Wednesday, February 28, 2007

American Historical Figure of the Week

Senator Benjamin Wade of Ohio.

Sure, he was a radical Republican, a leading figure in Johnson's impeachment saga, and so forth.

But that aside, before the Civil War, in an era when caning politicians was sport, many legislators carried revolvers on their persons. Senator Wade upped the ante - He seems to have customarily carried a sawed-off shotgun under his coat on the Senate floor.

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