The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-10-22
Mr.. Wright in the Senate.

A writer in the Hartford Times who was
personal friend OF the late Siias Wright,
furnishes 10 that print all obituary Of him,
from which we make the following extract.
II describes the first session Of the United
States Senate after the Hon. Silas Wright
became q members
eve have now followed the subject of
this sketch 10 the theatre Of action. which
afforded better ard more Commanding
field for the display Of lis remark able tai
cn,S here the strong STAPLE Of hismird be-
came interviewer into the legislation Of his
country: and his fame co-eXtensive with its
utmost limits. In the year 1883 lie was
elected tafll tie remainder Of senatorial
term. which expired On the fourth of March.
1877. His frs, session, that Of lS33.4. was
enc Of great political excitement, and party
violence through the county, Of which the
Senate Of the United States was the centre.
In July preceding, Gen. Jackson had direct
cd the wilhdrawment OF the public deposits
from the Bank Ct the United States and
this institution, powerful for evil, whatever
might be is capacity for good. like q huge
serpent. coilcd itself: collected its vciicm
and prepared 10 strike with It's deadly iangS
the very government from which il derived
its existence. This was an anomolcuS state
of things, uuRnownin the history Of this CT
any other county. or tic dangers of n
National Bank, acting in uni.,n with The
government, and thus becoming an engine
'ofcormption and power in The hands vf,hos,
in autholity. The world has seen many s,ri
king examples.
The better To secure liz infuonCcsin Con.
GtoSs. the bank, as il afterwards appeared
had made large leans TO n great number o
lis mcstintheniial members in both houses
II did not, however. conhne its operations {,
the government but, oXertcd its power CT
the business men and interests ofthc conn
try; whereby it occasionod much real dis
iroSs, which. by party machinery, wa
wrought up into such a universal panic
| "that the very air We breathed seemed full
of dangers" Those who believed the pan
ic To be real. apd that twas occa>ioned b,
the unjust action olthc government, materi
!, ally looked TO Congress for relief. Thos,
, who reCardcd the panic as having been ere
atcdby the bank. from its own dnngcrou
| power, and its influence over the State in
Stituticus, regarded it rs making despcra,,
, Struggle TO oXloit from Congress the rcStora
, ton Of the deposits, andaronewaloiitS char
! ter. An eyes. with hopes aud fears excited
were directed to congress, where learrl
, contest was anticipated.
Such was the condition ofthc country, am
! of Congress, when Mr.. Wrirh, took his sea
in the Senate. That body, always comhin
; ing the best talents the country, was the
. Of unusual strength, perhaps stronger tina
I Al any period in the whole history of on
l country. In opposition TO the administration
&. there was Clay with his lofty mien, his ma,
: culine cloqueuce and paitiaan tactics
$ Webster with his frowning brow and proluu
. augmentation Calhoun; with his Ner
yiSacc aud fell spirit, fallen from his high e'
i tate: yet still. "like an arch.ancel RUNE,
$ or the excess oiglory obScrved;" Leigh, {
: Virginia, with his subtc,ics and metaphy,
I. les; Preston with q head like the bare pea
Il Of n volcanic mountain. and Ms full Of clc
+ qucncc. smoke aud fire within: Manrun
S hooking inut,erable wrp,h; Clayton, shrcw
/. and plausible; aud Eewing, with his du
is prose and figures, attempting 10 prove la
Is cur lakes and cities were "soliudcs.o
ID On one side of the administration. the
5. stood Benton. where he had been for TWEEN
y years, d sort Of fixture Of The Senate char