Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-11-28
sketch Of Hon. Ell Thayer.

/ WHICH has Il peltcHdfu LOT DIOSl"Piif P"Nt''''eS
a series of interesting sketches Of the Massa-
chusetts members of the Thirty Sixth Con-
gress Many Of our readers will recognize
the fidelity Of the following sketch
The present Representative of the Ninth
Congressional District, was born in Mendon,
in this Safe, June 1lth, 1919. His father,
| Cushman Thay er, was a farmer, IN moderate
circumstances, and subsequently trader IN
the village of Millvie, in that part OF Mendon
now known as Blackstone. Eli acquired the
| 'rudiments" at the common school OF his dis
trict, and was thrown upon his own resources
for the completion of his education, by the
! business failure OF his father, which occurred
about the time he had exhausted the sources
oflearning open to him in his native village. In
1885 he entered the manual Labor School
in Worcester and while in that institution pre-
pared himself for College, earning through day
labor on neighboring farms more than sutticed
to pay his expenses, yet always maintaining a
| high position in his class
In 1886 he entered Brown University and
| graduated with honor in 1913. While a stu
dent at the institution, also, he managed by
private teaching, and in divers other ways, to
find means for defraying all his expenses.
| Upon leaving college he returned to Worces-
| ter where he was Immediately appointed
|
and now known as the Worcester Academy"
and became celebrated as highly successful
teacher to hundreds of his present constitu-
ents, up to the year 1851, when he founded
the Collegiate Seminary for Girls, now widely
| known as the "Oread Institute"
Those of our readers who have visited Wor-
cester, will probably have noticed with some
curiosity, the now dingy looking but extensive
structure built by Mr.. Thayer for the uses of
this academy its massive walls and battle
mented towers carrying the spectator back to
the medieval castles of the old world, and oc-
casionally perhaps suggesting to some modern
knight the agreeable enterprise of rescuing
from its duresS some one among the many dis
tressed damsels who are now constantly to be
| found within its walls. Previous to and dur
| ing his connection with the "Oread," Mr.
| Thayer was largely interested in real estate in
and about Worcester, and had he sold, as he
more than once might have done, on a rising
market, he would today have been as indie
pendent, pecuniarily, as he avowedly is in his
modes OF thought and speech. He was twice
elected and served in the state legislature as
representative during the sessions of 1858 and
1854. 1t was during the latter year, pend
| ing the discussions and consequent excitement
concerning the Nebraska bill, both in and out of
Congress, that Mr., Thayer conceived his IA
vorite project OF the peaceful settlement of the
territorial dispute through organized emigra-
| ton" That his subsequent earnest advocacy
and energetic application of his plan did much
toward rendering Kansas a free state, no one
familiar with her history can doubt To
obtain and organize colonies for Kansas
| he travelled thousands of miles and ad-
dressed hundreds Of public meetings, be-
sides laboring necessarily in private and on
every opportunity, to the same end. So
oh, Il IL, Il.
count to the "border ruffian" leaders that
special Reward of $500" was publicly offered
in Missouri for his head! The Republican
voters of his District, possessing obliging dis
positions, resolved to crafty the Borderers by
placing his coveted Uranium within their con
venient REACH and therefore, in the fall of 1856,
elected Mr.. Thayer as their Congressional
Representative. The head, it is perhaps need
less to say, has never been "taken," save by
sundry Daguerrean and other artists, who,
from the large amount offered for the sub
stonce, had doubtless conceived extravagant
ideas of the value of its shadow. His election
to Congress III 1856 was unexpected, and had
not been thought of until within eight days
of his election either by him or his constitu
ents, if we except from among the latter the
very few delegates who informally voted for
him IN the Congressional Convention of that
year. Perhaps no more forcible illustration of
Mr. Ihayers great power OF en- 1urance, wheth-
er mental or physical, Can be desired than is
afforded in the brlef history of that election.
The Hon. Henry Chaplin, present Judge of
Probate and Insolvency, was the regular nom
inee of the Republican Convention, and had
accepted the nomination. Eight days prior to
the election, circumstances beyond his control
compelled him to resign, leaving the field appa-
renty clear to his most formidable competitor
Col Alex. De Witt, the Native American can.
didate, and, personally, perhaps, the most pop
ular man in his county. ltwas seemingly i'm
possible to present against him in that late
stage OF the contest any candidate, with prob
able chance of success. The Simon Pure Re-
publlcans, however, resolved not to retire from
the battle ground In the evening of the day
on which Mr.. Chaplin resigned, Committee"
waited upon Eli Thayer, announcing the OBJ
ject of their call to be "to offer him the nomi-
nation" brief colloquy ensued. "Will you
stand 2" eyes" "You will have to stump
the district and speak at least twice in differ
ent towns every day between this and the day
of election" "Provide the means to put me
across the country, and will agree to speak
four times during every twenty flour hours
And he redeemed his pledge, repeatedly riding
twenty miles between his second afternoon
and his evening addresses and resolutely
scouting the idea of his defeat.
OF his subsequent career in Congress, moth
ing need be said. Most of our readers have
smiled over his biting sarcasms, and admired
his imperturbable selfpossession during their
delivery, and but few of them will probably
deny him the possession of keen intellect, great
power of self-contro with unquestoned cour-
age, and that pertinacity of purpose which
often crowns enterprises of even questionable
character with success.
Mr.. Thayer is selfmade man, so far as a
man may be said to be made" who has his
material fortune yet to achieve; but we ven
ture to prophesy that he will be heard of wher.
ever he goes, and that wherever the ex.school-
master makes "hs mark" there will be no
difficulty in identifying it. Mr.. Thayers
physique is good. He is nearly six feet in
height, rather large boned, no superhuous
flesh, and is unusually muscular. We should
pity the ordinary opponent who, seduced by
any peaceful procamations of his, should ven
ture upon anything like mitigating" with
Mr.. L. His eyes are coal black, keen and
well shaded. His beard is of the same raven
hue, and very luxuriant a determined mouth,
straight nose, and high forehead of good
width complete the mans perSond, and we
OF I9JoId pInoqs eA moqA Guem uoos eAvq
encounter in any hostile contest. Married in
I