New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-09-14
Hammond. Life Of Wright.

Instructive department Of Literature. Properly
presented it eminently combines interest with IN
struction. entertainment with grave admomtion.
The proper study Of mankind is Man,-his ma
.ure. auaities, fraties and aspirations History
!, the monitor of States and Statesmen; Biography
that Of individuals in the common walks OF lie.
To know how one man has nobly lived or where
in he ignobly failed, though in different sphere
from ours is to know how and wherein our own
integrity may be tried, and what Will be the pain
OF duty. The life Of any one man, written with tne
pen of o IN nscience, would be more instructive than
any existing library
Judge Hammond has given the public Lie Of
sias Wright, substantially in continuation OF bis
Political History of New-York 1t is a large and
fair volume, OF course embodying the more nota
BILE incidents in Mr.. Wnght's life and exhibiting
in strong light most of the leading points IN ms
character. These were already pretty generally
and correctly known. That Mr.. Wright was a
man of decided ability and still greater plausiblh.
ty-of rare equanImty Of temper, remarkable
amenity of manners, and thoroughly republican
spirit and daily habits ingenious TO the verge OF
subtety aud devoted above oil things TO his party,
its 'usages' and ascendency-,hese, we presume,
are characteristics very generally understood and
admitted. Ever courteous 10 adyersaries while
faithful to friends, Mr.. Wright empbatically en-.
joyed the respect OF his opponents aud the adm
ration OF his compatriots. 1t difnot need an oc-
taYo Of seven hundred pagosto exhibit him as pos
sessing these qualities and secure him his proper
place in the public estimation.
But Biography, to be worth anything, must be
thoroughly honest. IL must not varnish and gloss,
but faithfully exhibit its subject in the full sun
light Of memorable truth II is not essential to the
value of the work that the subject be sternly up
right it is necessary that the biograPher be SO.
GOV. Wright was worthy OF a biography Judge
Hammond lacks some qualities essential to biog-
rapher.
Let us be specific
Mr.. Wright came into public life in le2l,-a
year memorable in the politics of New York and
the Union---as a Senator from the North Eastern
portion OF our State. He was elected by the all
but unanimous vote of his own County st. Law
rencel which gave him ,il9 votes TO 20 for Allen
n. Moore, his competitor. Mr.. Wright was dis
tingushed as a Buckiail; Mr.. Moore as Gin
tonian; st. Lawrence County was divided in pol.
itics, but rather nclining to the Clntonians and
the Cntonians were openly VIGOROUSLY with
scarcely known exception, in favor OF the pass
age OF an Electoral Law which should give the
choice Of Presidential Electors to the People, ia
king it from the State Legislature. Mr.. Wright,
knowing all this elected in full view OF IT, elected
with at least an understanding that he concurred
in the general sentiment, and that he would vote
and use every proper exertion to give effect TO the
popular will, went into the Legislature and there
uaited in defeating the Electoral Law and retain
log in the hands OF the Legislature the power OF
choosing the Presidential Electors. But he did
not stop here He voted to remove De Witt Gin
ton from the Canal Board, to subserve purely
partisan purpose. although Gov Clntons eminent
qualifications for and services in thatBoard were
doubted and although Mr.. w. perfectly well knew
that il the people OF St Lawrence could have
ioresecn or suspected this vote, they would never
have enabled him to give II. He conspired IN the
same spirit to defeat the choice OF United States
Senator in a manner which seems to as morally
nothing short Of perjury. The law on the subject
is express The two Houses on specified day
shall proceed TO nomiaote Senator the House
did SO, and nominated Ambrose Spencer But the
law says farther that in case the nominations Of
the two Houses do not agree. the Senators and
Assemblymen shall meet in Joint Ballot aud thus
elect a Senator. Now 1t WAS notorious that an
honest compliance with this reQuisiuon would re-
suit in the election Of Judge Spencer, and this Mr.
Wright and his confederates were fully resolved
to defeat. though Mr. Spencer was the candidate
OF the party which had just carried the state 10y
10000 majority. Aud they dad defeat him-the
twenty Crawford Senators holding over from for
mer elections In defiance OF the popular viii, did
BY SO scattering their votes fifteen different
persons and thus preventing any nomination by
the Senate, aud SO skulking the Joint Ballot pre-
by Judge Hammond, who proceeds to moralze as
follows
Every part of this transaction is in our Judgment
entirely without l0stncaiion and furnishes smother
instance where the devotion OF Mr. Wright % his party
and his rigid adherence the rule OF regulating his
own conduct on questions OF purely party character
by the determination Of The majority of bis political
friends. led HIM into error.
How did Judge Hammond learn that this
question was one "of purely party character -
He has himself stated that the record made OF its
proceedings BY the Senate was ialse-ststing that
the Senate proceeded openly to nominate n
u 5. Senator. when in Tact II refused 10 nominate
Ii deliberate fssehcod and moral perjury are to be
CLOSED over as relating to questions OF "a purely
party character" aud the pcrpc,gstor held up 60
admiration as this greS, and good man, reiter-
sted with every variety OF superlstiye lsudation.
how shall our ambitious youth be warned 70 choose
the straight and narrow path OF rcct.tude when it
leads through present disaster and humiliation
Judge Hammond suggests and snpl6cs the con
which induced Mr.. Wright to vote
wrong on the three questions above alluded To-
Here is the gist OF the whole:
"Mr Wright honestly and sincerely believed
whether enormously or Justly is not now subject Of
inquiry, that the sscendency OF the Democratic party
ia this State would best secure the liberties and pro
the prosperity of the People Hence he regarded
direlict0n Of duty any consent 70 support men or
measures the consequences OF which he had reason 20
,pprehend would produce the overthrow or even
:suse d dininu,ion In the strength OF that party.
OF course, If the party leaders had deemed the
assassination of Gov Clinton, or any other oPpo
ent, essential 10 maintain the Democratic ascen-
ency, he must, the principle here laid down,
ave concurred ia tho project, and even become |