Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-06-09
Hon. Eawaird A. Hannegan.

The facts as to the killing of his brother.
Iin-law, Capt. Duncan. by Mr.. Hannegan,
are, already widely Known. Mr.. Hahnegan
had beeh q member of The Legislature ,botli
Houses of Congress, Ambassador to Rus.
sia, and might have been honored and USE
full in every relation of life but for his fear:
full devotion to Liquor which has long rem
dered him q terror and disgrace to. his
friends, and has at length probably led him
to felon's DOOM. John Wentworth, who
served with him in Congress, thus COM
ments on his case in his Chicago Demo.
GRAFT:
"Every man who has seen Mr.. Hanne.
gan when under the influence of liquor as
we have, can believe the above. And ev.
cry one who has seen him and lived at the
same house with him and his family,as We
have, when he has been a total abstinence
man for months together, will indeed pity
him, When sober he is as pure, as up.
right, as kind and as generous man as
there is in this country. With him there
can be no middle state. He is 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. Hannegan entered the lower House
of Congress many years ago, perfectly
temperate man and, in point of talents,
integrity and popularity his prospects were
as Aattering 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 an exemplary member of the Church.
His exhortations in times of great revivals
are said to have equalled those of the most
eloquent divines living. AT length the old
habits were forgotten and he was sent to
the Senate. He took his seat an exempla-
ry Son of Temperance and Christian
But, again, the temptations were too great
for him. His struggles with himself were
gigantic, and the assistance of one of ma.
lures noblest of women, his wife, secured
for HIM the sympathies of everybody. But
he would have his sprees, and he lost his
recollection. Like most politicians, he left
office mlserably poor. At the close of his
term, and of Mr.. Folks administration, 70
keep SO popular and so good man from
despair and ruin, although it came out of
General Taylor's term. the Senators unani-
mously, Wings and Democrats, signed a
call for Mr.. Polk TO send him to Russia,
and he was appointed to that mission. His
unfortunate career there is known. Since
his return, we have heard nothing of him
until this melancholy affair.
"We have seen many young man en-.
ter Congress perfectly temperate, and leave
it totally ruined but we never knew one
who had SO many efforts to. save him, SO
as Mr.. Hannegan. We now
have in our mind three in our own term
who killed themselves. Mr.. Hannegan has
tried to do SO several times but he lived
to kill his wife's brother, the best friend,
save his wife, he had in the world. That
he wishes he was in poor Duncan's place,
we have no doubt. What an awful com.
ment this is upon the ,evil effects of intem-
perance. 1t was the first drop that ruined
Hannegan. He is now about the middle
age Of man, and may yet live to be very
useful man /; but there is great probability
that he will commit suicide.
"Thls tragedy will do much toward en-.
acting the Maine Liquor Law in Indiana,
and we can almost predict it will be en-.
acted at the next session Of the Legisla-
ture.n