The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-06-19

During alI LnaL IlLue ue ueFeEuouDIoI
or faltered.
In 1861 he was again sent TO the AS
sembly and was again chosen speaker
his competitor being Mr.. Horatio Sey'
mour. In 1864 he was elected to Con-
, Rress from the Sixth District Of New
York and served throughout the
XXXIXth Congress. With all his
ability as a debater and his sagacity as
statesman, Mr.. Raymond's Congress
sional career cannot be deemed a sue
cess. This was largely il not wholly
due to the fact that upon the termina'
ton of active hostilities he found him.
self at variance with the party majority
in respect to the policy to be pursued
in reconstructing the Southern States.
Mr.. Raymond believed in inaugurating
the policy of leniency at once, and 1t Is
possible had Johnson not been Presi-
dent that policy would have been a
wise one. The majority being for q
rigorous policy OF repression, Mr..
Raymond found the breach widen
ing between himself and the majority.
he fell into the error of supposing
that at that time those who favored a
liberal Southern policy were strong
enough with the aid of the Administra-
ton 10 form a new party and carry the
country with them. The result was the
celebrated Philadelphia or "Crocodtle" /"
Convention of August, 1866, held under
the patronage of President Johnson.
Mr.. Raymond was active in this move~
ment and furnished most Of the brains
for 1t. He wrote the address issued by
that Convention; and whatever may
be thought of the general propositions
offered, at the period they were brought
forward, 1t must be conceded that Sim
ply as a abatement of a case nothing
could be more admirably put.
The movement failed. and In poll
teal sense Mr.. Raymond failed with 1t.
But what he Lost in political reputation
his paper gained in ability and prospe-
rity by his return to his editorial duties.
He applied himself again TO the Times
which had lost ground in the face of its
great competitors during his absence;
and it not only regained all it had lost
but became more admirable and able
than before in all its departments. This
was the true field for Mr.. Raymond's
talents and usefulness, and II be had
been quite wise and superior TO the
glitteriug promises of politics he would
not have left 1t even for a seat In Con-
gress.
In 1867 President Johnson rendered
him the mission to Austria, 1t having
| NH,o
nation of Mr.. Motley. MIR. Raymond
declined; and had since neither sought
nor held public position. He had in
that period spent several months in
Europe, but most of his time was
given to the Times. Recently he had
not written so much for its columns,
especially since the death OF his second
son, promising lad, who died few
months ago, aud whose loss greatly az
flicted him.
The Times is the monument OF Mr..
Raymond's labors and ability. About
four-fitths of it was owned by him at
the time OF his DEATH it being consId-
cred worth over million. The only lit
crary work outside OF this published
by him was his Life aud Services
OF Mr.. Lincoln, which was issued
in 1864. His talents as a public speaker
were of the first order. The tirst time
we saw or listened to him was in the
| Baltimore Convention III 1864 In per-
son he was about feet inches in
height; of neat, compact figure, black
hair and dark side whiskers and NOUS
tache; broad and finely developed
brow, the tout ensemble being that of a
gentlomanly. handsome person. He
spoke rapidly but with the purest
enunciation; and whether in speaking
or writing, he used the choicest Ian
guage, which flowed without effort and
expressed ideas that found logical
arrangement with marvellous facll-
ity. He SAW at glance the salient
points OF subject and present.
ed them in the clearest and strongest
light. In the organization of the Con-
vention referred to, the presiding officer
being unable to manage the immense
gathering, a scene of almost inextrica-
! bic confusion ensued, from which for
time there seemed to be no recovery.
Mr.. Raymond arose aud succeeded IN
getting the attention OF the chaotic
mass; and in a five minutes speech laid
down the course of proceeding 80 clear
ly and simply that everybody at once
acquiesced in the course indicated, and
the work OF organization at once went
smoothly on TO completion. Our recol-
lection is that the platform adopted by
| that Convention was in the main, II not
wholly, tho work of Mr.. Raymond's
pen.
A single instance will show at once
Mr.. Raymond's wonderful knowledge
of cotemporaneous times and men, and
his capacity for great and sustained
mental labor. The obituary Of Daniel
| Webster written by him, covered, we
believe, some two pages Of the first
number OF the Times issued after the
statesman's death. Mr.. Raymond wrote
it at single sitting after the intelli~
gence was received, without ever
rising from his chair to consult an
! authority or reference and just as he
wrote 1t, it appeared, complete, accurate
and exhaustive. 1t was by contin-
uous drafts like this on his stock OF
vitality that Mr.. Raymond no doubt
hastened the collapse: for though up
to the time of death the report tells US
he enjoyed apparently vigorous health.
the end showed that the vital flame had
burned out.