Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-03-12

Death Of Hon. WWs fnOpkeoeS.
Hon. William Hopkins, one Of the
most distinguished members OF tho
Constitutional Convention, died at
Pittsburgh on The. 9th, after brief
ilIncss. he loft Philadelphia tho day
prevIous fir the purpose Of making u
hurried yisit to his family In fhe town
Of Washington, ard was seixed with o
severe chill while on the cars. When
Tho reached Pittsburgh he',was TOO III
to proceed, and lay there until he died i,
surrounded by members Of his family
and in the midst of sympathixing
friends. ~" ~ =
Mr.. Hopkins was one of the few
men In this State who wero actively
Iongaged in political life before tho
present constitution was adopted. =
lie was born September 17lh, 1904,
10 Pike Run township, Washington
county, Pennsylvania, and received
such English education as the schools
at that time afforded. Learning the
trade of a tanner he carried on that
business from 1882 to 1888. In 1927,
he was commissioned by Governor
Shultx, a Justice Of tho Peace for Pike
Run township. In 1884 ho was com
missioned a Justice Of tho Peace BY
Gov. Wolf, for East Bethlehem town
ship, to which be had, in the mean.
time, removed. In the fall Of 1884 he
was elected q member Of tho House
of Representatives, and was ngair,
elected to- the same offico IN l836-37
and 3S,, In 1885. no was elected Sneak
o~ er .h.s uo-.- ~ a. p.mociAs-
During that session tho commotion
occurred which is Familiarity known in
the history of this State as Tho Buck
shot War. Thaddeus Stevens, being
the leader Of the Anti Masonic party,
advised his adhorcnts to "treat tho
election as II it Ind never been held"
In other times and with opponents Of
o different temper tho audacious bold.
ness of Mr.. Stevens might have beon
productive Of tho result at which he
aimed '-
Mr.. Hopkins discharged the ardu-
ous duties devolved upon him an
hour of peril, with so much integrity
and ability that his conduct excited
the admiration Of his contemporaries
and gave him a strong hold upon the
hearts Of the people Of bis native State
In November 1S40, he was appointed
Commissioner of the Cumberland Road
by Governor Porter, which office he
held until May 1872, when he was ap-
pointed Secretary Of the Land Oiiice,
Ae was nominated for Congress in
1914, in the Washington and Beaver
district, but his personal popularity
was not sufficient to overcome very
largo whig majority. In ls4s, ho
was again nominated for Congress
and was only beaten by SO votes In
1852 he was elected Canal Commits
sioner, and served in that Office three
years. In 1861 no was elected to the
House Of Representatives Of Pennsyl-
vania, and was returned in 1862,
serving upon important committees At
both sessions. In 1868 he was elected
TO tho State Senate, where he served
with distinction. Last fall he was
elected member of the Constitutional
Convention, a position be was admlra.
bly, fitted TO fll both by nature and
by great experience in tho affairs Of
the State. m,
The news Of his sudden deccasc will
be heard with profound regret by
every man in Pennsylvania. lie was
one of the links that bind us to the
past. No purcr man ever held public
position. His virlne was of that stern
character which dcfcs temrta,ia. u
lie was sincere and earnest christian,
and without the slightest ostentation
he carried the influence of firm re-
lgious faith into the discharge Of all
LIES duties. SO elevated was his
character that not even his bittcrest
political enemy dared to breathe q
word against his integrity. Very few
are tho men who have lived SO long
and SO constantly in tho public gazo
without spot or blemish. More than
once we have held him up TO tho
younger men of this State as an ex.
emplar, and we,do so now with the
firm assurance that prevalence in
our political life Of the virtue which
William Hopkins always exhibited is
just what is needed, 10th In the Com.
monwealth which he 30 faithfully
served and in the nation Of which il is
a component part. "a /