Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-11-21
Henry Winter Davis.

Henry Winter Davis.
If there is any one lesson taught by history
more emphatically than any other, it is this,
that the times bring forth the men for the times;
that in the same womb from whence come
forth great events, are nurtured the master
spirits destined to bring about and control
those events; to give
"Tho very age and body Of the time. its form and
pressure. H
A most striking illustration of this fact may be
seen in the history Of the Revolution which
separated us from Great Britain in that which
for time overturned the monarchy Of England
and brought the head Of Char es the First to
the block, and also in. the French Revolution
We need scarcely name the historic charac-
tiers whom the troublous periods referred to,
brought forward as the great leaders and mas
ter minds Of their day and generation, as our
readers must be familiar with them: the names
Of CROMWELL, WAsHINoroN, and NAPoLEoN,
and their colaborers are stamped upon the his
toric page in characters Of unfading light.
All revolutions, all great movements Of the
masses, all rclorlnatons, agitate in greater or
less degree the communities in which they take
place. stir up and put in action the minds Of
the people, and thus bring forth and make con-
spicuous, those who are endowed with extra
ordinary talent of any kind, and especially Of
such as thepeculiar state Of the times demands,
whether it be genius for military affairs, elo-
quence to arouse and persuade, or wisdom to
calm and direct .
great movement, and we hope reforma-
ton, is now going on in the United States. 1t
pervades and upheaves the masses; it has
seized upon the American heart; it appeals to
the American sentiment; it gives intensity to
the national feeling, and has reused our ma
tional pride But it has also called forth
strenuous and bitter opposition, and the con-
flict has stirred up and brought into the field
the men Of moral courage, ofenergy, of talent,
and Of eloquence, in every part of the country.
We might mention many Of those who have
thus been brought conspicuonsly before the
American people, and Of whom we should
speak with equal pride aud pleasure, but our
purpose at the present time is to allude to one
individual only, namely, the Hon. HENRY VIM
to Congress we have already joined our friends
and his in singing re Deum, or renite cr-
uItemus. RI ~ a{
Mr. Davis, though young man, has already
attained a rank among the first Of the nation.
Unknown, at least to us and to the country
generally previous to the Presidential campaign
of 80, he then made himself felt by his surpass-
ingly eloquent speeches in various parts of the
country, advocating the election of the heroic
SCoIT over the illustrious General PIERCE. But
his eloquence, and the military services Of the
greatest General of the age, were alike unayail-
ing to turn the tide Of popular favor which
bore into the Presidential chair its present oc-
cupant. The latter event became, in the mys-
terious workings Of Providence, in some degree
the cause of that great movement of which we
have spoken, and which brought Mr.. Davis
again before the people as the powerful and
eloquent advocate of the reformation now going
on, and Of true American principles. Like tho
young HENRY CLAY, Henry DAvI. burst upon
the vision Of the public in blaxe Of his own
impassioned eloquence, and, like pis great pro-
totypc Of the West with all the litheness of
youth, his mind and body exhibit the full de-
velopment and proportions of a man
But If Mr.. Davis attracted the attention and
won the admiration Of his friends and cola
borcrs in the American cause, he also aroused
the opposition Of the enemies Of that cause,
who have spared no effortto PROSTATE and de
feat him. Even the administration, with all
its black mail, and its corps of office-holders
and dependents in Maryland were brought
into the field as heavy artillery against him.
But against this Goliath Of power the young
David went forth with his sling and stones,
and behold the mighty were laid low; the
boastful were overwhelmed, and the confident
were overcome.
Mr., Davis is member elect of the next
House Of Representatives. He is the chosen
of a constituency accustomed to be being rep
resented by able and distinguished men in the
councils Of the nation. He is the pride Of his
constituents, and win be man OF mark in the
body Of which he is a member. A brilliant
career is before him; let him guide himself by
the pole-star Of his country's good, and his
rich reward win be his country's love.
n
Organization Of the House.