Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-07-24
MISCELLANEOUS



From iIalpcrs Weekly
TIE LATE WILLIAM l.. MARCY.
Tho death of the Hon. William L. Marcy has com
peIel his hierest opponents to acknowledge that be
wHs one of the foremost i'll tho State and in the
country. Praiscs-enthusiastc, but sincere and just
have been l.vsaed upon his memory by The organs
If every political party by none has he been better
ar,rrecia;.d than by those who had found in him
ui.swerviug aud formidable opponent.
He commenced life with many advantages. De
soaaGeG from wholesome Puritan stOck-hs great
grandfather Col. Moses Marcy, fills small space in
The history Of massachusetts and may still be traced
N the nls which bear his name in Worcester coun.
" IN thar Sa;e-he inherited patriotism manliness.
aud Il Just appreciation OF the rights of labor. He
wa favored with the best education the country could
aford, and was a distinguished graduate of Brown
University, Providence. He was thrown upon his
resources at an early age, and was planted in
fresh soil, far from his family. Such advantages
might well develop the power that was in him.
At the outbreak OF the in 1917, being then
twenty six Years Of age, lawyer at Troy aud not
nfequent writer for the press he obtained euten-
ants commission in the volunteer army; and, we are
told, distinguished himself by breaking open the door
at house filed with the enemys troops making the
whole party prisoners, and carrying off flag, which
was The first trophy won during the war. The pen,
however, and not the sword, was destined to be Mr.
Iarcys most effective weapon.
At thirty he became Recorder Of Troy, and coon
litter distinguished himself by policy strikingy in
contract with his later that the t~o worth
party-or Republican, as it was then caled-was De
Win Clinton. In that party faction WAS growing
up which was known rs the Bucktails. Martin Van
Barren was its chief, bu. he supported regular nomi
aiions. Recorder Marcy took the responsibility Of
,vid,ng the party in Rensselaer, county, and running
= separate Bucktail ticket-whereby, of course, the
county went FedeIalist. Thirty years afterward,
when a new facton-the Van Buren, Free. Soilers-
a-nse in the same Democratic party, the parts
changed it was Mr.. Van Buren, who led the seceders,
i, MAS Marcy who took the lead in trying to reconcile
the ,wo factions, and reune the Democracy. He had
learned the political duty Of fa;hfulness to party at
all coets.
In 1918 he lost his recordershp, by way of penalty
tor hs treason, the Cntonians called it, and re-
vs.ged himself by pamphlet on the Senatorial va.
carcy which took the wind out of their sails, and led
10 election of Rufus King the father of the present
Gov.ruo- of New York. In those days newspapers
were not the engines they have since become "a
few pagesot pointed, elegant composition stitched
together in pamphlet form, st effective; and
smjd-i the rage Of the Clintopans--who bad been
roaudly abused for intending to bring forward this
very Rlius King-Mr. Marcy carried his point.
The pen having served him So well, he now
pluuge,! INTO journalism as editor OF the Troy Bndget,
and made il leading organ Of his party. To the
aevere training no underwent rs editor Of this paper
he always ascrbed the merit Of the State Papers
which made him famous quarter of century alter.
ward. Ii helped him more Immediately, for he be
cane, IN 1923, State omproer-haviug been select
ed in CAUCUS over General rallnsdgs-and OH the re-.
tire;n.n, OF Judge Wooworlh, Judge of the Su.
p-ems Court.
The supreme power in this State was then the Al.
baay K-sency-one OF the ablest csbas ever organ
lied III our history. All of its lcsders-Vaa Buren,,
Marey, Cromwell, Butler, Ta,cott, Wright, Skinner,
FsSg, knower- were remarkably able men; their
Councils were mbued with Il spirit of unity which
qn.nched petty iea!ousies they were rising fail
oi activity and zeal; they had considerable political
experiences and great skill managers. OF this
marsabie body Mr.. Van Buren, was the head bu: Mr..
Marcy the heart. Others spoke, while he thought.
l,,fM
the coolest. None Of them were shallow, but he
.he deepest, Iu one respect he differed from most of
his co!leagues-h he was not ambitious When the ter
animation ii MIR. Sandtords term as United States
Senator placed the vacancy ut the disposal Of the par
g, End the leaders unanimously selected him to fill it,
ae wGs cEaggn-d at his good fortune. The evil
c.nce Of bis political opponent Mr. Hammond. esab.
