business carried on in Fort Wayne, which gave employment to hundreds of workmen and put bread into the mouthis of thousands of people. In the meantime he was drawn to other enterprises also. He became interested in street railways, and in the manufacture of ice, paper, bicycles and incandescent lamps, having factories of one or another of these pro- duets at New Orleans, Louisiana; Dallas, Texas; Cleveland, Ohio; and Plymouth and Hartford City, Indiana. He owned the largest hotel in Fort Wayne-the Aveline Honse, and was a principal own- er of the Hoffman House in New York. In the midst of this career of wonderful activity he was stricken with pneumonia and died at Dallas, Texas, on December 24, 1898. Few such lives are lived in the world. He was a man of powerful frame, vigorous health, magnetic presence and unceasing activity of mind and body. His capacity for work seemed unlimited; his courage and resources never failed him.
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He loved to make money, but he loved more to do business-to do it for its own sake, for the sake of the activity, ri- valry, accomplishment, triumph which it promised. He yielded overmuch to this instinct. He took up too many things, and laid upon himself too great a load. His untimely death left affairs which those who remained could not carry for- ward and which had to be wound up with great loss. But it was to be seen even then that his enterprises were all well planned. There were the foundations of multiplied fortunes in them which want- ed only his continued life for their reali- zation. While devoted with untiring en- ergy to business, Mr. McDonald was a man of intense affections and strong so- cial instincts. He was a member of clubs in Fort Wayne, New York, Chicago and New Orleans. He was a thirty-second de- gree Mason, a member of Fort Wayne Commandery, Knights Templars of the Mystic Shrine, Indianapolis Consistory, and a charter member of Fort Wayne Lodge of Perfection, Scottish Rite. His friendships were deep and enduring and fidelity to his friends was one of the strongest points in his character. It would be impossible for a man of his tem- perament not to love a good horse. He was a fearless and skillful driver, and almost his sole recreation was on the road behind a high-spirited team; or in a day's visit to his farm north of Fort Wayne, where he bred as fine stock as was to be found in the State. Mr. Mc- Donald was married in 1876 to Miss Lil-
lian Morse, daughter of Marquis and Elizabeth Morse, of Angola, Indiana. One child, a daughter, Esther, survives-the picture of her father in the refined lines of a girl's face. He left surviving his mother, one brother, and two married sis- ters. His home in Fort Wayne was a model of unpretentious comfort and ele- gance. His own generosity aided by his wife's artistic taste, had planned, filled and adorned it as a beautiful temple of domestic affection, at whose altar he was a devout worshiper. To be at home with his wife and daughter was his highest happiness, prized all the more because the demands of business prevented the full enjoyment of it.
ISAAC P. GRAY.
Among the foremost names of Indiana's late prominent men must be recorded that of Isaac Pusey Gray, associated with which are the honorable offices of Col- onel, State Senator, Lieutenant-Governor, Governor and Foreign Minister. He was issued from Quaker stock, and was born October 18, 1828, at Downingtown, coun- ty of Chester, Pennsylvania. The family had been a consequential one in that State for three generations, his great- grandfather having come over to this country with William Penn in the latter part of the Seventeenth Century, and served under him for eight years as a member of the General Assembly, Penn being Governor and proprietary of the
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province. The parents of Isaac P. Gray were both natives of Chester county, but moved in 1836, to Urbana, Ohio, our sub- ject being then eight years of age. Twice they changed their location in Ohio- to Montgomery county in 1839, and to Darke county in 1842. They were poor, and Isaac worked his way to an education by clerking in a dry goods store while in Ohio. After coming to Indiana, Novem- ber 30, 1855, he entered the mercantile business in Union City. He also began the study of law, and was admitted to the bar just previous to the breaking out of the Rebellion. By this time he had earned the recognition of his community as one of its leading citizens. On Septem- ber 4, 1862, Governor Morton appointed him colonel of the Fourth Indiana Cav- alry, in which post he served until Febru- ary 11, 1863, when ill health necessitated his retirement. In the meantime-for five days, July 9 to 17, 1863-he was col- onel of the One Hundred and Sixth In- diana Minutemen. The One Hundred
