The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-06-30
BY DIR. WILLIAM ELDER. OF PHILADELPHIA

BY DR.. WILLIAM ELDER. OF PHILADELPHIA.
And there was matter in him as well as
manner. He had both the insight and fore
sight of ruling mind. There were none ear
lier or more efficient in the support of advance
movements in State policy, though, from his
inland and isolated locality, his connection with
their execution was less conspicuous than that
of his principal contemporaries He represent.
ed good fftieth part of the Keystone State
during that stage Of its history which gave it
its present high position; and his "ayen "aye"
upon the journals mark his support Of the meas
ures which anticipated and insured its prosper
ity percizely; as his no " "Do" bear pine
blank against the projects which principle and
prudence interdicted.
OF course the General was Democrats
Democrat in the best significance Of the term
for there was breadth and variety enough of
man in him to fit him for both the service and
sovereignty of the civil State, and to conciliate
the duties which he owed TO his constituents
with the claims he held due from them to him
self true man in himself he was false in
none of his relations. He purchased nothing
BY sacrifice of his manliness, and he secured
nothing by usurpation. If he did not surrender
the head to the members, nor lag and lnger in
constrained equality with the slow-goers he
nevertheless carried the will and conscience of
the country with him, and represented the peo-
pie with the strictest Democratic fidelity in the
public councils. Right well he knew the mind
of his constituents for it was his own. As he
really governed at home, it was easy for him
to serve abroad SO, he was neither slave nor
tyrant, cheat nor tool but freeman in wor-
thy agency ln the divine order it is appoint
ed that "the elder shall serve the younger
for, in the happy balancings of the thorough
man, ambition embraces duty, and government
| is service. The representative man covers all
the space that lies between thrones and things,
| and thus, touching the borders of extremes, he
is fitted 20 harmonize all differences Of life, for
oil this variety blends into unity in himself
The religious sentiment Of this man was
strong and active, under modification Of his pc
4 culiar mental constitution He was indeed
| incapable of meekness and suicide would have
been as easy to him as repentance, and very
| ike it. Devotion was in him the sympathy Of
sublimity. All the good and truth of being
was grand to him; and he felt its accordance
without being overawed by il. The glory in
his own soul kindled up in the presence Of the
Sbekinah; he exulted in it, or, in the language
of the psalmist, he rejoieed in the law Of the
Lord The absolute wisdom, the unlimited
power, the infinite benefccnce, lifted him into
alteration, and he prayed standing, with heart
erect and aspiration towering. His practical
conformity to the requirements Of religion was
in no spirit of fear or selfish hope nor, il is but
truth to add in any very strict sense Of duty
or simplicity of submission. He honored and
observed Just what accorded with the pitch and
drift Of bis own high nature, and left without
apology and without regard, all other appre
tensions of the prescribed code TO the obedience
of those who held and needed them. II was a.
q later day, when the hardest features OF MI
character had quite outgrown the little plas
ticity which tempered them, that he sent III
compliments to St. Paul by dying friend, witt
the assurance that he approved his writing
generally and entertained for himself a. man
the highest regard, affection, and esteem"
| Thi1 however, was only an exaggeraton Q
bic customary mood, for in his best days. 81
would have offered his arm TO an archangel II
the style of Democratic President doing tn
honors Of the planet TO q distinguished viSiter
In . word, he was Just himself perclzely--'
man that would have stuck TO bis intercessicr
for tho cities Of the plain, II be had been u
Abrsham's place, till he had nothing LETT bu
Lots wife 10 offer in mitigation OF their doom
Moses, though the meekest Of men, was box