The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1852-06-10

Hon. EDWARD A. HANHEGAN.-Ihe facts
as to the killing ofhis brother-in-law, Capt.
Duncan, by Mr. Hannegan, are already wide
ly known. Mr.. Hannegan had been MEM
Der ofCOngress, Ambassador to Prussia, and
might have been honored and useful in every
relation Of life but for his fearful devotion to
liquor, which had long rendered him terror
and disgrace to his friends, and has at last
probably led him to felon's doom. John
Wentworth, who served with him in Con-
gress, thus comments on hiO case in the Chi
cogo Democrat:
Every man who has seen Mr.. Hannegan
when under the influence Of liquor as we
have, can believe the above. And every one
who has seen him and lived at the same house
with him and his family, as we have, when
he has been total abstinence man tormonths
together, vii llindeed pity him. When sober,
he is as pure, as upright, as kind aud as gen.
erous man as there is in this county. With
him there can be no middle state. He is a
brute when drunk. When sober, he will
compare in all the elements OF goodness
with any man living. But he cannot drink
without getting drunk.
Mr.. flanagan entered the lower House
| of Congress many years ago, perfectly
temperate man; and, in point of talents, in
tegrity and popularity, his prospects were
as lattering as those of any young man in
the United States. But Washington fash.
ions and habits were too much for him.
Dissipation drove him to private life. He
reformed, became temperance lecturer
and IN exemplary member Of the Church
His exhortations in times Of great revivals
are said to have equaled those of the mos
eloquent dvines living. At length his olc
habits were forgotten and he was sent t.
the Senate. lie took his seat all exempla
ry son of Temperance and Christian
But, again, the temptations were too grea
ior hun, His struggles with himself were
gigantic, aud the assistance Of one of ma
ture's noblcst of women, his wife, secured
for him the sympathies Of everybody. Blu
he would have his sprees, and he lost his re
election. Like most politicians, he left Of
fee miserably poor. At the close Of hi
term, and Mr. Polk's administration, to keeI
50 popular and 50 good a man from despair
and ruin, althoughit came out of Gen. Tay
lor's term, the Senators unanimously, WhigI
and Democrats, signed call for Mr.
Polk to send him to Prussia, and he was ap
pointed to that mission. His unfortunate
career there is we'll known. Since his re-
turn, we have heard nothing of him unit
this melancholy affair.
| We have seen many young man cntel
Congress perfectly temperate, and leave i
totally ruined; ;but we never known one who
had so many efforts to save him, so ineflect
ually, as MIR. Hannegdn. We now have r
our mind three in our own term who killet
themselves. Mr.. Elannegan has tried to do SC
several times; but he lived to kill his wle't
brother, the best friend, save his wife, he
had in the world. That he wished he was
in poor Duncan's place, we have no doubt
What un awful commentary this is upon tn,
evil effects Of intemperance! 1t was thc
first drop that ruined Hannegan. He i
now about the middle oge Of man, and ma
yet live to be very useful man; but there
greater probability that he will commit sui
eide.
This tragedy will do much toward enact
ing the Maine Liquor Law in Indiana, an
we can almost predict it will be enacted Q
the next session of the Legislature.