THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASICE, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS

He was married in 1854 to Miss Anna Carter, daughter of Daniel Carter of Ashland, Ohio, a man of prominence in that portion of the state. She was a highly intelligent, amiable, and beautiful woman, and greatly beloved by all who knew her. She died at Dubuque in 1860. In 1873 he married Miss Mary Nealley of Burlington, Iowa, the adopted daughter of Senator and Mrs. Grimes. During the last few years of her life she was an invalid, and in spite of all that love and skill and affection would suggest she gradually declined and died in August, 1883.

Senator Allison has sometimes been criticised because of his hesitation to express opinions upon subjects or matters upon which he is called to make decision. This is a mistaken view of his character. He does hesitate, but only to give full consideration of the subject. Therefore he does not introduce into the Senate bills of an experimental character or which meet the fancy or suggestion of some one who seeks radical changes in existing conditions. He is on this account often called a conservative in the discussion and consideration of public measures. He carries this conservatism into his everyday life. As an illustration of this: He has lived in the same house at Washington, No. 1124 Vermont avenue, since 1877, during the life of his wife and her mother, Mrs. Grimes, and he still resides there. When in Iowa he resides at No. 1134 Locust street, Dubuque, which has been his home from August, 1857, until now.

During his whole service he has been an active and tireless worker on matters of public character, not only during sessions of Congress, but during most of the recesses. This constant attention to his public duties and willingness to take upon himself the consideration of public questions is probably one of the reasons why he has so much strength in the Senate, because it is believed by his associates that he gives full consideration of the subjects placed in his charge.

POWER OF CHARACTER.

HARACTER must not be confounded with reputation. Character is what a man is; reputation may be what he is not. Character is one's intrinsic value; reputation is what is thought of him - his value in the market of public opinion. Hence, character is stable and enduring;

while, as another has said: "The reputation of a man is like his shadow; it sometimes follows and sometimes precedes him; it is sometimes longer and sometimes shorter than himself."

Character is indispensable. Every one is in duty bound to possess it. It is not optional with us to cultivate it or not, as we please; it is a solemn obligation. Professor Blaikie, of the University of Edinburgh, said to a class of young men : "Money is not needful, power is not needful, cleverness is not needful, fame is not needful, liberty is not needful, even health is not the one thing needful; but character alone, is that which can truly save us, and if we are not saved in this sense, we must certainly be damned." Smiles urges the same truth: "Every one is in duty bound to aim at reaching the highest standard of character; not to become the richest in means, but in spirit; not the greatest in worldly position, but in true honor; not the most intellectual, but the most virtuous; not the most powerful and influential, but the most truthful, upright, and honest."

Character is greater, even, than intellect. It is the most valuable possession a youth ever acquires. Without it he is poor, though he may have amassed a million dollars. The most abject pauper on earth is the man without character. He may live in a stately mansion and flourish his magnificent turnout, and obsequious fools may applaud him; but he is a moral tramp, nevertheless, more perilous to society on account of his money, and to himself also.

Every youth, then, should know that it is his and her sacred duty to make unblemished character; that is an obligation they cannot shirk. It may not be their duty to be wise and learned, or to be senators or senators' wives, but it is their duty to possess spotless characters. Anything short of this cheats society and robs God. The youth who denies this truth, and lives indifferent to the worth of character, will probably drift along with the current of events until the star of his destiny reaches its zenith on the meridian of Sodom.

Character is, also, power; and it is this thought that we especially emphasize now. It is said that "knowledge is power," but knowledge may exist without character. Add character to it and we have invincible power. Luther said: "The prosperity of a country depends, not on the abundance

of the revenues, nor on the strength of its fortifications, nor on the beauty of its public buildings; but it consists in the number of its cultivated citizens, its men of education, enlightenment and character. Here are to be found its true interests, its chief strength, its real power."

When Jonathan Goodhue, of New York city, died, the din of traffic was hushed in the streets. Commerce felt the loss keenly, and merchant and artisan crowded around his bier at the funeral. The mayor and other officials were there. The poor and unfortunate were there, too. None were so high and none so lowly as not to do him reverence. His character drew them there. The preacher said on that occasion: "It is the recognized worth of private character which has extorted this homage. It is the man himself, the pure, highminded, righteous man who adorned our nature, who dignified the mercantile profession, who was superior to his station, his riches, his exposures, and made the common virtues more respected and venerable than shining talents or public honors. This was the power of his life."

We have just paid our centennial tribute to the memory of Washington "the father of his country," whose personal character more than his skill as a general, or his ability as a statesman, has enshrined him in the heart of his countrymen. John Adams was president in 1798, when it was expected that France would declare war against the United States, and he wrote to Washington saying, "We must have your name if you will permit us to use it; there will be more efficacy in it than in an army." This was a greater tribute to his character than that of a general in the War of the Revolution, who declared that Washington's presence "doubled the strength of the army." Moral qualities live longer than intellectual ones, because they have more power over the hearts of men, and for this reason, the name of Washington is connected with more places and events, in this country and Europe, than that of Napoleon or Cæsar.

When character is found in union with great talents and the best social qualities, its power is phenomenal. This is eminently true of Chauncey M. Depew, of whom a biographer says: "He is a serious orator on any occasion worthy of high eloquence, a shrewd and far-seeing politician, a broadminded statesman, a successful business man, a skilled law

yer, a polished man of society and of the world, and, above all, in all the private relations of life, a thoroughly manly man, a Christian gentleman." From his earliest boyhood he loved reading, and studied men and things. Everybody was his friend, and a neighbor prophesied that he would become renowned because of his ability, energy, perseverance, and moral principle. In college he was a great reader, fine debater and orator, "most cordially liked, and most thoroughly respected." A classmate said of him recently: "Depew stood conspicuous above all the men of his time in college for the remarkable union of two sets of qualities: a purity of feeling and conduct, a clearness of soul and speech, and a largeness and firmness of integrity and honor which are rarely seen, united with a breadth of sympathy, a kindliness of heart, and a generosity of good fellowship which drew the best men to him. He never bent, never swerved, never showed any stain to the purest eye." He is now what he was then, and this fact explains his wide influence, great popularity, and remarkable success.

Smiles says: "Character is one of the greatest motive powers in the world. In its noblest embodiments, it exemplifies human nature in its highest forms, for it exhibits man at his best."

Character must not be undervalued as capital. It has been said, "When poverty is your inheritance, virtue must be your capital," and many young men have learned the truth of this maxim from personal experience. They have found that they started in business just as well without money as they could have done with it. Some years ago a youth of sixteen. years was advised to sell bread on commission, because it would be more profitable to him than to drive a bread cart on monthly wages. He had learned the business of a baker, and had sold bread from a cart for several months.

"But I have no money to invest in horse and wagon," he replied; every dollar of my earnings I have given to my mother for the support of the family."

"Buy a horse and wagon on credit," advised the friend. "A dozen men in town will sell you an outfit on credit because they know you. Poverty, with such a character as you have, is a better capital than ten thousand dollars would be to some men."