Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-06-21

member OF, and President of the G
Council; has been twice elected meml
: of the Legislature, and for two We,
5 served as Speaker Of the House of Rep
8 sentatiVes- In 1861. President Linco
appointed him Consul 10 Rio de Janeir
and upon his return home, Secretal
Chase recommended him for the positiC
of Collector of Internal Revenue, whi,
office he now holds.
We believe our people never sent fro
this County TO the Legislature, a youn
man who gained mores credit for hin
self and his constituents than Mr.. Pa
sons. He took a prominent position fror
the first and in House of marked abb
ity, won foremost place. His defence c
Gov. Chase against the Breslin Commits
sion, was certainly mastery analysis q
that Report, and radically destroyed IT
vitality for evil. So too his able spoecl
upon the necessity of repeating the te
per cent. law, and the bill regulating In
surance Companies in our State. Both o
these arguments were published in our col
umns, and both would have reflected credi
upon any member of the Bar in our CITY
AS Speaker of the House, Mr.. Parsons
won golden opinions from all parts of the
State. Impartial, strictly honest, prompt,
decisive, with perfect knowledge of the
rules Of the Heuse, and thorough ac-
quaintanee with Parliamentary law, he
received at the close of the Session the
unanimous vote of thanks of the House,
and the conmendation of almost the en-
tire press of Ohio.
Rev.J. @. Fletcher, the author of aBra-
I'll and the Brazilians,7 and widely iden-
titled with that nation, stated in this city,
at one of our churches that he had never
seen Mr.. Parsons, but that
Cleveland could beast Of having sent TO
Brazil the most useful and valuable U. S.
Consul the city Of Rio had ever known.
The n. Y. Times in leading editorial
that the appointment of Mr.
Parsons as Consul was one of the best and
most appropriate foreign appointments
made By Mr.. Lincoln. Hon james Mon
roe, the present Consul at Rio, wrote
Ipon his arrival at that city in an article
we saw copied into the Cleveland Herald,
hat Mr.. Parsons had left a reputation in
n thst city for upright dealing, loyalty |
md integrity, that any man might envy.
That his care of our seamen in that port |
lis humanity and impartial justice in
Iealing between them and their officers
we're such that he never could meet on
he street an American ships company
hat did not salute him with cheers
As Collector of Internal Revenue, Mr..
, organized and put into working order
be complex system ofcollecting the Rev
nue. in this District. The whole District
Till bear testimony that he has filled this
lost difficult position to entire satisfac-
ion-collecting millions of dollars every
ear. With ample powers to use the of
ce to enforce fines and penalties for his
wn pocket, we have never yet heard of a
ingle case of hardship charged against
i'm. On the contrary, We have heard of
is kindness, generosity and noble acts,
4 many instances; exacting every cent
ne the Government, but taking nothing
1r himself.
The times demand a true man-an
oncst, reliable, faithful msn-and one
adicsl and sound upon the great Ques-
ions now at issue before the country.
We need man that will do right at all
szards, and that has the boldness and
erve to act up to the dictates of his own
onscience. Mr.. p has been tested, and
,und sound to the core. When the
tate of Ohio was called upon in January,
sci, 10 elect Commissioners TO the Vir-
inian Peace Congress to take into con-
deration the complaints of tho South,
Ir. Parsons, as Speaker, alone of all
le members of the House, voted
gainst the Commission, believing that our
uty was to inaugurste Mr.. Lincoln first,
nd GrBitrGte afterwards. His letter TO
udge Bolton defending his course, is
,uly admirable and exhaustive argument
n the subject. The following extract is
pertinent almost TO the present crisis,
when written five years ago:
" Let it then be understood at the outset
nat the people of the Northern States have
hts that must be respected, and they are
stermined at all hazards TO maintain them.
this is fully admitted, the road we have
travel will become palmer and easier to
ak upon"
aI say this in no spirit of vain boasting,
r idle defamation, but with a solemn sense
its truth. IL in the history Of nation
here comes a time when TO do right brings
ivil war, or bloodshed, or panrcs; when
ommerce is prostrated-families ruined
borers thrown out of employ, and gaunt
lmine stalks through the land better so,
nan to sacrifice honor, conscience, dignity,
iauhood, and all that makes life generous
nd noble. | have read of a time in our
Duntry's history, when a hundred dollars
f Federal money would scarcely buy
reakfast for a hungry family,-when
-ealthy men became homeless, and with
hoeless feet marked the snow with blood as
ney walked on their toilsome way-when
atriots laid down their lives with cheerful
cal, and their wives aud children thanked
cd they had done all they could for their
ountry. No eye so clear then that could
enetrate that midnight glOom-no heart so
old. that did not at times falter in the
.rugglc But out of that darkness came a
reat light. From the ruin of that wreck of
opes and hearts sprung mighty nation
od prospered it, because it was founded on
be eternal principles of right and justice.
,et us remember that God still reigns over
be affairs of men,
We think the S,1nu'it County Journal
,as right in saying, "that this letter
Lamped Mr.. Parsons as a Man"
We have given our reasons why We
hall not support Judge Spalding, and
hall therefore give cur support to Mr..
Parsons. We kioi0 we can trust him. He |
las been tried and proved true Few
men kaEeihad better public training for
lsefulness, and few if any in this District,
re more familiar with the practical du-
les of Legislation. To call him an un-
ried man, is simply an abuse of language
Mr.. p is man of pleasing address, genial
manners, fine culture, vigorous, forcible,
md eloquent speaker and debater. His
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