New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-11-27
from the New York Times !
Obituary..
Hon. John Parker HAS.

Obituary.
Hon. John Parker HAS.
In the death of this distinguished states.
man, which occurred Yesterday, at his resi-
dencc in Dover, New Hampshire, one of the
earliest, most eloquent, and consistent oppo-
nents of the aggressions ofslavcry, has vas>ed
away, leaving political record that. for purity
and patriotism, is not excelled bv many in
the annals of his country. Mr.. Hale became
what political enemies called an abolition
ist,' when the word was used to express all
that was dangerous and malignant in politics,
and while he was yet a Democrat, and de-
pendent for political advancement on con-
sistent advocacy of the marked views of the
Democratic party on slavery. He was among
the first to advocate, within the Democratic
party, resistance to the extension OF slavery,
aud was thus one OF the most active agents
in preparing the way for the great Republican
party which broke the power of the slave
oligarchy and removed from the cuuntrv's
fame the rcproach of that great crime. While
he was a vigorous and uncompromisng advo-
cate of justice to the slaves, his genial tenn
per and brilliant wit disarmcl the fierce
resentment frequently provoked in the breasts
OF the slave-owners in Congress.
Mr.. Hale was New Englander, not only
both sides, from men whose names are promi-
nent in the early history of that section.
The lIales were among the men of iron will
who aided in founding the Colonies. Samuel
Hale, grandfather of the late Senator, was
an able lawyer in Colonial days. and John +.
Hale, his son, and the father of Senator Hale,
stood at the head of the bar at which he
practscd. lie married a daughter of Capt.
jeremiah O'Brien, of Machias, Maine, then
a port of Massachusetts,. Captain O'Brien
distinguished himself in the Revolution by Il
series of brilliant operations at sea, and con-
tributed not little to the reputation earned
by the cruisers of the Young Republic against
the veteran navy of England. Two other
brothers of Senator I1ale's mother also at
tanned distinction in the Revolutionary strug-
gle by their nautical skill aud daring.
John Parkar Hale, jr., as he was known in
early life, was born in Rochester, Stratiord
county, New Hampshire, March 81, 1906.
lie received an academical education at Phil.
lips Academy, in Exeter, New Hampshire,
and matriculated at Bowdoin College i'll 1923,
graduating in the class Of 1927. He was
fellow-student of Longtellow, Hawthorne, S.
S. Prentiss, Prof Stowe, and the late Presi-
dent, Franklin Pierce. In 1898 he took up
his residence at Dover, New Hampshire
where he continued to live, with intervals Of
absence at New York, where he practiced
with success, and at Washington and Madrid
in the performance of public duties till his
DEATH lie studied law and was admitted to
the bar, at Dover, in 1880. His practice
grew rapidly, his genial and winning manner,
and assiduOus attention to the business of
his clients, together with earnestness and
eloquence in his pleadings, giving him marked
success in his suits. SO large had his prac-
tice grown in four years that he was obliged
tI,, 80
his office. He was, in 1884, appointed by
President jackson United States Attorney
for the District Of New Hampshire, and was
removed by President Tyler, in 1910, for
party reasons. The Democrats, in 1913,
elected him to Congress, where the discus
sion of the slavery question had already
begun. Mr.. Hale took sides with the oppo-
nents Of slavery. The Democrats, however,
renominated him in 1915, but pronounced
views against the annexation of Texas, which
he maintained on anti-savcry grounds, caused
the Democratic leaders to pronounce him Il
traitor, call new convention, and nominate
another candidate in his district. He ran as
an independent candidate, but as a ma jority
of all the votes cast was required to eject,
the district was unrepresented in that Con-
gress, no candidate having received the
requisite number of votes. He was returned
to the Legislature in 1916, and was chosen
Speaker, and his bold defiance Of the party
| leaders attached to him so many independent
men that he was chosen United States Sena-
| tor He took his seat as the first, and al
that time the only Senator elected on the
anti-slavery platform. His position and pro-
| nounced opinions on this question brought
upon him attacks from both the great par
| ties-Whig and Democratic-Of that day, and
attempts were frequently made to intimidate
| him in the exciting debates that then arose.
Here his wit and genial humor served him
we'll in turning the bitter taunts aud angry
| denunciations of the pro-slayery Senators.
| In 1851 he was counsel for the defendants
| in the trials of the rescuers of the slave Shad-
| rach, from the United States Marshal in
| Boston. In 1852 he was nominated By the
| Free-soil party for the Presidency, against
| General Scott and Pierce, the Wing and De-
mocratic candidates, receiving l57 $50 votes,
| of which 440 were from the slave States.
At the expiration Of his Senatorial term
in 1853, the Democrats, who had gained con
troll of the New Hampshire Legislature, chose
| Mr.. Anterior to succeed him. 1t was at thi-
period Mr.. Hale was induced by his friend.
to come to New York to practice law, where
his great professional reputation gained him
many clients. He retained his residence il
Dover, however, and in 1855 he was again
chosen United States Senator to fill yacan
CIV, and in 1858 for the full term Of six years
His career in the Senate resumed, he tool
rank at once among the leaders on the Re
publican side, and continued the eloquent
advocacy of the rights Of the slaves until tn,
war was precipitated by their owners. Hi
last public duties were discharged ia the
capacity of Minister to Spain, to which pos.
he was appointed by Mr.. Lincoln.