White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1866-01-11

Hon. Thomas Corwin died in Wash.
iugton, on Monday afternoon, December
18th. His decease will not take the pub
lie BY surprise. as the severe stroke Of
paralysis which prostrated him q few
days since could scarcely have had any
other result. With Governor CorwinI
another of the statesmen Of former gene
ration has passed away. His career was
in many respects an instructive one. show
ing how energy and talent, under the
fostering care Of our free institutions. can
triumph over all obstacles. and enable .
poor boy to become prominent in the
counsels of the nation. We quote the
following sketch of Mr.. Corwin from the
American CycloF @dia:
Thomas Corwin was born in Bourbon
County. Kentucky, July 10Th. 1794.-
His immediate ancestors went from New
Jersey to Pa. from thence to Kentucky.
and from thence to Ohio. His father,
Matthias Corwin. for many years mem
Der of the Ohio Legislature, removed
with his family to what was then North
western Territory. in the year l79S. and
settled near where the town Of Lebanon.
Warren County. Ohio. now is Tbs Cor
win family originally came from Hun
gary. and in America have generally been
farmers. Thomas Corwin was raised on
farm. where be was kept at bard labor.
except 10 the coldest winter months. un-
til he was about 20 years old. The
winter he employed in great measure in
studying. at school or at home. IS oppor-
tunity offered. Though there were no
good schools in the country, then almost
wilderness. he nevertheless when be
arrived st the age Of twenty bad acquired,
entirely, it may be said. by his own ex-
ertions. much solid information. and
what might we'll be called good though
not finished education. His first teacher
was the late Francis Dunlevy, sfterward
one of the trainers of the first Constitu-
ton of Ohio. and then for fourteen years
in succession presiding Judge Of the Gin
cinnati Circuit.
Though Judge Dunlevy WAS classical
scholar, Thomas was then too young to
derive any advantage from him except in
the 6rst beginnings of letters. His next
school was Taught BY the Rev. Joseph
Grigg, an English clergyman Of good
education. Here, when about fourteen
years of age. Thomas 6rst began to ex-
hibit that talent for orstory which has
since so distinguished him. Except a
short time afterward with an Irish school
master who made great pretensions to ma
thematicsl science, the school Of Mr.
Grigg closed Mr. Corwin's educational
advantages; yet he was always engaged
studying some book or subject. whether
at school or not. when not actually EN-.
ployed in other business. s7 %.
This continued to be his habit through
early life. and he never lost more time in
amusement or company than necessary
courtesy required. ;a
In 1914 be entered the clerks Office oi
Warren County, then or soon after under
the charge of an elder brother, Matthias
Corwin. Jr. Here he continued until
1915. when he commenced the study o
the law, and in May, 1878. he was sd.
mitted to the bar. From his irst entrance
on the practice of his profession he was
the leading spirit Of the courts which be
attended. comprising in . short time
some four or or five counties. As law.
yer, besides his powers as an advocate, be
was distinguished for the keenness Of dis.
crimination 10 the use of authorities and
the management Of evidence. But when
excited by any peculiar event in the pro-
gress of trial, his eioquence was unequal
ed in his day at the bar in Ohio.
In 1922 be was elected 20 the House o
Representatives Of the State Legislature.
and soon distinguished himselfin opposi.
tion 10 a bill proposing to establish pub
tic whipping as punishment for small
crimes. Such law had been previous.
ly in force for some years in Ohio. and g
member from Hamilton County. where
crimes seemed to increase with the
growth of Cincinnati, though the old
practice of whipping was the only rene.
dy. Corwin successfully opposed the
bill in q speech which is remembered to
this day. After serving in the Leeisla'
tare seven years, he was elected to Con.
gress in 1880. He had supported Mr.
Clay for President in 1924, when be re-.
ceived the electoral vote of Ohio. In the
Presidential election Of 1928 be had beer
the supporter of John Quincy Adams
During the administration of Jackson and
Van Bursn he uniformly acted in concert
with the Wings in regard to all contro'
verted political questions between thos<
administrations and the opposition.
In 1886. and sgsin in 1910, be sup
ported General Harrison. Hsving beer
selected in 1840 as the candidate Of tht
Wings for Governor Of Ohio, he deliver.
cd brilliant speech. in reply to an at
tack of Gen. Crary, Of Michigan, which
probably suggested the policy of bring
ing him into more active service durine
the Presidential canvass of 1910. Accord.
ingly be made speeches in almost every
County Of the State discussing the po.
litical topics ,of the day. Immense
crowds thronged to hear him, and be thut
costributsd more than any other person Il
swell the majority BY which Gen. Hsrri-
son carried the State. ~ ,,sz;4c-3
Mr.. Corwin was elected to the Senate
of the United States in l845. snd was
consequently member of that body in
1846, when war with Mexico was decler.
ed, or rather to exist by act of Mexico.-
he boldly denounced the attempt to con-
eeal the intentions Of the Executive and
party in power Of possessing themselves