Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-06-25


of being the voice of God. Had " iiliam e.
Kings political fortunes to be won IN times like
the present. his virtues and his merits would have
BEEN in a great measure, overlooked. For he was
not man to stoop to the arts of the dernagogue'
corrupting alike to the seeker and those whose
suffraves are sought. Nor did he arrongahtiy SCI
up >, personal claim to distinctions which were the
nr,pertv of the country to be bestowed upon those
who deserved them. re-,
Mr.. King early attached himself to that polltca
partv which has always been dominant III o;'il'So'
Not because it was dominant but because 1t com
manded the approval Of his sound head ana OF us
honest heart No distinguished politician n;S
ever adhered to the Democratic party, through al
chances and changes, with more unwaverlng hoei-
;tv. and it was his fortune to die at last IN us
most affectionate embrace.
At twentv-tou years of age William II. Niii@
was called away forever from professional me ~
represent his District in the Congress OF the Ohed
States and the river of his tame expanded beyond
the limits of his native State. lie renamed III
Congress until 1916. Every one at all acquainted
with the history of our country, will remember
that this WIS an era of unusual interest. Even
orr revolutionary era is not full OF stirring
,etails-rnore fruitful of incident, nor more proud
w turned to by every American heart. Free
trade and seamans rights" were then TIE watch
words of our country. In contending for the
former Il foundation then laid for CONNER
cial prosperity who's" present att;unmehtS eNcite
our wonder: but whose reach in Anticipation mOcks
ut reason and battles all calculation. By the wise
measures then adopted by government, and
sustained by the skill and valor Of soldiers and
seancn. the stars we had borrowed and the eagle
We had brought down from the sky, were made
to return thithcr and to look down upon the SUR
rounding nations to a'naze-to dazze-to awe
and to confound them, and to win from them a
lasting admiration. There intellectual grants
Il 0pH0 lt hnu Uh
u mere boy III comparison with many OF his asso-
cates the name of William II. King Is hOnorably
connected with the most important measures or the
time.
In 1916, William Piukney, of Maryland, prob
ably the most accomplished Orator of our day,
was appointed Minister first to Naples, and mme-
,liately afterwards Russia, from the UNITED
States \ lust tStiuatlo:i OF MIR. Kings htneSS
for tl.r>, It ation~ induced Mr.. Pnknry 10 cause
him To- be arl".ured hi> Secretary of Legation 10
,--' l---;--- liz. <tn,lr nf man.
place. But hour Well spent by an observing
among his fellows, gives him ii larger store
Of useful know, &c THAI, a dozen hours speut i'll
thestudy of the best ulinspred book that WAS ever
written. And these appointments made Mr.
King IN extensive traveller, and by his observing
mind, vast treasures of knowled re were appropri
ated by the way
In 1919. MIR. King returned to his native land
m c WI Grand altogether superior man to what lie
WAS when he left ii. lie then joined his fortunes
with those of the State of Alabama, just coming
into existence. He of the delegates from
Dallas county to the Convention that framed her
Constitution, and was of the select committee
to whom the framing of it confded. Upon
the admission Of Alabama into the Union, he
one of the Senators representing her sovereignty
i'll the American Congress. In 1928, 1928, 1884
and 1910, he was reelected to that post. 1t was
in this field during the years 1887, 1888, 1889
and 1910, that my fullest acquaintance with Mr..
King WAS formed; and then were his most useful
services rendered to his country. lie then
eminenty leader in the Senate. Ills intimate
acquaintance with the rules of ORDER and his reg
ular application of them in every emergency, rem
dered him quite an oracle OH this subject No one
WAS bold enough to differ with Mr.. King upon
question of order. And his decisions those
questions, when in the Chair, were acquesccd in,
as though they had been the DEGREES of Fate. Be
sides his intinietc acquaintance with the rules of
order, and his ready application of them, there
was commanding dignity in his manner, mingled
with the utmost courtesy, which secured respect
without Notifying giving offence. These al
vantages, together with his sound practical sense,
and fine clear voice, made him the choice Of the
Senate as their presiding officer all those
ions when the absence Of the Vice President Of the
United States rendered the appointment Of Pres
ident OF the Senate pro tenePOre necessary.
But Mr.. Kings usefulness in the Senate not
confined to the discharging the duties of presiding
officer. As member of that body, though by no
means brilliant debater, he was sensible and
effective speaker: and the great confidence felt by
all in his large experience good sense and pure in
tcgrity, caused him always TO be listened to with
profound attention; and all important diff
cult questions, every willing to profit by
the suggestions Of MIR. King.
! Though firm and decided in his political views,
and properly observant Of party discipline, he was
always kind and respectful those of the opposite
party, and gave them full credit for honesty of
purpose, even when he dsapproved their acts In
turn, he commanded their respect and esteem no
less than those of his party friends. All this be-
ing backed by courage and manly bearing ena-
bled Mr.. Kings keen sense of propriety TO exert
most salutary Influence over the Senate, and to
preserve in that body tone of dignity, and
freedom from personal alteration, so becoming in
that most august of earthly assemblies. 1t was
my fortune to be with Mr.. King in his pamest
days. when he in the very vigor of his mind,
and in the utmost strength Of his body, aud when
his influence in the Senate could not have been
greater.
l may add that those, too, among the
palmiest DAYS of the United States Senate Not
one of the tiftytwo persons then having place in
its halls is there now, except John NJ. Clayton of
Delaware, who has lately returned to them, after
an absence of some years. A very large number
of them preceded Mr. King to the other world.