Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-04-09
From the Cincinnati Gazette.
b EN w AIDE PAP RS.
BY GEN. JAMES s. BRIsBIN.


were adopted, and he became popular as
wise legislator. The people of his district
rendered him denomination to the State
Senate, but he declined; when the Conyen-
tion met, however, he was placed in nomi-
nation and triumphanlly elected bya largely
increased majority over his former election.
No sooner had he taken his seat than he
renewed his labors in behalf of equal rights
and the repeal of all laws making distinc-
tions on account of color. He brought for
ward the petition of Geo. w. Tyler, and fif-
ty-four other persons, praying for the repeal
of the fugitive slave law, passed by Ohio, in
1888, to please Kentucky. Wade argued in
an able speech that negroes were men the
same as white persons. and such entitled to
personal liberty, trial by jury, testimony in
the Courts, and common school privileges.
Kentucky was then opposed to all these
things, and used her influences with Ohio to
prevent her from adopting liberal and just
policy toward her black population. That
was in 1871, more than quarter of a cen
tury ago, and although it cannot be said
Kentucky has advanced much in the bust
ness of securing her black people equal
rights, she has done much towards chang
Ing their complexion. Herein Kentucky
and her people differed from Mr.. Wade and
the people of Ohio; Kentucky desired to
equalize her population by nature, Ohio by
law. or the two processes we think poster
ity will incline to the belief that the former
was the best.
In February, 1912, ''bil for the incor-
poration of Oberlin Collegiate Institute, an
institution for the education of persons,
without regard to race or color, came up
in the Senate of Ohio. Mr.. Wade advocat-
p1 IN xvac
bill afterwards passed, and was the
foundation of the excellent College at Ober-
lin, an institution that has furnished more
than five hundred anti-slavery missionaries,
teachers and preachers, and done more than
anything else to unmask the deiormilies of
the system of human bondage.
While he was in the State Senate, the
people of Ohio petitioned their Legislature
to protest against the infamous resolution
passed by Congress in 1897 relating to sla-
very. This resolution was in these words:
RrsotUea, That all petitions memorials
and papers touching the abolition of slavery,
or buying, selling or transferring OF slaves
in any State, District, or Territory of the
United States, be laid on the table without
being debated, read or referred, and that no
further action whatever shall be taken there
on.
Mr.. Wade was appointed special com
mttee, and the petition Of the people of
Ohio, and the resolution complained of, re-
ferred to him with directions to make re-
port on them. 1t is said Wade read and ex-
amined for three weeks books and authors
ties before he began writing his report; be
that as 1t may, certain it is, his report was
at the time and is still regarded as one of
the ablest anti-slaveIy documents ever pub
lished in this country. Thirty years have
elapsed since then, and yet in all that time
few reasons have been advanced against
| slavery that can not be found embodied in
Mr. Wade's report The document is very
long, and we shall here only make one
briei extract
sour fathers went to war with King
George for the sake of the very right denied
the people by the resolution of Congress
They quoted 1t in their declaration as one of
their grievances and when the revolutionary
struggle was ended they placed it in their
Constitution as sacred right of the people,
never to be violated, and declared that Con
gress shall not abridge the right of the
people peaceably TO assemble and petition
the Government for redress of grievances.
The free and uninterrupted right of petition
is the very essence of a republican govern
mcnt, without which it matters not what its
external form may be, still it is body with
out a soul, and must of necessity degenerate
Congress must hear the petitions of the
people, or it is tyrant worse than King
George"
In ls+2 John Quincy Adams, then Re-
preventative in Congress from Massachu-
sels, presented TO the House a resolution
from the people of Haverlill, Massachusetts,
praying for the peaceable dissolution of the
Union, rather than it should continue with
slavery in it. For offering this petition, the
venerable Adams was censured, and the
Legislature of Ohio made haste to bring for
ward resolution commencing the action
Of Congress in disgracing ''the old man
eloquent. "
Mr.. Wade, backed by the Ant-Slavery
Society of the Western Reserve, became the
defender Of Mr. Adams, and battled fiercey
against the Resolutions but all in vain the
opposition voted him down. and Ohio shared
in the disgrace of Congress. Wade, in one
of his speeches. said:
Sir, do not commend the petition of the
people of IIaverhill, but their right to make
il is unquesiionable, and as Representative
in Congress, Mr.. Adams clearly had the right
to lay it before Congress, should he choose
so to do, and in doing so did not make him
self Il disnnionist, but only exercised his
privileges as a member of that body, and
established the fact that he is uncompromis-
ing in his defense of the rights of the pco-
pie; and ], sir, for one, admire and respect
him for his fearlessness and trankness."
AT the close of his second senatorial term,
Mr.. Wade declined denomination, and
again determined to leave off, forever, politi-
cal life. From 1912 to lS47 he held no pub
lie office and devoted himself to the practice
of his profession and the care of his family.
In February, lS47, Mr.. Wade was elected
bv the Legislature President Judge of the
Third Judicial District of the State of Ohio.
His popularity at this time was unbounded.
1t has been the fortune of but few men 10 |
enter upon the discharge of Judicial duties, |
having in advance secured to such an extent |
the unqualified confidence of the bar and |
people. He entered Immediately upon the
discharge of his duties. His district enl-
braced the populous counties of Ashtabula, |
Trumbull, Mahonins, Portage and Summit.
The business had accumulated vastly under
his predecessor The same territory has now
three resident Judges, with but slightly in
creased business.
Ii is but truth to say, that in no country
on earth has the same number of people
had the same amount of important and sat
istactory justice administered to them in the
same length of time, as had the district un-
der the administration of Jude Wade. The
younger members of the profession who
were SO fortunate as to practice in this cir
cuit uurlnp Juupe NaueS term upon Inc
bench, will remember with lasting gratitude
his kindness and judicial courtesy.
During the time he was upon the bench,
Judge Wade increased 0f possible) in the
confidence and admiration of his political
friends, and disarmed those who had differed
with him, and had felt the withering power
of his logic and eloqucnce on the stump and-
at the bar His judicial career was brought
to sudden and unexpected close in March,
1851, while he was holding term of court
at Akron, Summit county, by his election,
by the Legislature then in session, to the
United States Senate.
When the news of his election reached
him. Judge Wade was on the bench trying
case. The firing of cannon, and shouting
OF men, announced that some unusual event
had taken place, ard presently boy come
running into the Court with a dispatch in
forming MIR. Wade he had been elected a
United States Senator from Ohio.
| "A steam-plow is to he run in the vicini-
| ty of IIayano MERCER CountV Illinois The