Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-07-18
William L. Marcy.


the first flag that was taken from our enemy
and his last great duty was four years of a.
remarkable administrative service as tht
annals of our state department can show
In all the varied stations he occupied, it is
no more thar, just to say that he fulfilled pub
lie expectation and while he won the con-
fdence of his political friends, he comman-
ted the respect of his political opponents =
His sudden death, at .Eallston, n. Y, can
not fail to produce deep sensation of sor-
row throughout our nation-we may say,
throughout The civilized world; for no
statesman of the present day was more vide
/ ly known CIR Rore universally respected
He achieved his great reputation and exal-
ted public positions by his innate mental
power, purity Of character, patriotic in
stincts, and indomtable industry
Mr. Marcy was born in Sturbridge Mas
sachusetts, in 1886, and graduated at
Brown University in 1903, when he re-
moved to Troy, New York. In this place
he studied law and commenced the prac-
tice of his profession He took bold part
in sustaining the war, and was one of the
early New York volunteers to rally around
the national standard. Soon after the close
of the war, in 1916, he was appointed re-
corder of the city of Troy; and five years
later, in 1921, he removed to Albany,
which has continued to be his place of resi-
dence ever since.
This was the date of the commencement
of his brilliant state career, for in 1921 he
was appointed adjutant general Two years
later, when New York was prosecuting
with so much energy its system of internal
improvements, Mr.. Marcy was transferred
to its finance department. 1t was at a criti-
cal period, and all parties bore willing trib-
he then exhibited in maturing the mea-
sures which placed the credit of the EN-
pire state on a firm foundation.
In August 1928 Mr. Marcy was appon-
ted, by Governor Pitcher, to the Office of
judge of the supreme court, selection most
satisfactory to the bar and to the democrat
ic party His judicial career justified this
partislity, and three years later, when
Judge Marcy was elected to the United
States Senate, he left the bench with the
general regrets of the able and learned legal
profession At this time he was the conf
Dental friend of Martin Van Buren,; and
was in the full fsatarity of his great intel
lectual powers Il political opponent
Judge lIammond-pays to Judge Marcy,
at this period of his life, a beautiful tribute.
"IIe was a scholar and good and ripe
one:" of elevation of mind ; of integrity
and impartiality as judge, and most ac
complished and able political writer
Judge Marcy, so far from seeking or intri-
guing for the office of Senator, accepted it
with hesitation and reluctance
He had hardly occupied this post two
years, when he was nominated bv the dem
ocratc party for the office of governor,
where he remained six years. In this po-
sition Mr. Marcy, by his frmness and abili-
ty by the just weight of high personal
character, and an already large experience,
acquired the almost universal confidence of
the people. They saw in him the quality
of Craftsmanship for he was no successful
wire pulcr, who had chartered his princi-
pies for place bat an honest public servant
who labored inselligently Tor the common
good, 1t was in 1886, when the pestilen-
tial anti-slavery agitation commenced, that
Governor Marcy threw against it, in a mes
sage, the weight of his official positiou--ut-
terng the views of a patriot and states
man.
After service as a member of the board of
commissioners to adjust the claims of our
citizens on Mexico, President Polk invited
Mr.. Marcy into his cabinet as secretary of
war. Here he added to large reputation.
To his wisdom and administrative talent are
the country largely indebted for the glori
GUS results of the Mexican war. Then his
military experience in active service of the
1912 war, and as adiutant general, were
turned to noble account and his state pa
pers are a monument of his comprehension
of plan and vigor of execution. We would
nos plsck leaf from the laurel wreaths of
our military heroes: yet it was Secretary
Marcy's iron will that prevented the jeal
ousies and quarrcls of some of our generals
from jeopardizing, on the fields of Mexico,
our national rights and interests
The last prcemincns service Mr.. Marcy
rendered we have from time to time chroni
cled we mean his four years administra-
ton of the state department in President
Pierce's administration. His mastery state
papers will be among the uninperishable re-
cords of the country. His sagaci,y, fore
sight, acctratc Observation, sou.d judg
ment, untiring industry, and admirable cx-
ecution, have commanded the praise and
respect of the candid and intelligent Of his
countrymen. He has added new glories to
the American name and he did it by his
quiet way of asking of foreign powers moth
ing but what Tasright and of submitting to
nothing that was wrong. His vast knowl-
edge of internation@ law; his keen and un
erring logic his quick and grasping COM
prchension, were exhibited, in his official
correspondence and other state papers, in
manner that arrested the attention and ex-
cited the adnaifatioa of all Eafepe.
Thus at ripe old age has William l..
Marcy gone to his rest. A great man has
fallen One who has sustained from youth
to age, the rights interest and honor of his
country; whose personal integrity of char
acter was universally admitted who added
to shrewd knowledge of men the ripest and
most varied scholarship, and whose native
talent and thorough culture always eaablcd
him to rise to tie mark of Ms responsible
ties and his duties.
Mr. Marcy was an ornament and leader
of the democratic party. he was of the