The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1871-11-09
The Death of Hon. Thomas
Ewing.

HuallII0SJ 1AS !" pluly Win . N'@l1 ~
and position in the world.
The place of Mr.. Ewing's nativity
was Ohio county, Virginia. He was
born on the 18th day of December,
1889, and was consequently in the
eighty-seoond year Of his age at the
time of his death. His father, a
man of some means, became cOnsid-
erably reduced during the progress
of the Revolutionary War, in which
be took part. After the establish
ment of peace the paternal Ewing
removed his family to the valley of
the Muskingum, in Ohio, and in
1892, he repaired to the frontier
settlement, now known as Athens
county. 1t was in this wild region
that young Thomas spent his boy
hood, and it is quite probable that
the rough experience of frontier
life aroused and developed that for
titude and self-reliance which were
such distinguishing elements in his
character in after life. He was
taught to read by an elder sister and
gave early indications of remarkable
intellectual activity. He read eager
J Iy all the books that came within
his reach, pursuing his researches
at night by the glowing light of
hickory bark, or the inevitable pine
knot, unfailing sources of light TO
our ancestors and always at hand.
Having attained his twentieth year
ho left the paternal roof and set out
for the Kanawha salt mines to work
on his own account. In the course
of two or three years, by the exer-
else of prudence and economy, he
saved enough from his scanty earn
ings to purchase farm for his father
and with the meager surplus he en-
tered the Ohio University and pur-
sued his studies energeticalIy, with
occasional interruptions in conse-
quence of failing funds, until the
year 1915, when he graduated, re-
ceiving the first degree of 4. B. ever
issued by that educational institu-
ton.
Having previously determined to
adopt the profession of the law as a
means Of livelihood, he Immediately
commenced his studies at Lancaster,
Ohio, and was admitted to practice
| in 1916. From the first his efforts
were crowned with success, and he
rapidly achieved wealth and reputa-
ton, much of his practice in the
Supreme Court OF the United States
being of remunerative character.
About this time he began to take
an active partin politics, and in 1913
he was elected to the United States
Senate as a Whig and became the
friend and colleague of Clay and
Webster. In the Senate, his force
of character and sterling abilities at
once asserted themselves and mark
ed him as leader to be feared and
dreaded by the opposition. 1t is
impossible in this short sketch Of
this distinguished man to advert tC
all the measures Of public welfare
that emanated from his mind and
were adopted by the Senate mainly
though his advocacy. But to one
of the acts of his Senatorial life, by
which the welfare of our great State
was greatly promoted, we deem il
right to refer. It was through the
instrumentality of Mr.. Ewing thai
the much mooted question of The
boundary Of Ohio was settled by {
bill introduced by him in December
III, 1885, which reached its fna
passage the following year, on th'
11th of March in the Senate, aud on
the 18th of June in. the House o
Representatives.
Upon the expiration of his term
in 1887, Mr.. Ewing returned t.
Lancaster and resumed the practict
of law. Upon the election of Gen
Harrison to the Presidency, Mr.
Ewing, who had been his warn
, supporter, was made a member o
Cabinet, occupying the position
|
: of Secretary of the Treasury, tn,
: duties of which responsible Office he
continued to discharge under Presi
dent Tyler. While in this position
. at the request of President Tyler
: Mr.. Ewing drafted a bank charte
which passed both Houses of Con
gress, but was vetoed. Thereupol
t the entire Cabinet, with the excep
2 ton of Mr.. Webster, resigned. Mr.
Ewing published a letter, explaining
his views and giving the reasons 70
5 the course he had taken.
The Department of the Interio
having been created under the Ad
D ministration of President Taylei
/ Mr.. Ewing accepted the Secretary
Q ship and organized it. During hi
: term Of Office he recommended sey
:. eral measures of public importanC
j. in his reports.
, Mr.. Ewing differed with Mr.. Cla
8 and others of his associates on th
r question Of Congressional legislatio
c on the subject of slavery. Mr.. Cla
t contended that the question should b
settled at once and Mr.. Ewing ths