The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-07-23
ARLINGTON.
A Representative Man.

~ HACpesChsuutC guuus
To the Editor Of the Press:
The american journal of Sciences and
Arts for July makes some extracts from a
memorial" which deserves a wide circula
ton, because it is the biography of one who
seems to have been duringa long life, an al
most perfect representative of the purest and
best type of the American character, and
shews also, how, in country like ours of al
most unbounded freedom of action so nearly
free from preudices OF class, where it is so easy
to turn from one profession TO another or
unite several important pursuits, a man of in
tegrity and energy may develop himself with
success in multiplied ways.
DIR. VIM. Darlington died April 23d, 1868,
aged nearly 81 years. At the time of his
death, he was President of the Chester Coun-
nually elected for thirty three years, and had
been director in the same institution for
nearly fifty. He was born in Chester County,
OF Quaker parents. and held the plough in
summer until he was eighteen years old, going
to school in winter, when his father, who dcs-
tined him for his own employment, was with
great difficulty persuaded to allow him to
study medicine. On getting his degree with
high honor, he established himself in his native
place, and in intervals of leisure, taught him
self the Latin language. After a voyage to
Calcutta as surgeon to an Indiaman, he mar
ried and settled himself as a physician in
Westchester, where he gained a large and lu-
cratiye practice, and became the acknowledged
head of the profession in-his county. While
studying medicine he learned the French Ian
guage, when established in practice, the Ger
man, the great writers of which lie read
and enjoyed to his last days, and at the age of
fifty added the Spanish.
Among scientific men DR.. Darlington was
known chiefly as one of the fathers of Ameri-
can botany. in which he was widely honored
abroad as well as at home, although II was sim
ply an aside pursuit or recreation of his life.
His capacities as business man were large
and ready. Under his control the Bank always
continued one OF the soundest and best man
aged institutions in the country. He was
one of the members of the first board of Canal
toHiiiticSipHttc rs d>oOtittc Will SUCH men rs
Albert Gallatin, John Sergeant Robert w.
Patterson, and David Scott. He was one of the
projectors of the Westchester railroad, the first
private tributary to the Pennsylvania line Of
public works, its FIRST President and superin-
dent of its construction. He was also Pro-
thonatory and Clerk of the Courts of his ma
tive county, and a member OF the 18th. 10th,
and 18th Congresses. During the agitation Of
the Missouri question in his sec ond term, he
was an able opponent Of the extension OF
slavery, saying: ave are solemnly bound not
only 10 secure our own welfare, but to provide
as far as we can, for that of our posterity
When we know that the welfare of our de-
scendants in Missouri, as well as in the Uni
ted States generally, requires The restriction
If sldcery, how can we reconcile it to our
sense Of duty to permit the unnecessary intro
duction and diffusion of an evil which we are
sure will be the scourgc Of countless genera
tions.'
But our space is too limited to proceed any
further with the events of his life. OF the
various works, scientific and Others, he publish
ed, of the institutions he founded, of the great
moral and intellectual Influence he exerted
over the community in which he lived and of
the selfsacriicing efforts he made, beginning
in the time of his poverty, through long life,
10 educate the people and difIuse knowledge
among men, a full account is given in the
memorial" itself, from which in conclusion
we take the following tribute to his beautiful
social character. in his social character his,
heart and purse TO assist struggling merit, in
whatever walk Of life ii might be found, and
his contributions to all purposes of beneyo-
lence, philanthropy or knowledge, were accor-
ding to his means, of the most generous char
acter. lie was an indulgent parent. whose
earnest desire was TO make his family useful TO
themselves and the community, in which he
has happily succeeded and he was pleasant
neighbor, whose extensive knowledge, excel
lent memory and agreeable conversational
powers made him most interesting compan-
ion.n "He died as he lived, a christian gentle
man, of great purity and simplicity of charac-
ter, whose whole life was never stained by a
mean, ungenerous, or dishonest action"
OSDERIoT