The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-23
From the Netoark Daily advertiser.
Thomas Ewing, OF Ohio.

Thomas Ewing, or ONO.
Thomas Ewing, physically and intellectually, is
a noted man among men. In his early manhood
the entire western country could not furnish more
athletic giant. Straight as an arrow, he measures
the comfortable stature of six feet and some inches
while his broad shoulders and deep chest suIcenty
indicate his strength. When young man he was
the keenest Of marksmen, with unerring certainty
picking the squirrels from the top of the loftest
tree, and that with rifle " carrying one hundred
and twenty 10 the pound" II perchance night
overlook him in the forest, he could cook his own
supper, and then sleep by log. In those days no
surer passport existed To the favor Of the rugged
backwoodsmen than superior physical prowess, and
this Ewing had To perfection. He could wrestle
like athlete and if that not enough he could
leap further on level than the most. have heard
his college companions say that, when a member Of
the Ohio University, he could leap over pole held
just the height of his head.
His great physical force was not expended in
these pastmes as is evident from the pleasant nick
name given him by the Buckeyes, 6 Tim, the sail
boiler" He secured his education by his labor.
The Kenawa Saltworks were the scenes of some of
his housekeeping his wood and with il
feeding the rehe had lighted for boiling salt; these
secured him money for his education, and So vigor-
ously did he push his business, that he has been
known sometimes to gctu in his sleep and walk
around the roaring salt kettles, when single mis-
step might have been fatal.
''The boy is father to the man."
and one might easily detect the future statesman
and lawyer in the earnest young salt boiler. Such
If permitted to stay in it few years.
For several years, it Eayorite treat with the
writer during his vacation, to follow Thomas Ewing
from place to place, and see him move and mould
the people at will. His very appearance has sort
of fascination which disarIns much prejudice, and
conciliates much confidence. He is somewhat
6 teshy," as the saying is, and presents specta-
Gle not a little imposing to common people, who
always delight in seeing large, well proportional
man. His complexion is ruddy, and sets off his
bright laughing eyes TO the very best advantage.
And yet his appearance is plain, and the simplicity
of his toilette and demeanor captivating.
shall never forget the impression made my
mind the first time saw him, in 1886, at mass
meeting held at Columbus. Other speakers had
held the multitude in charmed admiration, but
when MIR. Ewing arose that admiration became
enthusiasm. Just think of that magnificent sta
ture, towering among fifteen twenty thousand
men, and his eye beaming so genialy on all eyes!
There was nothing striking in his voice, except it
was easily heard by every one in the crowd, and
yet it sounded like an honest voice. He spoke ma
turally: much so, that every felt that to be
just the way he would speak himself. There was
no effort at fine speaking; and one thought of the
bard of Avon when, with such exquisite appropri-
ateness he made Mark Antony say:
81 am no orator, Brutus is;
Butas you know me, all, plain, blunt man,
That love my friends
For have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir mems blood: only speak right on;
tell you that tchich you yourselves do knoW.''
Yes, these the words; he only spoke right on
telling the gravest and weightiest truths so unos-
tentatiousy that the veriest clown thought him
merely telling his own thoughts. AS he warmed
up in his discourse, his ponderous right hand would
emphasize some important thought, in such way
that unanimous vote of the assembly would have
pronounced it the very perfection of dumb rhetoric
There not single contortion of the body; it
stood like oak. There not AN uncouth mis-
shaping of the face; it looked placid yet earnest
as the sun There was agonizing glance of the
eye to heaven, as to draw fire thence TO his
antagonists. His eye glanced meanngly, and
earnestly and truthfully around on the ''sea of up
turned faces" before him. As for gestculation, he
had not even a stamp of the foot to give power to
some grand climax, and no sprawling of the hands
as though his dgits extended were the only condi-
ton which Israel could prevail. His gesture was
that of his right hand, and that as natural as the
blow of a blacksmith's arm he strikes the iron on
the solid anvil. As a speaker, he seemed the very
perfection of simplicity
But, while he exhibited these traits it did not
quench that certain enthusiasm without which a
speaker cannot gain marked attention any where,
much less at the West. His oak like frmness, his
ponderous gesticulations, his manly, but not over
strained voice. with his entire demeanor ''the
stump" carried TO every the belief that this
man was moved deeply by what he uttered. And
IL was a noble sight to witness how perfectly he
breathed his own spirit into the before him,
and moved il with resistess power. Simple in
speech and action as he was, the multitudes ever
and anon broke out in loud commentator.
His laughing eye proved his love of good Joke
and he gave them fine practical illustration in that
speech IL was Just after his celebrated Post Office
report, in which he had exposed without mercy
the corruptions which had crept into that Depart
ment. One large mail contractor was specially
grleved by the report and threatened TO horsewhip
Mr.. Ewing at the first opportunity The pugna-
cious contractor il seems, was a man of the Tom
Thumb species, and Mr. Ewing related the
threat, and spread out his own brawny proportions
TO our gaze, Il was impossible not to laugh almost
To split our sides. "Just to think of has whipping
me-" exclaimed the laughing giant, drawn up 10
his greatest dimensions. You may well think il
was irresistible.
! once saw Mr. Ewing's power to hold the people
fully tested. No man in Ohio has such popularity
as a stump speaker, Thomas Corwin On the
occasion referred to, Corwin and Ewing were on
their way from a mass meeting held AT Lancaster
Ga meeting estimated by the acre instead of tn.
thousand TO another 10 be held at Delaware A
large concourse OF people met them at Columbus
and insisted ON their speaking. il was on that oc-
casion that Mr.. Corwin, with inimitabc drollery,
quoted the words, 'doh the trild brau ,c,iIe h,
hath grass, on iotoeh hs oper has fodder p" No
one can describe the intense excitement produced
by MIR. C.'s entire speech, and yet Mr.. Ewing sue
ceeded him IN speech of an hour, and held his
audience as with a spell. But very few men could
have stood there and have been listened 10 with ma
thence. The difference between the two men was
very wide, and yet each exhibited his peculiar
powers 10 rare advantage. At other times these
men have occupied the same stand and held the
same audience chained for hours. However il is
TO be noticed that those who stand behind the cur.
tain usually place Mr.. Ewing next to the last and
MIR. Corwin last, when a whole day is 10 be con
stunned at mass meeting A meeting so closed
leaves the multitude in the best Of humor with
Themselves with the speakers, and with the caus,.
they advocate.
In the simplicity Of his STYLE the severe logic of
his matter the power TO make others see az he does
and the immense moral force which he carries with
him on the stump, think the Buckeye State has
mo superior, If she has any equal, ON her roll of
gifted sons, TO the man who now honors the Cabi-
net of General Taylor. Physically and ntellecui.
ally he Is splendid man, and but few Of Ohio
can be found who do not feel proud of him. And
in this the country at large syinpathises.
ROCKAWAY.
Panama Railway and The Guif Of Merico
This is brochure, comprising an article from the
Southern Literary Messenger. Since the days of
Humboldt, many Of the most distinguished scicn-
tfc men Of the age have written on the subject
N.