and Forty-seventh Indiana Volun- teers, also, was assembled and or- Gray. This ganized by Colonel
regiment was mustered in March 13, 1865, and he was offered the coloneley, but physical weakness incapac- itating its leader for continued military service, he declined and Colonel Peden was appointed and served till August 4, following, when the regiment was mus- tered ont. At the close of the war, Colonel Gray, together with Hon. N. Cadwallader, organized the Citizens' Bank, of Union
City, of which he was for many years vice-president and a large stockhold- er. He established himself in the legal profession, and was quickly drawn into the political field, where he suffered some defeats and won many triumphs. He was a Whig until the dissolution of that party and then joined the Republicans. In 1866 he was made candidate for Congress by the anti-Julian division of the Republican party and was defeated by only a small majority. In 1868, he was elected on the Republican ticket to the State Senate, and during the four years of his incum- bency he was one of its most influential members. As president pro tempore of that body in 1869, he secured the passage of the Fifteenth (anti-slavery) Amend- ment to the Constitution of the United States. Indiana was the last State to vote upon the amendment, and its success or defeat hung upon her verdict. The Democrats, although a minority in her Senate, were strong in their antagonism to the amendment. Among its most vio- lent opponents was "Blue Jeans" Will- iams, afterwards Governor of Indiana. The opposing faction was quitting the chamber, one by one, and the needful quorum was in jeopardy. But Mr. Gray rose to the occasion, giving to the assem- bly a practical illustration of his courage and decision of character. Stepping into the lobby, he locked the door and pocket- ed the key. "Who dares lock in Sena- tors," was flung at the chair. "I do," was the calm reply. President Gray then or- dered the secretary to call the roll, and
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although the hostile Democrats had crowded about the locked door and de- clined to vote, they were recorded as pres- ent, but not voting. The quorum thus se- cured, the majority in favor of the amend- ment proceeded with their ballot. In 1870, Senator Gray received from Presi- dent Grant the appointment as consul to St. Thomas, West Indies, which was con- firmed by the Senate; but he declined the appointment on the plea of lack of har- mony between himself and the existing government. Upon the expiration of his term of office in the State Senate, Mr. Gray espoused the Liberal Republican cause, was appointed delegate-at-large for Indiana to the National Convention of the new party, held at Cincinnati, and was made by that convention member for his State of its National Executive Commit- tee. He zealously followed the fortunes of Horace Greeley to their unhappy issue; then, feeling the isolation of the Inde- pendent in politics, and having grown, in his maturity, into closer touch with the principles of the Democratic party, he became, and continued during the remain- der of his life, an ardent Democrat. In 1872 his name was mentioned before the Democratic State Convention for Con- gressman-at-large, but was withdrawn by him; and in 1874, it was again placed before the convention, this time for At- torney-General, being again withdrawn by his orders. In 1876 he was nominated by acclamation for Lieutenant-Governor, and elected in the following October; and in 1880, he was a candidate for Governor
and was only defeated by four votes, but was again nominated in like manner for Lieutenant-Governor, sharing the defeat of his party in the fall election. In No- vember, however, on the death of Govern- or Williams, Lieutenant-Governor Gray became Governor of Indiana. His popu- larity is shown by the fact that after the conclusion of his services in this capacity he was selected by the Democratic mem- bers of the Legislature as their candidate for the position of United States Senator, shortly to become vacant by the expira- ation on March 4, 1881, of the term of Senator Joseph E. McDonald. The Re- publicans were in a majority in the Leg- islature, so that the nomination indicated nothing but the full confidence of his friends in his wisdom and abilities. In 1884 he was candidate for a second term, and was duly elected by a majority of nearly one thousand greater than that of any other person on the ticket. He made a most brilliant campaign, to which and his resulting popularity, has been ac- credited the saving of the State to Cleve- land and Hendricks. He was a noted tar- iff reformer, and all his campaigns turned on that issue. As a public speaker and debater, Governor Gray had no superior in his State. His arguments were clear and forceful, his speeches so well studied as to be delivered with fluency. He was thoroughly at home on the stump, enter- ing into campaign work with an enthu- siasm and evident enjoyment that were contagious. Many a time, in the Southern part of the State, his rostrum was a plank
