The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-09-09
jackson Democratic Association.

AT meeting of this association held at Jackson Hall,
on Monday evening" the 9th instant in pursuance oil no
tee given for the purpose OF considering the late DIS
uessing event, (the death of SILAs Wright }
FP. BLAIR, esq, presented the following address and
resolutions:
The death of Silas Wright mpresses the Democratic
Association OF Washington city with sentiments OF the
deepest sorrow, This distressing leaves only
the mourniul office OF rendering tribute OF love and res
pect the grave OF one whom they had ondy hoped al
some time to have seen distinguished by the highest
proof OF honor, confidence, and affection which CRATE
fu country could give to the worthies of its citizens.
The offering we make avails nothing to the dead but
when life SO rich in faculty and usefulness ends, Is
consong and sautary to call up its past exhibitions and
their worth, whilst the heart is open to receive them.
To us of the Democratic Association, Mr.. Wright ian
honorary member of it) was most known the great
senator from New York in the Congress of the United
States O his exalted character and conduct in this
broad field OF his fame, where he stood among the most
eminent OF the statesmen of the countyo use the Ian
guage OF one of them, the "Cao of America- Is APP
propriate that we should speak.
The adverse circumstances which attended the birth OF
the honest shoemaker's son--the father poor but OF
noble charac'er-of his stripping efforts when grown to
be farmers boyhis winters given to the labors OF the
schoohou his summers to those of the arm-o his
progress as college sudent-young lawyer--village
postmaser-dlsrct pathmaster-captain OF miitia-lus
lice OF the peacesurogate OF the county OF st. Law
renceo the endearlng modest social friend and neigh
Dor, whose zeal and industry called into busy life
in the local affairs of the community which he en-
tered on leaving his fathers rooa sufficient narrative
may be cleaned from the newspaper already
thrown out by his early companions Contrasted with
the sphere he filled when herose on the political hor
zon of New York, and assembled to the national zenith,
these early circumstances and traits of Mr. Wnghfs
life make manifest the truth OF Grays reflection amid the
humble graves OF the country churchyard-
s'Some village Hampden, that with daunless breast
The little yrant his fields withstood,
Some mute ngorions Milton here may rest ;,
Some Cromwell gultless of his county's blood"
Mr.. Wright the village Hampden of the little
of Canton. He was nations Cromwell in the puritan,
RADICAL fearless craftsmanship, illustrated in his senate
rial abors during the struggles of the Jackson and Van
Buren, administrations. No occupied place in
the national councils distinguished for unremitting
powerful effort to abuses, and restore the primitive
simplicity and virtue Of free and equal institutions
The great power which most directly threatened to de-
stroy the prevalence of republican principles at the time
that Mr.. Wright entered the Senate, the Bank of
the United States This moneyed poentate commanded
majority in both branches of Congress against President
Jackson although majortes in each had been returned
by their constituencies to support him. The power OF
the banks machinery manifested in the sudden sup
pansion OF paper c1rrency-n the general revulson OF
trade in panic which shook the nation To the sway
of this vast impulse upon the public mind was opposed the
popularity OF the President confidence in his honesty,
wisdom, and patriotism Although comparatively young
man at this epoch, and new to the body OF able men
which he had enteredalthongh surrounded all sides
by the most hghygfted nteects OF the age educated and
raised to distinction by discipline and display the
in which they aced-Mr. Wright became almost instant
y eminent among the most eminent There was no one
in either branch OF Congress upon whom Gen. Jackson
more contdingy relied throughout the ariuous conflict
in which he was engaged, than upon Mr.. Wright.
In giving direction to movements throughout the
prolonged touching the recharer of the bank
the veto-he suspension OF specie payments-the resto
ration of the constitutional currency-and the innumer-
the Senates debates In the abors of the committee
none equaed him, and none exerted more ascendant
influence in all the private consultations which tended to
concert the action of the democracy this critical contest
1t closed the umpho the of pure and free gov
eminent; the deliverance of popular rights from snbec
ton to Glass; the of the true currency from adu
|
monopoly and Mr. Wright may be justly considered the
Ulysses OF the ten years war that gave the palladium to
the republic.
Another danger (which threatened the Union vitality,
Mr.. Wnghts patriotic labors most happily contributed
to avert tariff to protect certain classes at the expense
of others, and OF the national reasuryto provide for
the ostensble obectwas abhorent alike to his personal
feelings and political principles; On FIRST entering Con-
gress ne found the system engrafted on the public policy
relic OF the preserved principally by the lnfu
ence OF political leaders in the south and west 1t had
at first met with resistance in the north, but had been
gradually embraced and BLENDED with great pseuna1y
movements 1t was the scope OF Mr.. Wrighfs effort to
take from this question OF political economy its party
aspect, by presenting mode of adjustment through
which, while the primary object of revenue was OBJ
tanned in the most satisfactory way, determinations
in the details made as to bear lightest upon
the least wealthy and throw the burden of the revenue
on riches and luxury. It was on these principles
that Mr. Wright built up his tariff strictly for revenue
which, making determinations on just views OF poit
democracy than any which preceded it. It, exposition is
contained in the celebrated report made through the
Committee OF Ways and Means of the House of Repre-.
sentatves, during the first session of the 2Sth Congress-
and most ucdly sustained by the speech of Mr. Wright
in the Senate This measure, which only failed by a
few votes would have accomplished the purposes of
revenue perfectly the existing law, OF which 1t was
the precursor and might have placed the system on
basis OF settlement less liable to disturbance by future
agitation All will agree that the elaborate reports writ
ten by Mr. Wright and the admirable discussion of the
subject in his mastery speeches, have contributed much
to the thorough understanding of it, and to neualize all
| its mischievous political tendencies
The efforts made distract the country the subject
of abolition, by drawing into the halls of Congress-
question which should divide the south and north, and
make sectional feeling the OF giving Importance to
the leaders most successful in getting up sectional
element, were treated by MIR. Wright with his usual
sagacity, always looking to the countrys good His
ate, which had been denitvely disposed of in the
sttuton, and which the federal Legislature had right
to entertain Petitions the subject he would receive,
and dispose of avoid exciting discussion the
collateral issue of the right of petition has been said
that Mr.. Wright originated the movement the slave
question made by Mr.. King, of New York, and
which Mr. Wmot of Pennsylvania, incorporated in the
Mr. Wright by friend in this city, when the suggestion
first made known to him, refutes the assertion
He had share in the orgnaon OF the measure, what
may have been his views in regard to its introduce
ton. Mr. Wrghts doctrine, we believe, was that OF the
consttuuonnon interference the part OF the federal
the people of States M coming INTO, the Union. Ii
this principle be correct Congress cannot expae slavery
where it exists, create 1t where 1t does not exist
Legislation the subject belongs to the State lmme
datey affected by it. Hence would result, that South
CaIoinians and Californians have an equal right to
| Al Il H. Il