Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-09-17
THE RETIREMENT OF MIR.
ls1DDl\(sS.

course have the right to manage their owl
Affairs in their own way, but people elsewhere
have an equal right to comment upon thcil
don.s We are not surprised, therefore. al
the general disapproval which is manifested
by the northern press at the recent acti IN o.
the Republican Convention in the Ashtabula
district of Ohio in dscharging their long
tried and faithful representative, Joshua X
Giddings; for we presume the nomination o
Il successor terminates his public career
Notwithstanding the impaired condition OF
his health, which units him for active labor
and the many subjects on which we differ
from him, we cannot help concurring witt
the universal feeling expressed at the prospect
of his retirement.
Mr. Giddings n now the oldest member o.
the House. For twenty-five years his ven
cradle head and stalwart frame have render
I'll him conspicuous among his associates
from whom he was not less distinguished BY
the popularity Of his principles and his bold
unc. mpromising style of enforcing them
Embodying, as he did in an extreme degree
the opinions Of small and exceedingly un.
popular party, he was for 10 time mark
Tor the ferccst assaults of the inAacnti,l lead
crs of both the great political organizations;
bat the courage with which he has confront
I'd them always won 4 renewed tribute OF
confidence from his nstituonts.
When John Quincy Adams entered on
that career of agitation for the right of Pc
tition. whicaa friendly biosrapher declares
to have been the most illustrious and honor;l-
bic period of his life, Mr. Giliin-s was at
his side, fighting the simc battle, and shar-
in., without hinching. in its ohloquv The
I = y /
the House, for his tcmrrity in Offering rrso-
luton, commenlin. the conduct of the in
surgcnt slaves Of the trcplc. was the most
noted attempt to single him out as a subject
of initiation. He resigned his seat. and
threw himself upon his constituency only to
be Immediately returned by largely incrcss
81 majority. Since then his right 10 free
speech has seldom been successfully question:
cd; and it must be confessed that he has ex-
ercised it, to use pertinent colloqulalism,
with vengeance" Whenever the occa-
sion arises, he is on his feet IL protest against
some new attempt of the enemy to press for
ward, openly or coverty, or IL give lcgsla-
tive sanction to the projects of that institu-
ton which he SO abhors. just as regularly
as new Congress opens. he is up at the first
opportunity to deliver one of his "inccndil.
ry" re-assertions of principles, reviewing
somewhat on the plan of Lord LynIhurst'
famous Trades in Parliament the short
comings of the government and the prosras.
of the cause OF which he was a representa-
tive; and vet such has been his courtesy anc
regard for the rules of order, and such hi
obvious sincerity. as to command ultimately
the respect, if not the approval, of his bitter
est foes.
In this place we may perhaps be excuse
tor repeating an instance, not, we believe. re
corded, rs it should have been, in the Con
sressional reports of the time, showing tn,
spirit with which he confronted the buster
ing tactics of his opponents. 1t happened
in the heat of a debate during the Thirty
fourth Congress, when the old man wa
launching forth certain anti-savcrv thundcr
which gave particular offence to one of til,
most truculcnt representatives. OF the chiv
airy. The latter, q large framed man. anC
noted as rather an ugly customer when excit
ed, left his desk, probably with his pockets
full of 1.-The documents, and planting him
self a few Sect directly in front OF the ageC
speaker. said something in a low tone, which
coupled with his defiant aspect and manner
was obviously menace. The whole llous
was excited. when the Ohio agit.,tor, turnin.
! sh,kinr nj. cr,v b,,J with d,f ,ne, o,.I',,,n
ed, with outstrctched arm
n.nd MI. a' ,,, hau," mom .uo,e t, you arc
. ,,,.. -. -, 49,,
H.. w" , I'm. neie =,
70 $50. " - " 10y t''t' '"e s'u. 'or'' Il!
d;.a;'I;r -. '.."S1 ~ "''' " ioss''o III
u.se' pm nv, =, q moi III occa''oh Ut NOR
'un ~ s.'r'' -,
in' oo"ss''",.'',l "ei " u Air' vi 'a'h-'
.;"a r rInC". u"i';'n.u nun irt .H posi-
non ~ i'"u0', ~ ms u,lr1'he''''o'i eccfh
u:o.''I>' ar 'o' cAt"il"', Ms remarks at
I,i.,cIi le!lou III '''c ue4'per'.'o'S Oh th
!, Convention whiea nom'nat''
rrt'n"n'' Il, '''"s iruS'r''en ''le ciucuia,i'n
OF MS 'ric.u' qu'tc as much a" Oh ms '"T
!, IN moments Oh sudden excitement he woal'
,ur" rou"u anu .r'nP'c GOWN ui'ih.eht'nha'
y, f'sa'' anu iri', Inc fthhs o' .no'c wh's
fortunes Mcro ilhAeu WIN MS own ana VINO
'"o"Sn uineil''s III matters u eAl"d'ehe,
a''u ucta''' "eics"rPortcrs oi tic sahie cause
sum IL e.''''c' DC oen't,i that ne was a use
.ui' anu ~ iac'' an i'iiI,l"isaoie eoauJnto
!" '"e Poii'lca' pl''lc' ms stormy aPpcai
" Tue P1p"i'F nears'aha ms fearless ana We
hen'cn. oenui,I'a'iois VI Tue outfaSes uPof
, humanity 'ne'oent W inc save SYSTEM clcar
Gu up Tue aouo's OF the tcmporzlnS an'
! tlmla thoush "eii-disp'sed politicians, an'
, a"aso"eu al enthusiasm ior the vital an
s.ract'oes Oh freedom ana human rights
, which never failed to tell IN the results
the election, and on the political history o
=, .nr country. lhey had most bcnehcen
movement which cooler heads were required
10 organize into ehectiVc shape. Ills Con