The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-11-25

Boston Repu6ttcsse and for two years agltated
the question without fear or flinching. In lS49
he was chosen chairman of the free soil State
committee of Massachusetts,, which post he
held for four years. In 1850 he was sent to
the State Senate, and unanimously elected
President.
Two years a'terward things changed. and
the freesoers being in 5the ascendant, Henry
Wilson was elected United States Senator in
the place of Edward Everett. In the Senate
Chamber he made great speech advocating
the repeal of the fugitive slave law, and the
abolition of slavery in the District of Colum.
bia. He next took an active part in organ
ling the Republican party on the basis oil
equal and exact justice to all. In May, 1856
Mr.. Sumner, his colleague, was assailed by
Preston Brooks. of South Carolina. He de-
nounced the assault. Brooks sent him chal
lenge which he disregarded, on the grount
that duelng was a remnanC of barbarism.
And now the whilom farmer lad and shoe
maker stepped into the front rank of the Sen
ate and was recognized by all as cmphaticall,
a strong and shrewd man. His great speech
in defense of free labor in reply TO an attack
of Senator Hammond, Of South Carolina, was
circulated in every workshop OF the free States
and taught the workinglnen to recognize
him as their champion. His term Of Senator
ship expiring the next year, he was reelected
by an immense majority. When the Senator
assembled in March Of 1861, he was made
chairman of the committee on military affairs
In this capacity he introduced the act to au
| thoriZe the enrolment Of 100000 men as an
army, besides other matters of equal military
! Importance. General Scots declared that nc
man ever did so much work in one short SEES
sion as Senator Wilson,.
Mr.. Wilson did not lose sight for moment
OF slavery, to the ultimate extinction of which
he had consecratedh his life more than a quarter
of a century before the war;: In that remark
able series of anti-slayery measures which cul-
minated in the anti-savery amendment of
the Consttntion4he bore no undistinguished
part. He introduced: the bill abolishing sla-
very in the District of Columbia, which be-
came Il law OIL the 18th Of April, 1862, and by
which slavery became forever impossible. His
measures also looked to the enlistment ofne
gro soldiers and the emancipation OF them
selves and families for military service.
The Freedmen's Bureau Bill was originally
reported by HIM, and III all the subsequent
legislation oh that subject he was active and
decided in favor of its organization and main
tenance.
In fact, from 1861 Mr.. Wilson'S actions in
the Senate have embraced all the important
work that has been done by the Republican
party. He was reelected in 1865 and again in
1871. In 1872, on Mr.. Wilson's election to be
Vice-Presdent of the United States ON the
ticket with Gen. Grant, George S. Boutwell,
late Secretary of the Treasury, became his sue
cessor OH the floor of the Senate for the bal
ance Of the term expiring in 1877. AS Vice
President of the United States Mr.. Wilson
became, of course, President of the Senate
He served continuously in that body twenty
years from 1856 when lie succeeded Edward
Everett until his death as the President of the
Senate, having been stricken down by his las
illness in his office in the capitol, where he
was ut work.
Death Of q. S. Senator Ferry.
Hon. Orris S. Ferry, United States Senator
from Connecticut, died at his home in Nor
walk, at 2 O'Clock Sunday evening. the 2ls
inst. The fatal disease was softening OF tn
spinal marrow, from which Mr.. Ferry has suf
fered for several years. As long ago as las
fall it had reached a dangerous stage, but witt
n fidelity that was almost heroic he discharge.
the duties of his position throughout the ses
sion Of Congress and the extra session Of tn
Senate which followed. During last summe
his condition gradually grew worse. He re
manned at his home, in Norwalk, till about
month ago. when lie moved temporarily t.
Brooklyn for a radical change of treatment.
was a forlorn hope, and after Il long, brav
struggle it failed.
Mr.. Ferry was born in Bethel, Connecticut
in 1928, graduated at Yale College, and com
menced his political career in the State Senat
4 in 1855. In 1859 he was elected to the Ma
tional House Of Representatives. During thu
war he served with distinction in the Fedora
army and attained the, rank OF Brigadier Gen
eral. He was elected Senator in 1866 for tn
Eterm expiring in 1878. When the Connecticut
Legislature undertook to till his place he wa
candidate for reelection for another term
. The Republicans had majority in the Legis
lat,lre. and General Joseph r. llawley wa
settled upon as the caucus candidate. A por
ton Of tile Republican, members boted tn
caucus, and, by uniting With the Democrats
reelected Mr.. Ferry for the term expiring il
1879.
Mr.. Ferry, in politics, was a Conservativ
Republican. He was one of the few men ii
the Senate whose views commanded the re
spectful attention Of both sides of the cham
Der. Possessed Of keen perceptive and ana
lytical powers, a we'll balanced judicial mind
and singularly concise and lucid style in state
C.ent OF argument, he was one of the ables
debaters ON the floor, and these qualit es, join
ed to unimpeachable integrity, made him
worthy peer of his late illustrious colleague
Mr.. Buckingham, upon whom, last winter, HI
pronounced the most eloquent eulogy ever ut
tered in the Senate Chamber. He was poll
tician only in the highest sense Of the word
Republican, bu5 nevera partsan-a man wit
illustrated the meaning OF that much-abuset
word s.patriot,'' and whose loss is truly irrep
arabic. He had wife and daughter, both O
whom survive him.
The Alexandra Sentinel pertinently call
attention to the election Of DR.. Black, of Mont
gomery county, Va, to the Eastern Lunat
Asylum, over DR.. Brewer, the former Superin
tendent, and attributes this result to the fac
that DR.. Brewer is native of Pennsylvania
and DR.. Black of Virginia. DR.. Black wa
not an applicant, and probably knew nothin.
about the efforts of his friends in the use of hi
name to displace DR.. Bower. 1t is admitted
that the latter gentleman administered the at
fairs OF the Institution with eminent abilit,
and success-that his reelection was desire,
by the citizens of Williamsburg, and all rcall.
interested in the Asylum. but because he wa
not .sto the manner born''-had first seen TIN
light of day in the staid old Commonwealth o
Pennsylvania-wa not a relfct OF the socia
fraud known as the F!t.F. Y's-zhis high quail
fications and peculiar fitness for the place, haG
to be overlooked. The Sentinel intimates tina
Gov. Kemper manipulated the matter. Quite
likely, for we think there is not a smaller
h, gin in the Commonwealth that holds hlgf
trnst.Nthere is not "a receptacle, in human
| e,,, 80 6 mailer notions-of deeper and more