'hGS that in his the protestatons of reluctance
with which lie accepted the Office were sincere
His career in the Senate was brief. He resigned
Ia seat 10 accept the nomination for Governor of the
State. He Is remembered, however, for some excel.
lent and manly speeches, but better still by his IA
nous declaration, TO the vctors belong the spo."
which has since become all axiom i'll our political
ethics II is now too late 10 discuss s soundness in
point OF expedeury morality; futile to
dolnn The principle, when The practice has become
ruItcI institution.
fnr.eo terminated and thrice elected Governor of
tbs State, he won, during his incumGency of that
citce The only element OF advancement he had th.
src lHclied-pei sounl popularity. The discharge of
bis official duties conciatsd universal esteem. Ills
- ,sases were-in literary point OF vew-,he best
TIA, bad ever been lei. before t,ls State Leg stature;
Evi ornate towery but plaiu clear pertinent and
;ctcio,e II was during his Goverrorshp that lac ac
qGirsd that reputation for blunt rankness and stern
n:egrity which l. usually mentioned as his leading
characteristic. His message warning the public
6cauet the over speculation prior 10 1877, enraged
many us his rieuds, who lived however, to repent
tt.ir wrath and appreciate his wisdom. His resOlue
opposition to the "sympahizers who desired to take
pGg; it'll the insurreConlss of Canada Was another
prcoi Of hi. c0nsceD,iousness; II cost him thousands
OF votes. And We know nt no Incident in our State
history more honorable than Governor Marcy's re-
sa ,u call an extra session OF the Legislature after
bis defeat by Mr.. Seward, in order 10 grant al extra
Tense o! ohce to his political friends. In the words
OF Hammond, Ills high moral sense would not per-
IN BIN 10 lend himself 10 such an expedient for par
y Purposes, even 10 crafty his most ardent rends
Ar an."dote, hitherto unpublished, may serve 10
Hrsra;" S's ;'lsasen humor. While he was Governor
Ct this STATE, e. was visiting New5urgh snme
pubic OCCASION aud with party of gentlemen. Wigs
aud democrats, was at the Orange Hotel Good
hrinor was prevailing. and one story suggested ano-
the:. The Governor always enjoyed story, and
could tell oDe with excellent effect. Wing lawyer
was present, and The Governor recognizing him,
rgld
al. yes; I'll Tell you good story of Spoouer. The
Wig Convention u; Utica, and he took il in his
wny 20 Grill "n :ne to get pardon for e convict at
Sing Sing. heard the case, examined the docu.
Meats, aud being satisfied hat all right, agreed
10 grant The quest. Spooner handed me the paper
70 endorse, and | wrote. Let pardon he granted.
". h Marcy when Spooner cried out. Hold, hold,
Governor: that's the wrong paper And sure enough
II was lIhis spesch hat he was gong Ia make IN
G'Ico. abusing ms the worst possible way But |
hsG granted pardon in advance, and suppose he
committed the offence atierward "
Tho story was received with great applause and
Spoyn-r being looked to Cor response, instantly wen,
with The following, which, for an extempore story
ccr;H;.y is capital:
'Yes, gentlemen. yes did. And when the Con.
Latl,
we're dragging on by stage over miserable. corduroy
f"s" banging orr heads against the top Ut the coach
ana ihen coming down as il we were to go through
M h't'on the stage came TO dead hall; the driver
IsmHnned op-ned the door, and requested US all to
descend. We did 40, supposirg that some accident
had occurred When We were all out standing
nu the ends Of the legs Of which the road was made
'no o;iEer took of his hat and said Gentlemen
a!whyf stop here gu, OF respect to the Governor: this
IS The identical spo, ,chers Marcy tore his paata
D,r- - f
The story was heard with great Notification, in |
winch no eJo'ned wure heartily than the Goy.rnor
himself. Wv '''''''
Ths p.rtoio3a incident deserves to be recorded in
every history OF this great u,su. He was sent ont 10
Eu. special sessions OF court TO Try the Anti M,sor;
parties charged with murder. lie WI. to r,csiws ~
scisry and his expenses. With that nice regard for
details that belonged to his sterling character he KEN,
minue account Of all bis expenditures, aud hsnd.d
th- list his return, without tbinkn it NECESSARY
proper to revise aud strike out those items of n
?'ivais nature which other less scrupuous in |
,,r-aer matters, might have carefully suppressed
There stood the taiors charge for mendns. The po.
l,ica foes of the Judge, when he TO be candi
date for Governor found it, and paraded it before tue
Nord IN the newspapers; and making an ethgy o. |
Mr. Marcy, suspended it in the sreets of Albany with
great patch On the pautsloons, and the tailor's
charge on the top Of that
bui an obserTant people saw through the patch
and tho charge into the heart Of the honest man, and
70 thai very deed Of hs they recognized frankness