The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-07-10

professional man, which each year continued tc
augment
AT length, in the year 1881, vacancy having
occurred in the. representation from Pennsylva.
mia in the Senate of the United States, the leg
isature selected Mr.. Dallas 10 il that honorable
post. Thus, in entering for the first time leg.
isatiye body, he found himself in the highest
and most important assembly that exists under
The provisions of the American Constitution.
new field was given to his talents as a statesman
and on orator Having at the bar Of Philadel-
phia few equals in forensic eloquence, and being
perhaps without rival-certany without su-
perior--at home, on any occasion of public, and
especially political discussion, he was now requi-
red TO match himself with men trained by exer-
else, as well as possessed Of distinguished abili-
.ty, in a scene which forbade the logical precis-
ion of court, and yet could scarcely call fortl
or permit the animated current of spontaneous
defamation, so often successfully indulged in
the lesser assemblages of his fellow-citizens,
His speeches in the Senate of the United States
throughout the period that he remained there
were heard with attention that gave evidence ol
his complete success. Those that have been
more carefully reported, display, on a variety o
topics, striking political views; and they abound
with passages illuminated eloquence. The mos
interesting subject of general discussion was that
which made the winters of 1882 and 1888 more
memorable in our legislative history than any
period since the war with England. The prnc
pies on which a revision of the tariff of duties
was 10 be made, gave rise, in the former session
10 warm and long debates, which, in the follow
ing one, led to those that involved the serious
lquestions ofa right of one or more of the States
to nullify law making such revisions on prin
ciples that tmight regard as contrary TO the pro
visions of the constitution. On both occasions
Mr. Dallas took part in these debates On the
former, after an eloquent picture of the situation
and resources of the United States, he touched
with powerful, but friendly spirit, the various
causes to which, independently of the policy o.
protection generally advocated by the northern
statesman, might be imputed the distresses tha
were supposed peculiarly to affect and injure the
agriculture of the South. Following, then, the
course Of general opinion, as well as the declared
Ipolcy fPennsylyana, as evinced in the repeated
votes OF her legislature, he presented, IN man
ner not often surpassed in force and cleaness
by those who have treated the matter in the same
light, the views then entertained on the best mode
Of adjusting the delicate question, so as to save
the South from any real injury, and yet preserve
from destruction the labor and pursuits of the
northern and middle States. When the height
encd excitement Of the following year produced
that gloomy epoch in> our fratemal annals, which
was marked by serious discussions on the exten
of force that the general government might exer
upon the opposing laws Of the States, and the
consequent actions o. her authorities and people
he sustained that power in the Union which he
believed to be essential to IFS preservation, and
warranted by the spirit and terms of the contrac
but deprecated, in so doing, every measure no
clearly necessary for those objects. On all ques
tons appearing TO involve any differences of pol
icy Or interest among the States, Mr.. Dallas ap
pears uniformly TO have leaned to that course
which he deemed most calculated, even at some
sacrifice, to preserve the harmony of the whole
On the Bird of March, 1888, tle term expirec
for which he had been elected to the Senate
AT his own request, his name was withheld troiI
the Legislature as candidate for reelection
tic was dcsirous to return to the bar from which
such an occupation necessarily withdrew him
and his doing so was speedily followed by his
appointment to an office, whose duties, while
not unconnccted with politics, were far more in
accordance with his professional pursuits He
was selected by Governor Wolf as the attorney
general of his native State; and he continued &c
hold it with increasing reputation, and with de-
gree of appreciation and confidence on the part
of the whole community never exceeded, nol
often equalod, until the change in the execu.
tive administration of the State, by the election
nF OF N, .
withdraw.
Mr.. Dallas had scarcely returned to private
life, when he was made the object of one of the
most remarkable proceedings that have ever char.
acterzed the political course of the party opposed
to Democratic principles during any of the inter,
vals of their temporary ascendency. Under the
pretext of inquiring into the character and acts
ofsecret associations, several of the leading mem
bcrs of the Republican party were summoned tc
Hamisburgh in the middle of the winter, and, in
defiance of the positive provisions of the consti-
tuition of that State, right was assumed by a
committee ofthe Legislature to investigate theh
private and social conduct as members of Mason
ic societies.
OF the persons subjected to this strange inqui-
siton, Mr. Dallas was one. lie obeyed the sum
mons issued under the apparent sanctions of the
House OF Representatives, and appeared before
the committee; but when asked to take the oath
by which he was required virtually to acknow-
ledge the right of institutng an inquistion so un,
heard of, into the private and harmless conduct
of himself and his associates, he refused, in a
short but most impressive address, and displayed
in terms that led to the abortive termination of
this dsrepntable aflir its injustice, ,ilegality, and
folly. He perceived, on this occasion, the Sc
cret operations that soon ripencd to so fatal re.
suit, by which the Bank Of the United States
was imposed, by corrupt and dishonest means
on the people of the United States, and especi.
ally Of Pennsylvania, as a State institution. He
lent the aid of his influence and talents to resist
it while he remained at Harisburgh, and on his
return TO Philadelphia, awakened his Democra-
tic brethren, in public discussions, to full sense