The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-06-07
HON, HENRY WILSON.

The Hon. Henry Wilson, Of Massachu-
sets, the Republican nominee for Vice.
President, is known throughout the whole
country as one of the ablest of American
statesmen. His name is scarcely less fa-
milar at home or abroad than that of his
colleague in the United States Senate--the
Hon. Charles Sumner-both Of whom have
been elected four terms in succession to
that distinguished and august body, from
the State of Massachusetts,. He is an able
and powerful debater, and better calculated
to sway large masses of people than either
Mr.. Sumner, or Edward Everett, whom he
succeeded as Senator from that State. He
is deservedly popular with the laboring
classes of the people, having always adyo-
Gated such measures in legislation as looked
to the ameloration of their condition.
Mr.. Wilson was born in Pennington,
New Hampshire, February 10th, 1872, and
is consequently now sixty years of age.
He is emphatically what is called self
made and self educated man. With no
greater educational advantages than what
might be picked up at a common school in
his native State, (and such advantages were
very limited in his school-boy days,) he
learned the shoemaker's trade at an early
age, and in time became a shoe-deaer in
Natick, Mass, obtaining the Sebriquet of
the "Natcll Cobler,o shortly after he en-
tered public life, which designation he ac-
cepted as an honor, rather than as term of
disparagement. AT one time he owned
and edited the Boston Republican,, jour-
nal that displayed great editorial ability
under his management, and which yigor-
ously advocated the rights and interests of
the working classes in Massachusetts,.
He first entered public life in 1871, being
elected for that year member Of the State
Legislature of Massachusetts,. He served
in that body almost continuously from 1871
to 1852 inclusive, presiding over the State
Senate for the last two years of that period.
He was also member of the State Consti-
tutional Convention in1S53, in which he took
leading and active part. Having been an
active officer in the uniformed militia OF
Massachusetts for period OF ten years, he
raised and organized regiment Of volun-
teers in 1861, serving first as its colonel,
and afterwards as a member of General
,McClellan's staff until obliged to resume his
congressional duties in the United States
Senate. He first entered the United States
Senate in 1855, having been elected to sue
coed Edward Everett, who had resigned, an(
took his seat January 3lst in that year. liz
was reelected in 1859, again reelected il
1865, and still again in 1871, having divided
the senatorial honors Of Massachusetts,
equally with his colleague, Mr.. Sumner
who was first elected in 1851, and reelected
for three successive terms thereafter.
Mr.. Wilson comes the nearest to being a
representative man of the working people
taking his education, ayOcation, and pur,
suits into the account, than any equally
prominent public man in the United States
No one has risen more directly from them
nor taken q prouder or mere commanding
position in defence of their interests. Every
poor man can cast q vote for him witt
pride, as awarding to one of his own class
the highest distinctions recognized in the
government of which he is part.