Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 27/An Interview with the Late Hon. Binger Hermann of December 1, 1925
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE LATE HON. BINGER HERMANN ON DECEMBER 1, 1925
Secured by CHARLES H. CAREY
"When I was young I made a visit to Washington City in company with my father. We then lived in Maryland. I was presented to General Joseph Lane, a hero of the Mexican war, then the delegate from Oregon in Congress. I was greatly impressed by his kindness and politeness, and remembered how he pointed out Jefferson Davis and other prominent men in the Senate and House. His appearance, his courtesy, his fame as a soldier, and moreover the fact that he was representative of far away Oregon Territory made this meeting one never to be forgotten by the boy. Later, we moved to Southern Oregon, and after General Lane's retirement to his farm in that section, I called on him often and learned to know him well. My father was a Doug las democrat, as distinguished from a Lane democrat, but he also was a great admirer of the General. Indeed, the old statesman was a most lovable, as well as a most interesting, character, and I often listened to his brilliant talk of the events and scenes in which he had had a part. He was then almost forgotten by the world, and was quite neglected except by the few friends who went to see him in his old age.
"He told me of his fight in Congress to get Oregon admitted as a state. The Oregon bill was debated in Congress at several sessions before it was finally passed February 12, 1859. In the winter of 1858-9, when it was pending in the House of Representatives, Delegate Lane was active in urging members to support the measure, and among others whom he approached on the subject was Samuel S. (Sunset) Cox, of Ohio, then a young member of that body and in his first term.
"It seems that when General Lane was first elected dele gate from Oregon Territory, in 1851, and went to take his place in Congress, he had been accorded the special privilege, in deference to his distinguished and honorable career in the Mexican war, of making his own choice of seats, and he was exempted from the usual drawing of lots. All that had been
necessary was for him to select the place where he wanted to sit, and to put his hat in the chair before the session began, and no one would challenge his right to this place as long as he remained in Congress. The seat then chosen was, of course, most desirable, being directly in front of the speaker and in the front row, a place in the very center of the deliberative body, as the seating was then arranged. The seat had been held by the General term after term during the eight years that he continued to represent Oregon Territory in the House, but would be surrendered if the Oregon bill should pass, admitting the state to the Union. "In talking to Cox about the bill, Lane told him that if it passed, the latter would be one of the first Oregon senators, as he had already been elected to the place, and that in that case he would have to vacate his seat. 'Now Cox,' he said jokingly, 'if you support this Oregon bill I will give you my seat.' The bill did pass at that session, and Cox remained a member of the House for many years thereafter. His service in Congress covered more than twenty years, including several terms as congressman from New York City. General Lane became senator in 1859, and shortly after this Cox had the good fortune to get the assignment of this coveted seat, which he long occupied with distinction. "After retirement, Cox was appointed by President Cleveland as minister to Turkey, but later returned to run for Congress again in a special election to fill an unexpired term. Coming to Washington after all the good seats in the House were taken by others, he would necessarily have to take an inferior location, and in fact he was foredoomed to a place in the undesirable section of the hall, then known as the 'Cherokee pit,' practically out of sight of the speaker. "The old seat was then in the possession of Representative Enloe of Tennessee, a gentleman of courtesy and chivalry. I was then just beginning my first term as Oregon Congressman, and was a witness to what I am about to describe. Cox was greeted with warmth by the old members, with whom he was very popular, and his was a distinguished figure as he came down the aisle on his way to
his distant seat. He was seen to pause slightly as he passed his old place, as though he was thinking of the familiar chair he had occupied so long.
"Representative Enloe, doubtless sensing what was in his mind, quietly arose and stepping into the aisle in front of Mr. Cox, bowed with courtly grace, and, with an air of generous hospitality, in the presence of the assembled and interested throng of members, said: 'Sir, this seat was long the honored place of General Joseph Lane, of Oregon, and then for many years was given added distinction by your occupancy. I cannot see you go to any other location while you are a member of this House; the seat is yours, and al though it has been assigned to me, I resign it to you, and hope you will honor me by acepting it. Exchange with me.' "Cox was overcome by surprise, and showing his feelings in his countenance, he reached his hand to his breast and took from there a beautiful and valuable jewel that had been presented to him by the Sultan of Turkey, and he pinned it on Mr. Enloe. What he said in acknowledging the kindly act I could not hear, but during the session he occupied his old seat."
This story told, I asked Mr. Hermann whether he knew that when the Oregon bill was before Congress in 1858, Editor Asahel Bush of-the Oregon Statesman (who fell out with his former political ally General Lane and accused him of preventing the bill from coming to a vote), had written to Senator Delazon Smith to enquire of members of Congress for facts to support this suspicion, and had particularly asked him to see Representative Cox and get a statement from him.
Mr. Hermann was interested, but had not heard of this, and then commenting on the bitter attacks made on General Lane by his former democrat friends, particularly Bush and Col. J. W. Nesmith, and the long years of estrangement from these men, told me that when Lane was approaching death, in 1881, he expressed a desire that Bush and Nesmith be asked to deliver eulogies at his funeral obse
quies. As he had had no close relations with them for many years, and there were others much nearer and dearer to him, the request was somewhat surprising. Nesmith had previously written to General Lane asking the latter's recollection of the circumstances of the Table Rock treaty negotiations with the Rogue River Indians in 1853, when both Nesmith and Lane were in peril, and to this letter Lane had answered with courtesy, and afterward there was some further correspondence. But this had not, apparently, led to intimate relations between these two, and Lane had not re-established his friendship with Bush. But both men accepted, and each delivered a remarkably fine oration on the occasion. A printed copy of Nesmith's speech is now in the possession of one of the Lane family.