The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-11-01
Death Of Thomas Ewing.

LII "t " ~ OSt'Sf
makes the following observations on
the death of Hon. Thomas Ewing, Sr
who recently deceased at his residence
in Lancaster, Ohio:
Ameng the great men of Ohio who
have stood in the front rank at the
bar, OF the hastings, and in the ma
tional councils, Thomas Ewing was
one of the most eminent. As a law
yer, he has had few if any superiors in
the United States, and as a statesman
he has received high recognition and
honor. Having a physical constitu-
ton of are vigor. he retained his
faculties in a remarkable degree be-
yond the age of fourscore. Though a
victim of heart disease for many years
it was but recently that there were
any decisive signs that nature was
giving way. Ills mind was clear and
strong to the last. For a week past
it has been known that his end must
be near. AT his old residence at Lam
caster, with all his children about him,
Mr.. Ewing passed away about four
o'clock last evening.
Thomas Ewing was born near the
town of West Liberty, Ohio county,
now West Virginia, on the 2Sth of
December, 1888. His father had been
a soldier in the revolution, and when
he left the army was possessed of little
property. He remained in Virginia
but a few years after his marriage,
having removed in 1892 to the Mus
kingum Valley, when the subject of
this sketch was less than three years
old, and long after to lands seventeen
miles northwest of the frontier settle
ments, in what is now Athens county.
Here Thomas passed his youth, ON a
farm in the wilds. Having been in
structed in reading by an elder sister,
he eagerly perused all the books within
his reach, and acquired an inclination
far the career afterwards pursued
When in his twentieth year he left
home-the better to accomplish his
wishes-and was employed in the
Kanawha salt works, where he saved
money enough, in two or three years,
to complete the payment for his faith
er's land, leaving a surplus with which
to start on a collegiate course at the
Ohio University. at Athens. He was
the first to receive the Bachelors de-
gree at that institution, in 1915.
He studied law, and was admitted
to the bar at Lancaster in 1916, where
he continued to reside, practicing in
all the higher courts, with the emf
nent success so well known. In 1880
he was elected to the United States
Senate, taking his seat the following
year. A whig in politics, he cooper
ated actively with Clay and Webster
in opposition to the policy of Jackson.
One of his first speeches was made in
opposition 10 the confirmation of M.
Van Buren, as Minister to England.
He supported the protective tariff pol
icy of Clay, advocated a reduction of
the rates of postage, a recharter OF
the National Bank, and the passage
of the s'torce bill as q remedy for null
LITIGATION. Among the prominent
measures with which he was identified
during this term of Senatorial service
was his bill for recognizing the post
Office department, which passed the
Senate without a division on the 9th
of February, 1885, though it was lost
in the House. The Postmaster len
eral, Barry. soon after resigned, and
the department was reorganized under
Amos Kendall, its head being raised
to the rank of a Cabinet Minister. He
introduced a bill for the settlement of
the Ohio boundary question, which
passed in 1886, and was the author of
the act for recognizing tie General
Land Office, which became a law the
same year. He presented a petition
for the abolition of slavery, insisting
that it ought to be received, though
he was opposed to the views of the
m~emorialists. He also took a leading
part in the discussion of the C ia
NOUS "specie circular" issued by Levi