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supported by two barrels, his audience the assembled population from a large area of the surrounding country. Prob- ably not the least attractive feature of these open-air entertainments was the genial manner in which the stately orator would descend from his barrels and his professional dignity to shake hands and speak a kindly word to even the lowliest of his auditors. During his tenure of the gubernatorial chair he rendered ex- cellent service to his State and, inaugur- ated and carried to success many reforms. His executive ability was of the highest order, and he gave special care to finance, which was, indeed, his strong point. During two years in which the Legislature failed to pass the appropria- tion bill necessary for the maintenance of the State institutions, he succeeded in keeping their machinery running withont legislation. In the Presidential campaign of 1888, Governor Gray's name was pro- posed for second place to the convention held at St. Louis, but without effect, and it has since been stontly claimed by his friends that had he been nominated in- stead of Allen G. Thurman, the Demo- cratie National ticket would not have suffered defeat. It was not until the cam- paign of 1892 that Governor Gray really appeared in the field of National politics, when he was suggested as candidate for first place. His State was enthusiastic for him as against Cleveland, but after the arrival of the Indiana delegates in Chicago, they found the very air charged with Cleveland sentiment. His friends
labored loyally and heroically for their favorite until the eve of the convention, when it was decided by the Indiana dele- gates that it would not be advisable to present his name to the convention for the first place. Their labors were not, how- ever, without reward, because they com- manded the respect of the Cleveland ad- herents, who recognized his splendid or- ganization and political force in National politics and insisted upon his nomination for the Vice-Presidency. The delegates yielded and his name was placed before the convention for Vice-President; but again he lost the second place, which was given to Stevenson. He betrayed no dis- appointment on hearing of his defeat, but said: "Stevenson is a strong man, and will aid the party in carrying Illinois, his own State." Some of those initiated in the mysteries of the campaign confidently asserted that Mr. Gray would have a place in the cabinet, but this prediction failed of fulfillment. It is certain, how- ever, that he stood very near to the Presi- dent, and in spite of the most earnest ex- ertions of his adversaries to prevent it, he received the first appointment to diplo- matic office made by Cleveland after en- tering upon his second term-that of Min- ister to Mexico, on an annual salary of $17,500, the mission having been raised to first rank. Being a natural tactician, as well as a gentleman of fine presence and of thorough experience with men, he was admirably fitted for the duties of a dip- lomatic post, into which be carried his characteristic zeal, performing those
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duties with credit to himself and fidelity to the interests of his country. A short time before his death, he visited his home in the Hoosier State, when he seemed in excellent health and spirits. Although evidently much enjoying his visit, he was as evidently anticipating with pleasure the return to his official post. On his re- turn to the City of Mexico, he contracted a severe cold and arrived at his destina- tion unconscious, on February 14, 1895, his death occurring the same day at 7 o'clock in the evening. His loss was deep- ly felt by his friends in Indiana, and called forth many eulogistic testimonials. The Mexican government, headed by President Diaz, paid to his memory the highest respects. His business and po- litical associates honored and loved him for the abilities and virtues revealed through the twenty-five years of his prom- inent activity in their midst; but his fam- ily alone knew the real gentleness and tenderness of his heart. Mr. Gray was not a rich man. but by constant thrift had accumulated a comfortable compe- teney. He was a friend of young men, and was always ready to extend encour- agement and substantial aid to such as needed and deserved them. His courtesy to all classes of people was almost pro- verbial, and with the possible exception of a few rabid political enemies, he was universally esteemed. The most severe charge which could reasonably be brought against him was that of being ambitious. Ambition is one of the prime forces that move the machinery of
