The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1873-08-21
CHE @emOtrat.
HON. L
HI. Life and Public Services

Cincinnati Enquirer.
Hon. William Allen was born IN the
year 1907 IN Virginia, between Blue
Ridge" and Allegheny. He went 70 Chill
icothe, Ohio, when a mere boy. He was
there without money and without friends.
He had energy, ability, honesty. Of his
life as a boy and as a young lawyer we
have not time to speak. He first appear
ed prominently before the public in 1888,
when he was elected to the House Of Re-
representatives. of the United States. He
was q member of the Committee on Indian
Affairs. The circumstances of this cleo
ton were peculiar and interesting. He
had paid his addresses to,the da1ghterof
Governor Duncan Macarthur. Governor
Macarthur was his opponent in this cam
paign. The young lover and politician
was elected by a majority OF one. The
daughter he did not marry till she had
first married another, and became a wi
dow. MI. Allen was elected TO the Sem
ate of the United States, taking his seat
on the fourth of March, 1887. He filled
the Office two terms. When elected he
had scarcely passed the constitutional
limit of thirty years, but he soon took his
place as one of the foremost men Of that
distinguished body. His senatorial hon.
CI1 WcEc uOt CG6AAJ MOu - q IL ~
Senate Chamber with Clay, and Webster,
and Calhoun, and Crittenden, and Benton,
and Corwfn, and Ewing and Buchanan.
Among such men he stood as their peer
and commanded their respect. His first
act "a SenRtor wa to offer q resolution
providing for q change in the manner OF
electing President and Vice President.
He possessed the impartiality OF q Judge,
the acuteness of an advocate, the sagaclty
of a statesman, the eloquence of the true
orator. His heart and judgment were al
ways on the side of the people. His first
speech in the Senate was in favor Of the
right of petition and he maintained this
right of the petitioners, though he did not
sympathize with their request, and though
they lived in a distant part of the coun-
try. He was often on the floor of the
Senate, though less often than some others,
and he always spoke straight on" His
speeches had not only directness, but
beauty and dignity. He was a practical
Senator also. He gave closest attention
to questions of finance, to National Banks,
District of Columbia banks, to the Indian
affairs, to boundary lines, and to all the
details OF practical craftsmanship. He
was always the advocate of the people and
of the Democratic party. He opposed
tariffs and excessive taxation. He de-
Tended the constitution. He was always
in his seat. When he had been for years
in the Senate he wa able to say proudly
to his fellow-Senators on a question of ad-
iournment, that he had not lost a day OF
q vote IN the Senate; and to say also,
thirty three years ago "However hazard
nor fee" He is the last survivor of the
o,oNo~o % r., 900 4ha III
S. Senate, under dictation Of Clay, adopt
ed a resolution ~censuring President JacK-
son for removing the government deposits
from the United States Bank. Four years
latter, soon after Mr.. Allen took his seat,
q resolution was passed expuneing the
resolution from the records, and of the
twenty-five Senators voting in favor ofthis
resolution Mr.. Allen alone lives to tell the
story. He was elected Chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Relations-then
as now, the leading committee Of the Sen
ate-in 1916, over Mr.. Archer, Of Virgin
Ia. 1t was while he occupied this posi-
tion that the memorable debate occurred
on the question known in history as the
question of ntJty-four forty Or fight
This debate was the foremost one of that
Congress, and in it Mr.. Allen took the
leading part. He was overruled by the
vote of the Senate, but his position
throughout was that Of an independent
American. He introduced the resolution
to advise the President to give netioe tc
Great Britain to terminate the joint occu-
patton Of Oregon. Mr. Allen spoke on the
resolution for two consecutive days filing
the time of the session.
The debate covered several months
Toward the close his famous personal de.
bate with Crittenden took place, and the
upshot and issue was his resignation Of the
Craftsmanship of the Committee on For
eign Relations.
Nh. Allen has for t~wenty-f0u year
lived the clustered life of a student and {
cultured farmer. He has rare scientific
attainments is devoted to astronomy
geology, mineralogy and literature. HlE
habits are simple and his home hospitable
He Is in the full possession Of all the pow
ers Of his earlier manhood. His com,
handing figure, his venerable, silyerec
head, his matchless voice, viii shortly be
come familier to many of our readers. The
time was when great men would stand FOL
hours to listen to him. The hale anc
vigorous ex-senator who won laurels be.
side Webster and Crlttenden, Calhoun anc
Clay and Benton, will have something K
say to the people Of Ohio this fall