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Thomas B. Reed
Book by McCall, Samuel W
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1972
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August 28, 2017
A hagiography of a progressive republican lawmaker. Thomas Reed was a leading Republican and occasionally Speaker of the House of Representatives starting shortly after the Civil War and ending about the time of the Gilded Age. He supported reconstruction, voting rights, and women’s rights. He opposed the annexation of the Philippines and Hawaii. He fundamentally changed the rules of the legislature to prevent Southern Democrats from grinding congressional work to a halt by refusing to answer role call and thus – under the old rules, not the ones he wrote – defeating quorum. He died after dinner with Mark Twain.
Quotes extensively from Reed’s own speeches and letters. A few passages I liked:
“‘I am not persuaded of the ‘fall of man’; and as for that apotheosis of lounging, the life in the Garden of Eden, I believe in it as little as I do in the Saturnia Regna. If that Paradise had ever existed and man had grown up in it, it would have been merely a paradise of fools. It is only by fighting the devil, that we ever get to be anything.’” (27)
“‘Wisdom to be of any use must be within easy reach of the world. The reason why the race of man moves slowly is because it must move together. ‘” 135
“‘If we are not to-day in the forefront of human progress, to have been followers of Abraham Lincoln in the years gone by is not an honor but a burning disgrace. Progress is of the essence of Republicanism. To have met great emergencies as they arose has been our history. To meet great emergencies as they shall arise must be our daily walk and duty or we cease to be. Hanging on to the old traditions is the business of the Democratic party, and it does that business well; we can never rival it.’” (178, quoting a campaign speech given in Pittsburg on April 26, 1890).
He accomplished much and assayed much more. Early in his congressional career, he investigated voter suppression in the south. (60). Found considerable evidence that the Black vote was suppressed by terror, manipulation, and intransigence. (64). Does not appear Congress was stirred to much action. He argued against annexation of Hawaii in large part because there was no serious proposition that it be made a state. (235-36). The book hints, but does not say outright, he resigned to protest the war against Spain.
I enjoyed reading the book and was startled to learn from the internets it was written by a man in between a stint in Congress and a term as the governor of Massachusetts. The author comes through, but does not make himself a character in the story.
Well worth the time.
Quotes extensively from Reed’s own speeches and letters. A few passages I liked:
“‘I am not persuaded of the ‘fall of man’; and as for that apotheosis of lounging, the life in the Garden of Eden, I believe in it as little as I do in the Saturnia Regna. If that Paradise had ever existed and man had grown up in it, it would have been merely a paradise of fools. It is only by fighting the devil, that we ever get to be anything.’” (27)
“‘Wisdom to be of any use must be within easy reach of the world. The reason why the race of man moves slowly is because it must move together. ‘” 135
“‘If we are not to-day in the forefront of human progress, to have been followers of Abraham Lincoln in the years gone by is not an honor but a burning disgrace. Progress is of the essence of Republicanism. To have met great emergencies as they arose has been our history. To meet great emergencies as they shall arise must be our daily walk and duty or we cease to be. Hanging on to the old traditions is the business of the Democratic party, and it does that business well; we can never rival it.’” (178, quoting a campaign speech given in Pittsburg on April 26, 1890).
He accomplished much and assayed much more. Early in his congressional career, he investigated voter suppression in the south. (60). Found considerable evidence that the Black vote was suppressed by terror, manipulation, and intransigence. (64). Does not appear Congress was stirred to much action. He argued against annexation of Hawaii in large part because there was no serious proposition that it be made a state. (235-36). The book hints, but does not say outright, he resigned to protest the war against Spain.
I enjoyed reading the book and was startled to learn from the internets it was written by a man in between a stint in Congress and a term as the governor of Massachusetts. The author comes through, but does not make himself a character in the story.
Well worth the time.
Displaying 1 of 1 review