civilization, and, tempered by the simple virtues of truth and justice, becomes a beneficent force. Mr. Gray abhorred dis- honesty in public, as in private, life. He could recognize no place in the divine economy for the much-cherished lie. To him Vice lost nothing of its ugliness how- ever attractively arrayed, even though chaperoned, and presented as Virtue by Power and Wealth. And Mr. Gray had the courage to champion his convictions. He was a man who, had he known less of culture, would have been aptly desig- nated, as were his ancestors, by the phrase "rough and ready." And, if the roughness had been smoothed away by contact with good society, the readiness, at least, remained intact, and furnished, perhaps, the key-note to his success. He was ready to take advantage of every op- portunity, and ready to cope with the dif- ficulties of every emergency. He had a keen appreciation of the good things of this world, and strove for such as could honorably be obtained, but no more. In Belford's monthly of October, 1891, among many commendatory paragraphs on Mr. Gray, appears the following terse summary of his public character: "He is all that he seems to be; a statesman in the best American sense, and a great party leader and defender, promoted from the ranks to the head of the column because of unfaltering service and conspicuous success." Mr. Gray was married on Sep- tember 8, 1850, to Miss Eliza Jaqua, daughter of Judson Jaqua, Esq., of Yan- keetown, Ohio. Four children were born
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to Mr. and Mrs. Gray, two of whom, Pierre and Bayard S., are living. Both are lawyers. Pierre, whose biography is also given in this volume, was formerly asso- ciated with his father in legal work un- der the style of Gray & Gray, and now conducts an individual practice in the Stevenson building at Indianapolis. Bay- ard S. has always been active in Demo- cratie politics and is now the editor of the Daily and Weekly Crescent of Frank- fort, Indiana. His biography will also be found elsewhere in this volume.
DANIEL W. VOORHEES.
Hon. Daniel Wolsey Voorhees, late United States Senator from Indiana, was born September 26, 1827, in Butler coun- ty, Ohio, and died April 10, 1897, at Washington, D. C. Senator Voorhees was of the tenth generation in direct descent from those of his name who fought against Spain and William of Orange in Holland. The original emigrant to Amer- ica was Steven Coerte Van Voorhees, who came from the province of Drenthe, Hol- land, in 1660, and settled at Flatlands, Long Island. He was a man of fortune and high station, the records showing that he bought large properties in Flat- lands, was made magistrate in 1664, and was the author of an important patent in 1684. Our subject was of the eighth generation of the family in America in di- rect descent from Steven Coerte Van Voorhees. His great-grandfather, Steph-
en Voorhees, a native of Somerset county, New Jersey, was the first of the family to drop the prefix "Van." He fought from the beginning to the end of the Revolu- tion, and distinguished himself at Mon- mouth and Princeton under General Washington. Petrus Van Voorhees, the great-great-grandfather of Daniel W., also served in the Revolutionary army, and collateral branches of the family were largely represented in the struggle for independence. The first of the family to emigrate to the West was Peter Voor- hees- grandfather of Daniel W .- a na- tive of New Jersey, born in 1767, who settled near Harrodsburg, Kentucky, in 1790. In 1805 he removed to Bethany, Butler county, Ohio. His first child, Stephen Voorhees, born in Kentucky in 1798, was the father of Daniel W. Voor- hees. His mother was Rachel Elliott, a native of Baltimore county, Maryland, who went with her parents to Butler county, Ohio, in 1810, when she was eight years of age. Stephen Voorhees was Dutch without a cross. His father was a farmer, very well off for those pioneer days, and he was ambitious to acquire lands and fortune by the quickest means possible. In November, 1827, he started from Ohio to find and found a home for himself. His family, household goods, and a year's supplies were stored away in large emigrant wagons. Daniel was then an infant, six weeks old. After cross- ing the eastern border of Indiana, all traces of civilization disappeared. Their way lay through unbroken forests infest-
