The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-03-23
neafh Of Hon. O. H. Smith.

1
Saturday night last, in the sixty-fourth year
of his age. Mr.. Smiths health has been de-
clining for more than year, and since Au-
gust he has been confined to his ROOM,
though he was able to attend to affairs of
business till the day before his death.
The STATE Sentinel, political opponent of
Mr.. Smith, pays the following, inst and elo-
quent tribute to his memory, which does
honor to the heart that dictated it. sssstaa
Thus has passed away anotherof the dis.
tinguished men of Indiana-one who was
prominently and largely identified with her
public history. ttf g 50 1a5&4
Mr.. Smith was born in Berks county,
Pennsylvania. He emigrated to Indiana in
the spring of 1917, when the population of
the State was only $4,000, and there was
not railroad in the United States or a
canal west of the Allegheny mountains.
He first settled at Rising Sun, where he
engaged in small business upon $75 capi-
tai, the profits of which, however, enabled
him to obtain an education. From there he
went to Connersville, and in 1920 entered
upon the practice of the law. In 1922 he
was elected a Representative from Fayette
county to the Legislature, the temporary
seat OF Government then being at Corydon.
In 1924 he was elected Prosecuting Attor-
ney by Gov. Hendricks. In 1926 he was
elected a Representative in Congress from
the Third District, over the Hon. John Test.
The year following he took his seat in the
Twentieth Congress, having ridden on
horseback to Washington, a journey which
occupied seventeen days. His colleagues
were Gov. Jennings and Thomas FL. Blake
Gov Noble and Gov. Hendricks were the
Senator'S Ills first speech was in reply to
Mr.. Barbour, of Virginia, in favor of the
| Constitutional power to construct the Cum
berland road, a public improvement in
| which the people of Indiana were then deep
| ly interested
| On the 9Th of December, 1886, he was
elected by the Legislature United States
| Senator for six years from March 4th, 1897,
upon the 9Th ballot. His principal oppo-
nents were Gov. Noble and Gov. Hendricks.
He served out his Senatorial term-a period
distinguished by the, presence in that body
of such men as Clay, Webster, Calhoun,
Benton and Preston--and having failed in a
reelection, he afterwards devoted himself to
| his profession and to several railroad enter
|
| railroad project, which was constructed un-
der his administration as President andsub-
sequently he was identified with the Evans
| vile Straight Line Road. He became a
resident of indianapolis about the year 1912,
i and has since made this city his home, and
/ has taken an active interest in every enter
prise intended to advance its prosperity
Mr.. Smith was Wing in politics, but of
late years has taken but little interest in the
party divisions of the country. 81
Mr.. Smith was distinguished for indelitti-
| gable industry, perseverance, selfreliance
| and high moral worth, and for the entkusi-
| asm which he manifested in his public and
professional callings. Evey public enter
prise, municipal, State Or National, found in
him an earnest advocate. In his profession
he was eminent, and as o public speaker, al
though diffuse, he was convincing. He was a
good man and useful citizen His life was
pure and free from those vices with which
many of our public men become contami-
j mated, especially among the early settlers
In an address before the Agricultural Soci-
ETY. of this county, in 1856, Mr.. Smith said
of himself: :" am now about sixty-two
years of age, and have lived nearly forty
years in Indiana; / have been exposed to
the climate and settlement of new coun-
try, have been more subjected to tempta-
ton, in high and low life, than most men,
and yet have never been intoxicated in
my life; nor in the last forty years have !
drank drop of spirituous liquor" Such a
life could not be other than filled with
useful results. -
What change has forty two years pro-
duced not only in Indiana, but in the Nation,
and how very few of Mr.. Smith's compeers
survive him. His life in Indiana covers the
history of the State. And how marvellous
the progress. viii another life of equal
! years witness similar advancement, and
find the Nation, as it now is, great and unit
ed? The name OF Mr.. Smith will be hon.
orably identified with the history of his
adopted State, and his life of usefulness
and integrity will be pointed to as worthy OF
emulation. The early pioneers of the State
are fast passing away. Within short pc
Rod we have recorded the deaths of George
G. Dunn, VIM. J. Brown, J. G. Lockhart,
John Ewing, Douglas Mcguire, Gen. Hanna,
Nicholas McCarty, A. F. Morrison, Nathan
iel Bolton, but a few days ago E. 4. Hanne-
gan, and now Oliver H. Smith sleeps with
them.