The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-06-30
From tho Charleston Mercury OF June .;

From Charleston Mercury Of June ~
DEATH OF HON LANGDON CHEyES
We cannot mention without emotion the death of this
distinguished man, which occurred in Columbia Yesterday
morning.
Mr. Cheves was a native of Abbeville district and
born in the year l776 In his early life he filed large
place not only in the history of city, but in the his
tory Of the country. In very short time after his en-
try into the practice Of law city he was at the head
Of the bar and elected member of the legis
ature where he served with distinction In 1910 he
elected member of Congress from this district in
which capacity he served during five years He was one
of that grand trio-Cheves, Lowndcs, and Calhoun
who led the administration of Mr. Madison into the de
cisive measures which brought the of 1872 BY
his conduct in Congress he established for himself
grand and noble position and ON the retirement of Mr.
Clay from the Speakership of the House he elected
to fill his place. Subsequently he was appointed com
missioner to settle important questions arising out of
the treaty of Client. In 1872 when the United
States Bank had been established and by wild spirit Of
speculation, had been brought to the verge of bank
ruptcy, he appointed to its presidency with view
of retrieving its affairs 1t is in his conduct in this Office
that probably Mr. Cheycs deserves most be honored
He found the bank the brink of insolvency he regu
lated the distribution of its funds he restored order to
its aairs and redeemed to it the character which
intended in its charter the faithful and honest regulator
Of the currency of the United States But in doing So
he obliged to put the dividends at low rate and
wholly to suppress the dabbngs Of the Spectators The
consequence was, that he hunted down by men who
wished 10 make the bank instrument of personal gain
and this to extent that induced him to resign the
presidency His SUCCESSOR who set up in order to
satisfy these desires, after declaring large dividends and
giving endless accommodations TO political and CONNER
cia applicants ended in the most tremendous bankruptcy
that has occurred since the days of the South bubble
After this time, Mr. Cheves seems to have taken dis
gust to public life and has held any office under
the State the United States, although he has always
taken interest in all great public questions that have
arisen Witness his elaborate essay the signature Of
''Say, published in this paper in 1887, the great
question: then agated of the revival of the United States
Bank, which forms the most complete and conclusive dis
cussion Of the subject that has been published
But one of the high features of Mr. Chevess character
his public disinterestedness He sought office
and he accepted IT, when he thought he could
DO the State service When he selected by the
governor to fill the seat in the Senate vacated by the
death of great Calhoun he only refused because he
was old man, and unequal TO the duties
1t viii be seem by the notice in another column that
the funeral services of Mr. Cheves win he performed at
the First Presbyterian Church this afternoon at five
o'clock.