Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-10-22
From the Pittsburgh Gazette.
Sketches Of the PHbliC Mcm OF the u. 6
By ERAsTUs BRooES.-No. XII.
GEN. JAMES IRWIN.

! We remember General Irwin as Member q
The memorable Sessions Of Congress of l84I-42
| VI this Congress there were three Sessions, auC
each remarkable Tor the importance of The sub
I2cIS discussed, and the excitement attending Iht
discussions. The Abolition storm ragged, anC
memorials were literally poured into Congress
from all the free StatyS, demonstrating agains
the odious rule Of the majority, practically de
cIarhg mat men might not even pray for the re
dress oI what they regarded, and what, no doubt
is public grievance. The Compromise Act
which, ten years before, had been born, of The
NuIIilcalon excitement, was also passing through
The last stages Of lis legal existence. The whole
country, TOO, was Bankrupt The vices and fol-
lies of previous years had stamped misery anC
misfortune upon the face of The people, The
country had been reveng in speculation, until
her dIssapalions made Men, Corporations anc
States rock, us il were, like ship upon The bill.
lows.
Never had Congress NIT under greater cx.
cIiement,-never, indeed, in time of peace, did
parry passions run so high. The so called "DJ.
mocraIlc parry" had been so long in power, that
they seemed 10 regard The country as theirs, bv
sort Of proScripuve right They had ruled,
and they had ruined, and by virtue Of long pre-
crdent aud bad example, they claimed The right
TO ruIe on, and ruin more. Ii was Two weeks aud
more, under This resistance of the will of the
majority by The minority, before the popular
branch could be organized. Day after day Con.
greSS met,--day after day, preliminary questions
were discussed, but III ALL and through ALL, the
Demon of DlScord sraiked abroad, and threaten.
ed something worse than the rising and Subsiding
OF stormy passions.
The French Assembly at Paris during the Rev.
olulion, when the Jacobns and the Constitutions
alisls were battling together, it was no more The
scene OF strife Than occasionally our own legsla-
tive chambers. Some there were, who had been
elected as Wings, not being chosen to reign,
were determined to rule, without IA choice, and
the prevalence of thai sin "by which the angels
fell" had complete mastery over the minds of
such men as Henry A. Wise aud few Of his
compeers. They coald not rule and they would
not serve.
1t was in such an assembly as this. made up Of
a lactlous opposition and few discorianl spirits,
together wllh an able and powerful body of
" hgs, that Mr.. lrvm was Introduced INTO the
House Of Representatives. | remember well his
courteous demeanor, his constant attendance aud
lhe e'hcldI tuSpeCl hlalheS'eu LOT hlHl' oo'h ny
his colleagues and his associate members. Tie
was there nol altogether uuheraldod by fame,
since the people who sent him to represent them
had done so. alike from personal respect and un.
doubted confidence in the ability and honesty of
the men of their choice. He had beaten in fair
fight the sronges, man of the opposition and that
in district which for many years had been sig.
naIiged Tor ils devotion to men aud opinions, nol
ut All in harmony with ,heirproScnl choice. His
own immediate constituents had always voted tor
him with increased favor, than that of men ol
kindred opinions associated and his own numeri-
ca support was always more with hun. Wher.
Gov. Porer received majority of ll47 in 1871,
Gen. Irwin received majority Of sac in Ie4S.