Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-10-24

private and public charseter.
HANNIBAL HAxLIN came from gOot
Revolutionary stock his grand father
ELEAzUR HAMLIS, commanded company
of minute men, and five Of his sons Were
enrolled under him; one Of them served
HANNIBAL, son of DR. Cyrus HAMLIE, one
of the brothers before mentioned, received
the benefits of the private schools of his
own town, and Of the Academy at Hebron,
until he was sixteen years OF age, when be
was taken from school TO labor on his
fathers farm. he remained on the farm
until he was eighteen, when he comm en-
ced the study of the law; he studied six
months, when his father dying, be again
returned home and labored on the farm for
the next two years. During this time he
praciiced some at surveying.
At the. age of 81. he became associated
with friend in publishing the Jefferso-
nian; some six months afterwards he sold
out 10 his partner, but continued to work
at the case and the press until the year
following, when he recommended the study
of the law with Joseph G. Cole, afterwards
with Mr.. Fessenden. his present colleague
in the Senate Mr. Hamlin was admitted
to the Bar in 1888, and at once entered on
the practice Of his profession. n gs 81 pr
About this time he was married to Miss
Sarah Jane Emery, who died in April,
1855. leaving three children; in September,
1856, he was married to his present wife,
by whom he has one son. .rs ts -.
Mr.. Hamlin was annually elected by his
fellow townsmeni Of Hampden, a Repre-
sentative in the State Legislature, during
the five years from 1896 to 1910 inclusive.
In 1887 he was elected Speaker, and was
again elected TO that Office in 1899 and 40.
In lS43 he was elected to Congress; his
first speech was in opposition to the 2lst
rule. He also spoke at the first session.
on a bill fixing the time for the meeting of
Presidential Electors, and delivered a pO--
litical speech on party Issues, April Is,
1874. erefa
The second session OF tho 2Sth Congress
was memorable for the consummation of
The annexation OfTexab, Mr., Hamlin was
but favored that policy on such terms as he
deemed suitable. The joint resolution an
nexing Texas did not meet his approval,
and he voted against it, On that subject
he made sound and truly eloq uent speech
He expressed his profound regret that this
"great and important national question,
had been dragged down. down, down. from
it, own proper sphere 10 wretched con-
temptible one for extending and perpetual
ting slavery" At the same session Mr.
Hamlin delivered a practical speech on the
reduction aud graduation Of the public
lands. He was rec lec.ed to the Ssth Con
gress; was chairman OF the Committee on
elections, aud member of the Committee
on Naval Affairs. lie made several speech.
es the first session; on the public land ques.
tion on giving notice TO the British Gov
erument to terminate the joint occupancy
Of Oregon. on the mode of raising troops
for the Mexican War. aud other subjects
Al the second session 46-7 he spoke on
the mode of increasing the Army. and on
establishing a Territorial Government for
Oregon. In this latter speech, Mr.. Ham
lin dissenting from the policy Of the Dem
ocratc party In general) more distinctly
explain ned his position in regard TO the an.
nexation OF Texas, after the refusal Of the
South to agree to any division Of the Ter
ritory between slavery aud free labor. lie
here announced, in the most explicit man
ner, his opposition to The extension of sla-
very, as already foreshadowed in his speech
on Texan annexation, when that measure
was still pending. During this session he
offered the wilmot Proviso. as an amend
ment TO the then somewhat famous "Three
Million Bill"
On returning, at the close Of this
Congress, Mr.. Hamln was elected
to & IL vacancy in the State Legislature
In the spring of 1913 Mr. Hamlin was eiec
ted TO the United States Senate to I'LL the
vacancy accustomed by the death of Gov
Fairfield He served for the -four years OF
this unexpired term, and was re elected on
the 25th of July, 1851 for the full term
He was bitterly opposed by the pro-sla-
very portion of the Democracy, who iefu
sed to support him to the last, although he
was the regular nominee In his opposi
tion to the extension of slavery, vital is
sue of the Republican organization, Mr.
| Hamlin has been uniform, decided anC
earnest. during all his public career, re
gardless of party ties or inducements.
In the Senate, Mr.. Hamlin entered n
once, after his first election, upon servic
as active and influential as that which
distinguished his four years in the House
One Of his speeches, as Senator, was OF
the Oregon Bill, during the first session O
the 30th Congress, iS4S. is'Ni
He closed his remarks on the Clayto'
Compromise in these memorable words
"There are other objections to the bill
which would gladly allude, but | hav
already detained the Senate longer than
designed OF anticipated. Looking to III
lights Of other dnys-the patriots Of othc
times--the eloquent warnings which "
have had from our Wash ington. our Mad
son, our Jefferson, our Mason, aye, an
from our own PInckney, too, and all th'
long list of patriotic men Of the Sout
who have adorned this Union, who hav
pointed out the evils that would come UP
on us by perpetuating and extending thi
institution, owe it TO the constituent
whom represent, to our posterity, to a
the toiling millions who are seeking a
asylum 10 our land, to embrace this oppo
tunity oropposing with unshaken fru
ness any attempt TO introduce or perm
this Institution TO dow into territory no.
free. Let these vast aud fertile regions |
preserved for the cultivation Of free lab'
: and free men, SO well calculated to AZ
vance the arts Of civilization"