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ed with wild beasts. They finally halted their wagons in Van Buren township, Fountain county, Indiana, which had been surveyed and named two years be- fore. A log house was quickly built for immediate shelter. Three or four years later Stephen Voorhees built a comfort- able two-story brick house, the first for many years in that country. Stephen Voorhees was not college-bred, but was highly educated in all that books could teach. He devoured books and his liter- ary taste was the best. He knew the Eng- lish poets and classics by heart, kept abreast of the current literature, read all religious controversies and histories, and the daily newspaper from first page to last. He had a clear judicial mind and great love for and force in argument. From him his son inherited his legal abil- ity, and his passion for and classic taste in books. He was a Methodist and practi- cal Christian in his daily life. He had superior business ability, was a close careful man of affairs, and amassed considerable fortune. He was a stern disciplinarian, severe and ex- acting his full duty of everyone about him. His motto was, "When you work, work; when you play, play." He and his son Daniel had many encounters, for the boy had no taste for farm life and would neglect his work for any kind of a book. Once realizing, however, the de- cided bent of his mind, the father con- sented to his ardent wish for a college course, supplied him generously with money, and entered eagerly into all his
ambitions; he asked in return that his son should be a minister, and his final re- fusal was a lifelong disappointment to Stephen Voorhees, though the subsequent fame of his son was the pride of his old age, and his delight and interest in it was keen and unceasing. While in col- lege he urged his son constantly to great- er scholastic efforts, and in his after ca- reer never ceased until his death to advise him and argue with him vigorously about every move he made. Rachel Elliott Voor- hees, the mother of Daniel W., was of Scotch descent. Her great-grandfather, James Elliott, came from Scotland to America early in 1700. On his way over he met and married in France, a French- woman. Rachel Elliott had dark hair and eyes, was tall, beautifully formed, and re- markably handsome, reserved and dig- nified, but with such well-bred ease and gentleness of manner, that it impressed forcibly her neighbors, among whom it was a common saying, "Rachel Voorhees was born to be a queen." She was for a long time the only woman in the emigrant party, but she bore the loneliness as well as the hardships and tasks imposed upon her by such a position on a pioneer farm, with dignity and cheerfulness. She found time even then for the graces of life and pervaded even a pioneer log cabin with the spirit of order and refinement and her flower garden out of which it rose, was a wonder in the wilderness. Later she made the brick house with its greater resources, the show place of the surrounding country, and the headquar-
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ters of its hospitality and gaiety, which lost much of its boisterousness and rustic freedom in her presence. She educated out of her children by home influences, the too often vulgar influences of an un- educated community. She had a strong intellect, great force of character, and ex- ecutive ability. She studied and read every spare moment. She taught her children until schools were established in the neighborhood, and continued long after to teach them more than they could possibly learn from any country school teacher of that day. Among the crudest surroundings, she reared and educated eight strong, successful, well-bred men and women, who could never mention her name without emotion. In all but color- ing, especially in face and figure, the re- semblance between herself and her son Daniel was remarkable. Like her son, slight in youth, she grew large in age. In little peculiarities of manner, thought and speech, they were strikingly alike. Their sense of humor and power of ridi- cule were equally great, and for these qualities Mr. Voorhees was famous. The mother and son thoroughly understood and sympathized with each other, and the devotion between them was very great until the day of her death, when she was eighty-nine, and he an old man. She al- ways stood between him and his father when he shirked the plough, was the first to insist that he be sent to college, and in every way made him feel that she was his best and ever sympathetic friend. From his mother's brother-the Rev. Ar-
