Ohio History Journal

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Editorialana

Editorialana.                       331

 

Hayes. Spiegel Grove is indeed the Mount Vernon of Ohio. It is this

magnificent estate and home that the present owner, Colonel Webb C.

Hayes, is transferring to the State of Ohio for the Ohio State Archaeo-

logical and Historical Society, to be by the latter preserved intact for

historic and educational purposes.

After reading Mr. Meek's production one might think that San-

dusky county had a monopoly on Ohio history. It certainly is rich in the

"lore of the brave days of old."

 

 

SAMUEL SULLIVAN COX.

His FAMOUS WORD PICTURE.

S. S. Cox, during his latter days known as Sunset Cox, was a

Buckeye of most illustrious fame. Born in Zanesville in 1824 he became

a lawyer of brilliant promise but deserted that profession in 1853 to

become the editor of The Ohio Statesman in Columbus. For one year

he was secretary of legation in Peru. He represented Ohio in Congress

for eight years (1857-65), and New York, whither he removed in 1866,

for seventeen years, (1869-73, 1875-85, and 1886-89). In 1885-86 he was

minister to Turkey. He was popularly known as the letter-carriers' friend

in reference to legislation proposed by him for increase in their salary

and the concessions to them of a vacation with pay. A statue of him

was erected by the letter-carriers in New York City. Mr. Cox wrote

and lectured a great deal, some of his works being: Eight Years in

Congress; The Buckeye Abroad, and Why We Laugh.

The editor of the Quarterly remembers seeing Mr. Cox and hearing

him speak during his residence in Columbus. Mr. Cox was a polished

gentleman, a magnetic personality, with most engaging manners, and

possessed of a style of oratory like that of classic speakers of old. He

was erudite, humorous and witty, with wonderful powers of logic and

persuasion. He was a mixture of the Garfield and Galloway type of

public speakers, for he combined information with entertainment in an

unsurpassed facility.

The description of the Ohio sunset that today is one of the imperish-

ables of American literature, and which brought recognition to Samuel

S. Cox as a master word painter, was found at the close of a busy day.

Here it is:

"What a peculiar sunset was that of last night! How glorious the

storm and how splendid the setting of the sun! We do not remember

ever to have seen the like on our round globe. The scene opened in

the West with a whole horizon full of golden interpenetrating luster which

colored the foliage and brightened every object into its own dyes. The

color grew deeper and richer, until the golden luster was transfused into

a storm cloud, full of finest lightning, which leaped in dazzling zigzags