The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1841-03-25
CHARLOTTE, N. C., MARCH rs, 1871.
rso,r rllr RlcllnoNp VINO.

EWING.
The selection of his official advisers is |
always delicate * for Chief Magis.
trate. Ga the one hand is Scyila, aud the
other Charybdis. He has not on to Sc.
lect individuals possessed Of abilities an
yirtue-that were an easy undertaking ia
country Astounding as ours does N such
characters-but he has TO discriminate
with great nicely, aud select those who
posse-s.Feyuliar and pre-emineni qualilica-
iions ior iheir respective stations. lie
musi lave an eye to all the great interests
Of the Republic, and pick out the nl best
fitted TO represent each and every one.
In the execution of this delicate aud
hsaly responsible task, we haztrd nothing
in nyerriug that Gen. Harrison has sue
cecdcd beyond tie expectations OF his
valmest friends. lie las displayed 81.
sacuy a,d knowledge Of Jucu rarely found
~ ,he closet politician, and seldom exhsb-
rcd ~ any not used 10 the camp--a school,
1y lie way, emluenty fitted for acquiring
"a intimate and discriminating knowledge
Of human character. Tho general scnli-
mcnt Of the country pronounccs the new
Cabinet, in the aggregate, tie ahc-t since
the days Of Washington. In the detail,
the popular appreciation - equally warm
and decided. In a word, SO entirely an.
eXcopionahe has II proved upon inquiry,
that even The Factionists, who did clGmor
IN the beginning, and who never 5 il TO ella
nor on such occasions, have been discern.
fitted, ard forced to sieuce--a triumph Of
Truth and Justice over Falschood aud Pas
sion as signal as any recorded IN the an.
Has Of history.
But passing by FOR the present the other
eminent men who compose the Cabinet,
tc wou!i bring to the moro intimate &c
guaiutaace Of our readers tic history Of
Thomas Ewlng-the future Secretary CT
thc Treasury, Mr.. Ewing is a selfmade
man--ono oi those who, sprlnglng from cb-
security and poverty, by dnt 81 genius, IL
I llstra,e the benign influences OF Republic
M institutions, aud constitute their orna-
mcni aud support. We delight 10 conem-
slate gich characters, and see them elcyat.
Cd TO the first stations Of dignity and 70.
spoons bIi,y 10 the Republic. The appoint
mcul N this instance j. alike crcdiiable TO
the Chicr Magistrate who conferred, and
z tha worthy individual who received it,
4 ta1 la a more extended sense, il IS de-.
served compliment 10 the genus of free in
,aiions which engendcrs such men-and
l,y giving assurance that The highest post
/ i within the reach Of tie humbiesi citizen,
.ffise. a generous and noble ambition ito
CyoiS condition Of society.
TIE following sketch q Mr. Ewing Is
ken from Wauerston's Gallery Of Amer.
iaaG Portraits, Tie sketch vas written
Biz 1876, when Mr. Ewing was IN the Sen
ala ii The United States. It will serve 10
rive Tie reader some idea Of the character
ana intellectual power Of this gentleman,
3ho las been named as the Secretary o.
die Treasury under Gen. Harrison;
Nj. Ewing was born 10 Virginia, il
.l.5-. His father was revolutionary sol
dief. anil soon allcr;ho bir.h u Young tw.
ina removed to the State Of Ohio. Mr..
Ewing is indebted iJr las elements Of
KNOWLEDGE, to the care, and attention d
Fiji, eldest sister vhD taught him 10 read
|anl the only additional education he Fo'
ec.yc4 all hg was % years ot age, was twc
sr-lltcIs zion, under two successive teach.
ers. But he had acquired love Of read
lur. ugd all his leisure hours we're devoted
to II. His father beng ~ humble clrcum
stances, vuung Ev.ngs life was nccessn
rl,ya aoorious one but obliged as he wa
to lod daily, no nevertheless ayailed hun
, elf Of every opportunity to improve has
! mind, and to be what hjs highest ambition
Then led him to hceomc--a scholar. Bu
. poverty seemed to oppose an insupcrabl,
barrier 10 his career, and he was abou
WELDING up to dependency, when youns
( man, who had seen something Of tic world
and who was hired by his t4thcr as an Us
, sisian, reused him from his apathy, am
rrcyailcd upon him to accompany HIM L
tthc kanaWha Salincs, whore he prncurc'
. |cmp,Jymcnt "a a common laborer. Aiic
81 an abs nee Of three or four months he re
! turned with eighty dollars IN his pocket
which he generously gave to ts father, 4
save his land from being forfeited. In tn
: following spring, Mr.. Ewing again return
= cd to tho Kanawha Salincs, where he Ia
- bored assiduousy till November, and sue
cecded In realizing about four hundre
r dolars-out of which, after paying bal
5 ancc Of sixty dollars still due on his IA
, ther's property, he was enabled to lnduis
}. his fayorite propensity by spending tn
winter at an academy at Athens, where h
n was encouraged to make additional effort
.. to prosecute his studies, aud acquire u
i, power which knowledge bcstows. Ii
}, returned once more to hIs former tdbor
c and continued at thom for two years
e These severe tolls affected his health
!. which, however, short residence at hon
- restored aud he again entered the Aca'
is ctDy winch he had left about two yea
5. before, and proceeded to labor mental,
ID with the same ardor and intensity that /
II had labored corporeaIly. His progress
8 said to have been very rapid; but ben
satisfied that his funds, which were dal
diminishing, would be insufficient to en-
of bic him to complete his education, he ope
m "a 81 school in Gallapolis, which in Il