thur Elliott, a famous Methodist minister in the early days of Ohio-Mr. Voorhees inherited his impassioned ardent temper- ament, and rare gift of impassioned or- atory. In this respect the obituary notice of Arthur Elliott might easily be read for that of Mr. Voorhees with the names changed, only the older man lacked the mental culture of his nephew. Rachel Voorhees died in Fountain county, In- diana, December 3, 1891. The wife of Daniel Wolsey Voorhees was Anna Har- desty, born July 23, 1832, at Greencastle, Indiana, where her father, Reese Hardes- ty, was a prominent business man, and president of the board of trustees of As- bury University. He was a prominent Methodist and intimate friend of Bishop Simpson. He belonged to an old English family, a member of which came to Vir- ginia in 1756. This ancestor and his sons were in the Revolutionary army. Anna Hardesty was a graduate of Mrs. Larra- bee's academy for young ladies in Green- castle. She met Mr. Voorhees during his college days in Greencastle. They were married July 18, 1850, by Bishop Simp- son. Mrs. Voorhees had remarkable force of character, great dignity and reserve of manner, with unfailing gentleness and cheerfulness. She was a thoroughly dis- ciplined woman. Those nearest her never knew her to utter a complaint or lose her temper, however great the provocation. During the war, when Mr. Voorhees was away from home the greater part of the time, in Congress or practicing his pro- fession, and always in more or less dan-
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ger from the bitter partisan feeling en- gendered by the time, and she and her children were not always safe from the spirit that would harm him, she never lost courage or weakened his by a com- plaint. She bore the entire responsibility of the family, shielding him from every honsehold care, so that home always meant rest to the tired husband. He brought all his troubles to her, and her quiet influence over him was very great. Her conduct as the wife of a public man was perfect. She never discussed public affairs or allowed anyone to approach her, even to discuss any matter in which her husband might be interested. When she died, January 21, 1887, the Washington papers repeated the verdict of the people, "A devoted wife and mother, a true friend and a Christian gentlewoman." Daniel W. remained upon the farm until he was seventeen, where he had the usual life of a pioneer country lad. His earliest rec- ollections were of a wilderness infested with wild animals, of very few and scat- tered neighbors, and of laborious work from daylight to dark. However, the re- fining and educating influences of his early home training were strongly appar- ent in his after life. He had no taste for farm work, and resented the limitations of a farmer's life. Ile loved only books, and study, and would leave his work for these. He was always at the head of his class and soon outgrew the resources of the country school. In 1845 he went to Asbury University, from which he graduated in 1849. He attracted imme-
diate attention in college. Professor Lar- rabee, one of the faculty, said of him: "He is a natural born orator and des- tined to rank with the first men of the nation." Immediately after graduating he entered the law office of Lane & Wil- son, of Crawfordsville, Indiana. In the spring of 1850, he settled in Covington, Indiana, to practise. July 4, 1851, Ed- ward A. Hannegan-United States Sen- ator-living at Covington, heard him de- liver a Fourth of July oration, and was so impressed by his eloquence and power, that he offered him a law partnership, which was accepted April, 1852. In 1853 Governor Wright appointed Mr. Voorhees prosecuting attorney of the Circuit Court. During his term he broke up and brought to justice a noted band of desperadoes who had long defied the law at La Fay- ette, Indiana. This gave him great repu- tation as a criminal lawyer. In after years Mr. Voorhees refused to prosecute, always defending. He was never for a day, a "criminal lawyer" in the ordinary sense of doing a "criminal practice." He was a great defender in important causes, and in such cases practised in sixteen States in the Union, not including the Dis- trict of Columbia, where he tried some of his greatest cases. He continued to prac- tise until five or six years before his death, when his impaired health, caused by heart trouble, would not permit of oth- er work than his senatorial labors, which he never neglected for anything. One of his most famous cases was that of Hallet Kilbourn against the government tried
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in Washington. The verdict was twice | set aside by the presiding judge, who claimed that the unusually large damages granted were owing to the undue influ- ence of Mr. Voorhees' eloquence on the jury. He was finally obliged to compro- mise on the same ground after a third verdict. Mr. Voorhees' greatest case, and the one in which he made his first nation- al reputation, was the defense of John E. Cook, one of John Brown's men, at Har- per's Ferry. He was a brother-in-law of Hon. Ashbel P. Willard, Mr. Voorhees' devoted friend, and at that time governor of Indiana. Mr. Voorhees was trying a case at Vincennes, Indiana, at the time of the raid. He immediately had it con- tinued at a summons from Governor Wil- lard, and went to Indianapolis. Mr. Voor- hees' friends bitterly opposed his going to Cook's defense, saying it would ruin him politically. His reply was characteris- tic: that he would help a friend in need whatever the consequences to himself. His speech in defense of Cook is said by many to be one of the greatest defense speeches ever made. It was not written but delivered from mental preparation only. It has been translated into Ger- man, French and Italian. Previous to en- tering the Senate, Mr. Voorhees had at different periods three law partners, Ed- ward A. Hannegan, Judge John J. Key, and Judge Ambrose Carleton. In 1856 Mr. Voorhees was nominated for Con- gress but was defeated. In November, 1857, he removed to Terre Haute, Indiana, yielding to the importunities of wife and
