The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-07
OBITUARY..



George Mifilin Wharton, ESQ.,, one of the
leading lawyers and formerly one of the active
and prominent politicians of Philadelphia, died
on the 9Th inst, after protracted illness, at his
residence in South Fourth street, short dis
lance below Walnut He was born in 1906, and
devoting himself TO the legal profession
after he reached manhood, he acquired
prominent position as lawyer, giving great
attention to the preparation of his cases, and
arguing them with remarkable skill. He also
took an active part In politics, and was for
long period, an influential and prominent MEM
Dor of the Whig party of the old city of Phlla-
delphia. lie took deep interest in the
public schools, and was at one time
President of the Board of Control. Subse-
ouently in 1856 he was elected member of the
Select Council from the Fifth ward, and he was
made President of that body. When the old
Whig organization became broken up by the
American and Republican movements, he at
once openly and decidedly attached him
self to the Democratic party. He
took this step at or about the same time
that q similar course was adopted by Josiah
Randall and William B. Reed, and this trio
constituted the most important representative
accessions made to the Democratic ranks in
Philadelphia at that period. There was strong
disposition in 1856 to make George M. Wharton
the Democratic candidate for Congress in the
district composed mainly of the old city, and Mr..
Buchanan himself favored this movement, but the
controllers of the machinery of the local organi-
zation were not then prepared to confer honors
upon one who had so recently been their active
enemy, and no serious effort was made in the
Congressional Convention to nominate Mr..
Wharton. He became. however, at O2ce a
warm personal and social as well as a
political friend of Mr.. Buchanan, and
at a comparatively late period of the
Presidential term OF the latter, this feeling in
duced Mr.. Wharton's appointment as United
States District Attorney in this city, position
for which he was well qualified by his skill as a
lawyer. In the natural order of events, he was
removed by Lincoln, and, although he was not
especially influential subsequently as politician,
he did what he could to antagonize Lincoln's ad-
istration by efforts to demonstrate that the sus-
pension of the habeas corpus was Illegal, the
Legal-tender act unconstitutional, etc. Mr..
Wharton's moral character was above reproach,
and he was an active member of the Episcopal
Chvrch, being frequently chosen in former years
as q lay delegate in its conventions. He took a
prominent part in the deliberations of these
bodies but when questions arose that were con-
nected even in a remote degree with the political
agitations of the time he was especially earnest
In his expression of the views which charac-
terized his partisan school.
Mr. Wharton's espousal of Democratic prin-
ciples, and his course during the war, led to the
severance of many of his earlier associations,
and he failed to win very enviable or powerful
position among his new associates. Atall times,
however, his talents, his energy, and his un-
blcmished private character commanded the
respect of all parties.