The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-01-03
Theodore Foster.

In the death Of Theodore Foster Lansing 5
,o.es one Of It's ablest men. and the State {
long tried and most trustworthy citizen. !
Theodore Foster was born il Foster Rhode {
Island. April 81, 1912. he was the son Of I
theodore Foster, who for seventeen years
vas United States Senator from that State.
yonng Foster was Of a restless. rowing dis
nosition. and a. the early age Of IA, ship
ned as q sailor boy for an East-India vOy
age. but having received ill-treatment, de-
serted the vessel al New Orleans, aud walk
ed across the country from that port 10 his
home IN Rhode Island. On his arrival he
found his father lad died during his all
seuce. and his mother having died years
before be was left an orphan, dependent /
upon his own exertiOns. Attracted by the /
opportunities for development in the then /
distant West. he came 70 Michigan in 1929, |.
and settled at Dexter From that time be
remained a citizen Of the State, fully identi-
fed with all that tended to her political and
material prosperity.
In his earlier political life Mr. Foster was
a Whig, sut upon the organization Of the
Abolition party he became one Of is most
active adherents, and was supporter OF
James G. Birney for the Presidency. In
ls4l, the Signal Of Liberty was established
at Ann Arbor, and by unanimous consent
Mr.. Foster was selected as editor, which
position he filed with great ability til ls47
Mr. Birney pronounced him the clcarest-
headed, and ablest editor IN the party. His
paper attained circulation OF 5000 copies,
at that time u large issue for even a metro
pOiitan paper. The establishment Of the
National Era at Washington lei TO a dis
continuance OF nearly all the other abolition
papers, in order TO give that an effective
support, and the Signal Of Liberty went
out Of existence in l547. At this time the
name AbOlitiOnist was OdiOus. and Mr.. Eos
ter was communicated from a chnrch in
Webster, because lie declined 20 contribute
10 the aid OF some society whose Corporate,
Board was known 10 consist OF pro-slavery
men. Mr.. Foster afterwards acted as al
editor Of the Free Democrat published al
w. "a, $500 49, -rr-.---. - o..
Bingham, one Of the Building Commission
ers for the House OF Correction at Lansing,
now known as the Reform School Upon
the completion Of tie building in 1856, he
was appointed Superintendent which po-
sition be held four years. devoting himself
with untiring earnestness to the moral and
physical development Of the boys entrusted
TO his charge, giving the institution high
character as a refOrmatory school, which
IL still maintains. In 1861, he was appoint
ed by Gov. Blair q member Of the Board Of
Control, and was reappOinted by Gov. era
20 10 the same position, at the last session
Of the Legislature. In 1861 and lsC2 he
was Clerk Of the City Of Lansing and in
1868 received the appointment OF Deputy
Collector. which place he resigned in the
spring OF 1864, upon accepting the position
Of editor of the Republican, eliciting the
commentator o, the Republican press
throughout the State for his marked ability
as an editor. His Increasing illness com
PEELED him 10 resign IN November, and his
death, from consumption, occurred Dee.
9th, at the age OF So years.
Mr.. Foster was OF a retiring nature, not
apt to speak Of himself or OF the subjects
which most interested him, except TO init
mate friends, and few estimated him al his
true value Not cOmbatiye by nature, and
hence a conservative, he became a radical
from conscientious conviction of duty,
and in obedience 70 the promptlngs OF his
moral sentiments, which always controlled
his sympathies and action. Sensitive by
nature, he shrank from opposition, but once
committed TO the cause OF freedom, he never
swerved or faltered. With strong percep-
tion, retentiye memory, and great logical
power Of reasoning. he was an earnest and
formidable opponent OF slavery, dealing
telling blows for truth aud humanity. For
thirty years this was the thought of his life,
and when the final struggle came, he sent
both Of bis sons 10 the field Of battle, losing
the eldest in the battle Of Fair Oaks, where,
true 10 his fathers teachings, be had stepped
from the ranks, 10 take the place Of fallen
standard bearer Of the Michigan Sd lie
lived TO see the work accomplished, and
slavery no more.
Could we trace effects 10 their legitimate
causes. there would be found no man in
Michigan who has done more Tor the sue
cess OF the Republican party than Theo-
dore Foster. He was emincntly philoso-
pher, possessed Of a good knowledge Of
the principles OF common law, and satisfied
only with the demo, stration that removed
all doubt. He despised alike the man who
loved money for its own sake, and the ad-
herent OF narrow sectaTian creeds, who
could see no virtue or christianity outside
OF his own church forms \ resident Of
Lansing for ten years he never made per-
sonal enemy. Filling high and responsi bie
positions. be never asked or sought for an
Office. Asa writer. he always clearly defined
his meaning, ofen expressed by novel
methods Of reasoning. full az his own iudi-
viduality BE had strong faith ia human
ify, and Iabored against oppression in al
its forms. he met dea calmly. with peace
OF mind happy in the belief Of rest and de-
velopment hereafter His departure viii
be mourned by al who knew him.
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The Oh VETERAN RsTIRES. Seth Lewis