The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-07-12
THE NATIONAL ERA: WASHINGTON, D. c, JULY 1e, 1855.

nalized by an effort to abolish fogging in the
navy. His sudden disappearance from the
House was caused by his bold uncompromising
opposition to his Party then triumphant ma
jority, on the Texas-Slavery Question. With
out aid from any political party-for no political
Anti Slavery organization then existed-without
hope of political preferment, with a certain
prospect of political death, for New Hampshire
was controlled absolutely by Pro-Slavery De-
mocracy, Mr.. Hale stood up, faithful among
the faithless" true to the instincts of generous
manhood, true to conscience and to his God,
protested against the outrage boldly carried
his appeal to the People, and most unexpected
" found himself sustained by them. Let it
never be forgotten that in those dark days, the
only two prominent Democratic politicians who
held fast to their integrity, and chose isola-
ton and political degradation, rather than to
90 with multitude to do evil, were THOMAS
MORRIS, Senator from Ohio, and JOHN P. HALE,
member of the House of Representatives from
New Hampshire.
Mr.. HALE was sent back by the People, not
to the House, but to the Senate, with swell
done, good and faithful servant" And the
first speech he made, was in opposition to the
Mexican war, a war, the handspring of which
was, determination to extend the area OF Sla-
very by Selling Mexican territory. From that
time onward, he battled against Slavery, and
in favor of the cause of naval reform, until he
carried through a measure abolishing the pun
ishment of hogging in the navy, and establish
ed in the cold, conservative, tongue-ted Senate'
the most perfect freedom of discussion on the
whole Question of Slavery.
Now, are we to be told that man with
record like this, not word or act OF which,
from the time he confronted his Party on the
Texas Question, to the time he left the Senate,
can be quoted, as against the Cause OF Human
Rights and of true Progress, is not an earnest
man, but mere JokerP
Nothing could exceed the bitterness of the
contempt, the foreclosures of the Remuneration
which Mr.. Hale was obliged to endure during
the early part of his Senatorial career. But,
he was good natured, selfpoised, quick in
repartee, sometimes keenly witty, sometimes
broadly humorous: and, if he contrived to
dsarm his opponents, now, by sharp repartee,
now, by turning the laugh against them, all
the while maintaining imperturbable good ma.
ture, is he therefore to be set down as mere
"Joker?" We wish the Senate were full of
such Jokers We hail his return to that body,
for he fills there place no other man can I'LL,
as he possesses certain qualities, In which he Is
unrivalled.
After this tribute to one whom we esteem, it
may seem ungracious to point out few things
we have not approved. We did not like his vote
in favor of the Collins Line Monopoly. We did
not like to see him using his influence with
members last winter in behalf of this same
Company. We did not like the report that
connected his name with the Know Nothings,
and when we heard that he was nominated by
the american" Party in the Legislature of
New Hampshire, and was elected Senator by
"American" votes, we could not utter word
of appreciation. We feared that he had indeed
become Know Nothing, and to be this was
to falsify all his antecedents. We hope that
our fears are groundless-for, the speech de-
livered by him at Concord, on the occasion of
his election, contained not a single Know
Nothing sentiment, while it glowed from be-
ginning to end with the fire of Freedom.
Finally, we did not like the temper of his
reply to the EUening Post, although the provo
cation was great-and we are constrained to
to say that we like the rejoinder of the Post not
a whit better. Both, although occupying diff
ferent positions, and judging of political meas
ures generally by different standards, are
thoroughly loyal to the Cause of Freedom; and
nothing is more to be deprecated than personal
animosities between the true friends of a great
Cause.