The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-02-29


Nicholas Bidde, Esq., formerly aud for many year,
President Of the United S,s,es Bank died, at four
O'Clock yesterday morning, at his residence at Ands
Iusia in Backs county lie bad been suffering from
an attack Of dropsy for several months, bot until
within short time prior TO his death, he had bee,,
able " visit the city The report Of his deees,s
caused considerable sensations, as il was NOT lo,L
for by any but few Of his relatives ard personsI
friends and naturally excited much comment IT.
life Of one wto occupied conspicuous position A.,
the political and financial struggles Of the courtr
during the past twenty years as Mr.. Bidde did eoJ
not fail 10 occasion much remark at his death IT,,
public career evenllu in the extreme and COW,
ed period characterized by the most violent cona,c
oil parties, and II Is by no means Surprising that an
being defeated as the leader Of party and the cba
pion Of particular interest," he should have falen
under The bsnn and censure Of his former partisan
Such is the fate Of every ambitious man who fis .,
achieve what his hopes lead him TO promise succes
or death III the midst Of struggle, are the only -,
ceived passports to enduring popularity.
Mr. b'ddlc Was born IN Philadelphia on the 9Th Of
January 1885, and consequently but ty.ei,G,
years Of age at bis death. His ancestors came ,7
william Fem 10 this country, aud were de a
IN the early history Of the State His father Cbar,l
Bldde, took AN active and jealous part in lbe Rev
luton, and was associated with Franklin In tie a
mn'stration Of this State, then Just merging from ~
colonial condition. Mr. Nicholas Biddlc commeTc,J
his education at the University in this city ard 6Di.J
cd il at Princeton, New Jersey where he was de-
subject Of much favorable notice for his literary a.,
tainhen". Al The age Of nineteen he was appointed
Secretary to Gen. Armstrong in bis mission TO Franc
and travelled with the Minister over considerabl, nav,
tons OF Europe He remained abroad three wear.
and was portion Of that time attached tn the emb,s
~ VI Mr.. Monroe, al the Court Of ST. James On
his return 10 Philadelphia, Mr.. Bild!e deyoeJ him
sell to The practice Of the law and the pursui, OF let
ieis. As a writer he was much esteemed and re-
came popular contributor 10 some Of the leaJiDo
periodicals Of the day. His ability in this depart
nent Of science improved with me- and his ESSAYS
have always been admired for their ingenuity and
polish, even when their argumen failed 10 convince
or their object was coDdenines.
Mr. b'ddle was elected by the Democratic party Of
this city 10 the State Legislature in 1910 and again
Inc Senate IN lsl4 In both situations he occupied
prominent position The friend of general ed,co
ton, and an advocate Of National Bank In 1919
he was appointed government director of The United
States Bank by President Monroe, and. four wears
afterwards, succeeded Langdon Cheves in the pres
uency ~ that institution He remained in that siua-
non until the expiration of the charter of the old
Bank and the creation OF the new one by this ate,
and assumed the presidency of the latter Tor the FIRST
year or Two OF its existence The rest Of his pubic
career Is known to most Of our readers, and has, in
turns, won for him the warntst praises and the bit
teres reProaches, according the DISCO ;iion or bis
Of the reviewer. -rr..tf
We were never the admirers of the perncious
financial system which Mr. Biddle and his fi,terers
50 earnestly sus ained In the aiidst of the vies de-
nuncialion and abuse from the sycophants who lived
by tie fraud endeavofed 10 poni GU, the wis Of
that system, the errors of MIR. BddIes policy and tie
disastrous cons' qucnces that would flow from them
The public, Infatuated wi name, and prejuticed
10 'he grosses blindness by the long and bitter pai
san war which bad been waged against MIR BbiJle
aud the Bank devoted t-slf with 70 al COM
mendabIe good use from its fury, to uphold tho
measures and 10 oner the fulsome faiery TO he
lniallDie money king" Can we be surprised that
an al. lis
ha" 'oonled as Mf. biddic was, whose very
possessed magic, that al the mention of it the wsr-
shippers OF tue golden god bow ed down into the very
dus'-can We be surprised that under the circum.
stances and thus sustained that his ambition should
carry mn stIeich beyond his power TO contf l. and
make hun fancy indeed that he was the omn,no,ent
b'ing Which The crowd of his interested parasitrs
daily proclaimed him 10 be Is il in mortal man to
resist the corropting influences of such blind eviction
and absolute power, and with such godlike exslta-
uon MOI oehe'e that be might control The very ope-
rations OF nature bersaf and give laws i'm poll
scs and directions 10 trade Ia tbs infauaiion Of
bis despoiism, he attempted that impossible task failed
as natnia. oquence, and the deplorae ruin #
uaoustnd' oiior'unes and the business OF the whole
c~untry, are the aIneniabc ~tness TO the folly and
wckedness OF the undertaking. Aghsst at the mise
~ which his policy and their praises of il had pro-
duced, sudden revuIsion ,ucceeded 10 the public
mind, and they who were the mcancst In their praise
and The most abject IN their devotion, sndeayored
excel each other in denunc ation! Lips Vel warul
with the homage which they had so recently paid The
man, now IN his msfo tune exT ressed the loudes de-
rison and reproach, and loaded his name with tho
bnterest obloquy. Upon the honesty Of the motives
Of these individuals discriminating public has alrol-
dy determined by verdict Of condemnation a. strong
against their folly and ngrautude as against MIR. Bid
dies own conduct As we never glori6ed that in
dividual 10 has power, exued not in his fall but
knew how TO draw the line between the faults Of the
man and those OF the mischievous system which
ruined him But the same misguided ignorance
which at first would have inundated rs for yentuti,g
to coub, the inisbility Of The then worshpped idol
would have afterwards, lad it possessed the power,
sacrificed for daring, in his disgrace, to ask fair
play agans, their fury. We dcspsed the violence OF
these knsvcs a. much formerly did the selfdc-
basement OF their man-wonhip. We have alway.
been perfectly satisfied with the motive. which ac-
tused, and have had reason 10 regret our con-
duct, either in the loss OF own appreciation OF
that OF the public. Tie transactions we have alluded
TO WIN serve Is most impressive lesson They
'trkinsy exenplfy the mischief Of ignorance IN The
public mind, and The blindness nfstusticn prejudice
and injustice TO which leads