Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1857-01-06
From the o. S. Journal.
senator wilson's Speech.

Senator Wilson'S Speech.
The Washington Globe of the 2sd ut.
contains in full the late speech delivered in
the U. s. Senate by Hon. Henry Wilson,
of Massachusetts,. 1t fills nine columns Of
that paper, and we have no hesitation in
saying, that it is one Of the best, if not tho
very best Republican speeches that has ever
been delivered in that body, and is just the
document to be distributed broadcast
throughout the Union. It touches upon
all the points at issue between the Repub-
licans and Buchaniers, and it cannot and
nev er will be answered. Its length will
not dete any one from reading it, who
once comm ences it. 1t is eloquent, cpl
grammatic, statistical, humoro lis conver-
sational, and defiant. 1t reads like one Of
Macauley's chapters in English history, or
his great essay on Milton.
General Wilson is one of the practical
men of the country. BY his own industry,
and native od-given talents. he has made
himself one of the foremost men in the ma
ton. He is living evidence Of the ex
cellence Of youth nurtured under free insti-
tutions. When we first knew Henry
Wilson, he was an humble occupant of
shoemaker's bench, in the town Of Natick.
He had come to Massachusetts, from New
Hampshire, few years before, to work
his way through life by hard, honest toll.
His parents were poor, and his education
was hardly an average Of what New En-
gland boy receives in the common school
of his village. But he had the stuff in
him that if properly worked out would
make its possessor eminent. Wilson felt
his power, and determined to exercise it.
He is pre-eminently self-made man. He
has overcome obstacles in the way Of polit-
ical and social position, that would have
dismayed men of less indomitable will, and
natural gifts. In 1910 he was leading
canvasser in Massachusetts for General
Harrison. Noman did better service in tho
State, than the shoemaker of Natick. He
was chosen that fall to the House Of Rep
resentatives, and distinguished himself
as debater. He was subsequently re-
elected to the Senate by the people Of his
county. He was delegate to the conven-
ton that nominated Gen. Taylor in 1848.
He was for Webster, and would not sup
port Taylor. He became leader in the
Freesoil party and supported Van Buren.
He was subsequently returned to the Sen
ate, and was chosen President Of that
body in 1850, when Mr.. Banks was chosen
Speaker. He was a member of the Con-
stitutional Convention in 1853, having BEEN
elected by his own town and by the town
of Sterling. He resigned his seat for Ster-
ling, and came in as delegate from Natck.
In that convention there was combination
, Of talent such as few States in the Union
could have selected from among its ciits
: zens, and in that Convention Mr.. Wilson
was ever regarded as leading membr..
Upon the resignation of Governor Everett,
in 1854, of his seat in the U. S. Senate.
Mr.. Wilson was chosen by the Legislatun
of Massachusetts, Ito succeed him, whicl
place he has filed with courage, energy
e and ability seldom surpassed.
s Few understand the obstacles which
Mr.. Wilson had to overcome before he
: reached the high position he now holds.
He has been a severe student. He has
= perfected his own stinted education by ap-
= plication to books after the usual hours OF
u labor were past, by the midnight lamp and
: the freside of his home. He has studied
l. politics and philosophy as Caesar studied
! the Roman Laws, and the eloquence of De-
mosthenes, in the camp. He is now q
correct writer and correct speaker, and
II possesses as large fund Of acquired
IL knowledge as any man in the Senate. His
mind is eminently practical. He deals
. little in generalities and distractions. He
is forever seeking for fact, for something
tangible; something that means. In an
e old State like Massachusetts, social position
h is less easy to Attain than in newer States.
J. They have their first families in Massachu-
s sets as we'll as in Virginia, and the old
a puritan descendants have presumed much
IS upon the May Flower genealogical tree
}, Although Senator Wilson has not altogeth-
Y er overcome this ancestral aristocracy, in
n social equality, he has beaten it in political
Q distinction. The shoemaker of Natick
|, now holds a place in the U. s. Senate and
l. in the hearts of the people of Massachu-
10 sets, which was formerly filed by the
= Winthrops, the Otises and the Quinceys.
d He will become the founder of new race
j. of historic men in Massachusetts. One
n of the best informed men in Boston wrote
Al to us the other day, in which he incident
If ally alludes to Mr.. Wilson in these words:
1t "He is the very best Senator we have had
s. formany years. l feel proud of him, and
d you may rest assured that a tremendous
n change has taken place in his favor here
- Mr.. Wilson is now about forty-six years
is of age, of a vigorous and healthy constitu.
10 ton, and bids fair to live many long and
n happy years. He is in quito moderate cir
| cumstances. His habits have, from his
l. youth up, been temperate and frugal. We
can hardly promise our readers that We
N will re-publish his late speech in our col
d umns, but we shall endeavor to give soHs
!. extracts from it, which will show how
N much real stuff there is in the man. With
N such champions as Wilson, Wade, Seward. 1.
h Trumbull, Hale, and others, in the United
10 States Senate, the Rapublican party need
Cal m J.no.ou c,o,,, occoylta -, thor n,,ar.