The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1856-06-11
From Benton's Thirty Years Vie,r.
DEATH OF SILAS WRIGHT.

He died suddenly al the age of fifly-two,
and without the sufferngs and premonitions
which usually accompany the mortal transit
from lime 10 eternity. A letter that he was
reading was seen to fall from his hand a
physician was called in two hours he was
dead-apoplexy The cause.
Though dying at The age deemed young in
a statesman, he had attained all that long life
could gve-high Office. national fame, fixed
character and universal esteem. He had run
the career o! honors in the State of New
York-been representative and senator in
Congressman had refused more offices, and
higher, than he ever accepted. He refused
cabinet appointments under his fas, friend,
Mr. Van Buren,, and under M. Polk, whom
he may be said 10 lave elected he refused
sea, on the bench of the Federal Supreme
Court; he rejected instantly the nomination
of 1874 for Vice-President of The United
STATES, when that nomination was The elec-
ton He refused 10 be put in nomination for
The Presidency. He refused 10 accept for.
eign missions.
He spent that time in declining office which
others did in winning ii; and of those he did
accept il might be well SAID they were thrust
upon him. Office, not greatness, was thrust
upon him. He was born great, above office,
and unwillinsly descended 10 il; and only
took il for its burdens, and TO satisfy an i'm
Fortunate public demand. Mind, manners
morals, temper, habits, united in him 10 form
the character that was perfect, both in public
and private life, and 10 give the example o
a patriot citizen-of u farmer statesman o.
which we have read in Cincinnatus and Ca
10, and seen in Mr. Macon and some othen
Of their stamp-crealed by nature--formee
in no school: and of which the instances are
60 rare and long between.
aHis mind was clear and strong, his judg
ment solid, his elocution smooth and equa
BILE, bis speaking always addressed 10 thu
understanding, and always enchanting thu
attention Of those who had minds 10 under
stand, Grave reasoning was his forte. Ar
gumentation was always the line of hi
speech. He spoke TO thee head, not to tn,
passions and would have been disconceries
ITO see anybody laugh or cry>at anything HI
said. His thoughts evolved spontaneously
in natural and proper order, clothed in Ian
guage Of force and clearness; all 80 naturally
and easily conceived that an exlemporaneou
speech, or the first draught of an Intricate
report, had all the correctness of finishes
composition. His manuscript had no bIols--
proof that his mind had none and hi
wrote neat compact hand, suitable 10
--,clear and solid mind.
He came into the Senate, in the beglnnin,
Of General Jackson's administration, and re
maihed during that Of Mr. Van Buren,; ant
took q ready and active part in all the grea
debates Of those eventful times. The ables
speakers, of the opposition always had 10 an
swer him; and when he answered them
they showed by their anxious concern tina
the adversary was upon them whose forct
they dreadsd most. Though taking his full
part upon u subjects, ye, finance was hi
particular department, always chairman o
that committee, when his party was in pow
er, and by the luc dity Of his statements ma
king plain the most intricate moneyed de
tails. He had just conception of the diff
ference between The functions ofihe Finance
Committee Of the Senate, and the Commit
tee of Ways and Means of the House--s'
little understood in these latter times: ihos'
Of the latter founded in the prerogative o
the House to origins.e all reveue bills; 'hos'