The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-04-09
Charles II. RuckaIeyy.

ON the fourth day of next month this
gentleman will vacate the seat ho has
occupied in the Senate of the United
states, during six eventful years, and
go into that graceful and studious re-
tirement which is congenial with his
tastes and culture, and in accordance
with the determination of the Demo.
cratic party, to which he belongs. con-
cerning him.
That he possesses unusual breadth
and solidity OF understanding, is conce.
ded by his political opponents as freely
as was ever asserted by his associates
and supporters. To this natural ell
dowment, he has superadded training
more exact and elegant than that which
has fallen to the lot of most public men
IN this country. His bearing, moreover,
Is frank, manly, courteous and dignifed,
such as well becomes the high place he
fills in the national councils. He l.
above pretension and duplicity, caring
to be rated only for what he is, and con-
scious that such admeasurement is suffi.
cient to crafty reasonable ambition.
Nor is the mental side OF his charac-
ter the only one meriting special con-
sideration and respect. He is Uniform
ly under the influence of strong convic-
ton, with which he never trifies, but
always follows wherever they may lead.
True, his convictions have often been
at variance with our own; but he has
| In1y al %
the confidence and inspire the esteem of
even the most radical and uncomprom-
ising of the Republican Senators.
Viewing him ON both the mental and
the moral side of his character, he is
certainly the most conspicuous and able
of the Democratic members of the Sen
ate. On the Republican side he is sur.
passed for general grasp and power on
ly by Mr.. Fessenden, and for special
accomplishments only by Mr.. Sumner.
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Entering the Senate during the Re-
bellion, his thought and purpose were
to so act as to be true to himself-that
is, to exhibit his own principles and de-
cisions instead of the passions and pref
udices of his party. This was task
of difficulty and delicacy; for his co.
partisans, almost without exception had
taken ground which the impartial YER
dict of ultimate history will pronounce
deeply tinctured with incivism. They
demanded full representation of their
peculiar ideas and feelings by Mr. Buck
alew, and failed to get it. Nor yet did
he see proper to identify himself with
the Republicans by breach of fidelity
to his party, and contradiction of his
whole previous political career, such as
Mr.. Cowan was guilty of. His fixed de-
termination was to maintain his own
individuality, and so deport himself
that he should afterwards have no mis-
givings as to his conduct.
While he has steadily differed from
the Republicans on most points of con-
, stitutional law which have been under
discussion, and has asserted his opinions
with great plainncss of terms, he has
uniformly addressed the Senate in such
manner as to command respect for his
powers and requirements, and for the
moral convictions by which he was ami
mated. To do this in times Of great po-
litical heat and acerbity, like those in
which his Senatorial lot was cast, gives
assurance of high qualities. In his re-
tirement to the duties and enjoyments
of private life, and to those graceful
and comparatively rare studies to which
he is devoted, he will carry with him
the personal friendship of all the Re
publican Senators, as well as warm
appreciation of those gifts and attain
rather than politician.-PHtSJ,tr9 Ga
zette (Radical.)