friends to go to a "growing place," which Covington was not. In 1858 he was ap- pointed United States district attorney by President Buchanan, and was elected to Congress in 1860, 1862 and 1864. His last majority of 634 was contested by his opponent, Henry D. Washburn, who won in a House overwhelmingly Republican. He refused the nomination to Congress in 1866, but in 1868 and 1870 accepted, and was elected; in 1872 was defeated by Morton C. Hunter in the general crash en- tailed upon the Democrats that year by their presidential candidate, Horace Greeley. November 16, 1877, Governor Williams appointed Mr. Voorhees to suc- ceed Oliver P. Morton in the United States Senate. The legislature to eleet his successor in 1879, went Democratie by thirty thousand, and his majority on joint ballot was twenty-three, and nomination and election were made unanimous. Six years later-against Benjamin Harrison -it was forty-six; January, 1891, it was sixty-nine; January, 1897, he received the unanimous vote of the Democratic mi- nority. Immediately after entering the Senate, Mr. Voorhees was put upon the finance committee-one of the most im- portant committees in the Senate-served upon it during his entire time in the Sen- ate, and was for two years its chairman. Mr. Voorhees' greatest work in the Senate was in behalf of the new Congressional Library, which he lived to see completed, but not occupied, dying just as they were preparing to move the books into it. In 1880 he made his famous speech before
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the Senate, portraying the deplorable and shameful want of accommodation for gov- ernment books, which caused the imme- diate creation by the Senate of a joint select "committee on additional accom- modations for the Library of Congress," of which Mr. Voorhees was unanimously made chairman. Except the two years during which he was chairman of the finance committee, he remained chairman of this committee during every political change in the Senate, until his retire- ment from it March 4, 1897, seventeen years later. In recognition of his long, patient and masterly work toward its con- ception and completion, the flag on the Congressional Library was placed at half mast on the day of his funeral. Mr. Voor- hees' happiest hours were spent clois- tered in his study-upon which no one dared intrude at such times-reveling in the pleasure of bending the English lan- guage, of which he was a master, to meet the requirements of his lofty thoughts, immortal ideas and burning fancies. He understood the subtility and power of every word and phrase as a great artist does the possibilities of his colors, and painted equally as great pictures in words. He gave all his rare eloquence, learning and magnetism unreservedly to the cause of the people, and they adored
him. Mr. Voorhees was a Latin and Greek scholar, and delighted in the com- panionship of the classic minds his own was said so greatly to resemble. He never grew old in mind or spirit or swerved from the high intellectual plane he first ascended; only the physical man, yielding to the enormous strain of a long, incessantly busy life, wore out and died. Mr. Voorhees, better than any one else could, expressed this thought in his famous library speech in the Senate: "The physical man must grow old; his hair must whiten and his face bear the furrows of years. Not necessarily so with the intellectual man. The mind fed at the crystal fountains of accumulated knowl- edge, will continue its youth, its growth, and its expansion, until it makes its final transition to a sphere of endless and un- limited development." He wrote upon his lecture, "Public men of my own times," until 6 o'clock the evening before he died. In it is a sketch of Abraham Lincoln, not excelled in beauty, pathos and power by anything he ever wrote. (See first volume of "Forty Years of Oratory.") To Mr. and Mrs. Voorhees were born three sons and two daughters. Mary died in infancy. Those living are Charles Stewart, James Paxton, Reese Hardesty and Harriet Cecelia Voorhees.
THE BOUND TO PLEASE Heckman Bindery INC.
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N. MANCHESTER. INDIANA
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