The Senate began an impeachment trial for former senator William Blount of Tennessee. In 1797 the Senate had expelled Blount for conspiring to wrest Louisiana and Florida from Spanish control and turn them over to Great Britain. Not content with his expulsion, the first in Senate history, the House of Representatives secured the adoption of five impeachment articles. Conducting the first impeachment trial in its history, the Senate eventually dismissed the case on grounds that it lacked jurisdiction over the expelled senator, suggesting that Blount was beyond the reach of an impeachment process designed to remove officials from office.
Isaac Bassett died, ending a Senate career that began 64 years earlier when Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts arranged for Bassett's appointment as a Senate page. Bassett's long career spanned the Senate's Golden Age, the turbulent Civil War, and the Reconstruction era. Senators regularly looked to Bassett as a rich source of information on the Senate's history and traditions. Intending to one day publish a memoir of his life, Bassett kept a journal of his Senate experience. Discovered upon his death, the journal offers a richly detailed account of the 19th-century Senate traditions.
The Senate established its so-called "Committee of Thirteen" as a last-ditch effort to prevent the breakup of the Union on the same day that South Carolina became the first state to vote for secession. The Senate panel faced insurmountable odds. After four meetings, the committee reported to the full Senate that it had been unable to agree on "any general plan of adjustment." Louisiana's Senator Judah Benjamin sounded the effort's death knell when he said, "The day for adjustment has passed. If you would give it now, you are too late. We desire, we beseech you, [to let our] parting be in peace."
Senator Robert Dole of Kansas tied the record of Charles McNary of Oregon for service as Senate Republican floor leader. A quiet leader with unique affinity for building strong relationships, McNary was ranked as the most popular member of the Senate for nearly three decades. He also has the distinction of being the first Republican leader to occupy one of the front-row, center-aisle seats now reserved for majority and minority leaders. When McNary died in February 1944, he had held that post for 10 years, 11 months, and 17 days. Senator Dole broke that record on December 22, 1995, and served a total of 11 years, 5 months, and 9 days.
An automobile struck and killed 57-year-old Senator Thomas Schall of Minnesota. Trained as an attorney, Schall was blinded by a malfunctioning electric lighter in 1907. With the help of his wife Margaret, Schall learned to compensate for his condition. An avid sportsman, he taught himself to ride and even stadium jump his horse guided by a system of bells and buzzers. Schall could often be seen walking around Washington with the assistance of his trained guide dog, Lux. A Senate regular, Lux guided Schall to his seat on the floor, then curled up under Schall's desk to avoid being in the path of passing senators. Lux passed away in 1933.
