Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-11-26

he was apprenticed to farmer until he should
arrive at the age of twenty-one years, allowed
him, and, although this portion of the contract
was strictly adhered to, he was very far from be-
ing an illiterate youth when he became his own
master. Books were not so plenty in the rural
districts of New Hampshire at that time as they
are now, but this persevering boy read all that
| he could borrow, and being blessed with sim
glarly retentive memory, he accumulated
great store of facts that served him well in af-
ter life.
i Henry Wilson never attempted to conceal
he fact that he was born in abject poverty,
AID he changed his name, not because be was
ATTAINED of his parents but out of a mere Ca
Il cious impulse that took possession of him
~ reading a romance in which the principal
DEas. IeprE Nilsson. AS is well knowN,
his fathers name was Winthrops Goliath, a
very poor man, who was barely able TO keep
his eight children from starving. Probably
the family were sometimes objects of charity.
Goliath lived in secluded nook. some eli gh
teen miles from Dover, New Hampshire. His
few neighbors were almost as poor as himself,
and when farmer proposed TO take his Oldest
son under articles of indenture, and TO feed
aud clothe him in consideration of shis labor
until he should arrive at his majority, the IA
ther considered the offer piece of rare good
fortune. The future Vice President, at the age
served faithfully eleven years. After he had
isen above the squalid surroundings of his
youth, had earned some money, and establish
ed himself in business, he brought his parents
out OF their pOverty-siricken home, aud made
them comfortable for the rest of their DAYS.
We refer to these things TO show that the
able, honest and conscientious public servant
whose death We mourn, struggled against cir
cums,ances in his youth that would have crush
4 e
ever ''chill perjury" could ''repress the noble
rage" surely the inmates of Winthrop Col
baths home would have remained as obscure
rs were their ancestors for generations before
them. But there Is sort of courage that rises
superior TO all the accidents of fortune. and
this henry Wilson possessed in an eminent de-
gree Although denied the usual advantages
enjoyed by New England boys even of the
poorest class, tor acquiring common school
education, he became fair scholar When he
became the representative of highly cultured
Commonwealth ia the United States Senate,
his most scholarly constituents never blushed
Tor his want of learning. His diction was al
WAYS forcible, and sometimes elegant, and his
dcsuliory remarks in debate were almost as free
from grammatical h,uuder as were the im-
promp'u speeches Of his learned colleague,
Charles Sumner. As leader of men, he was
far the superior OF Mr.. Sumner, and he excel
cd him in all the practical arts of statesman
ship.
In ilis brief notice Of the deceased Vice
President We cannot mention the successive
steps By which he first emerged from the oh
security and poverty of his New Hampshire
home and became A. man of some note and iu
iaencc in 8 small Massachusetts, Legislature,
which he in due time exclaimed for seat in the
United States Senate All his intimate friends
know that fot many years he aSpivcd 10 the
Office of Vice President. and when, after being
. member of the Senate for eighteen years, he
It last attained 10 the position OF presiding o.
hrer, thcrc was no one to say that lie did not
deserve the honor
Mr.. Wilsoa began his political carver as r
Wing. but, being an Aboli,ionisi by eoRvic-
ton. the slavery CITATION soon drove him into
the Fvce-Soil party ia fact, &c vas one OF the
founders Of the party in Massachusetts. lie
waS = member Of the National Convention that
nominated GeH. Taylor for President, and
"uol;ed' when the Convention ignored the
limo, proyisO in its platform. For this lac
was afterwards commended by Nr. Webster
He ven; 10 the BulAlo Convention and assist
"a in the nomination OF Martin Van Burca aud
Charles Francis Adams a the Fr,e-sOil cand-
dates for President and Vice President, and
from that time tors ard be Was recognized rs
one Of the leaders in the great anti-s!ayeFy
struggle. In 1851 be went into the coalition
with the Massachusetts, Democrats By which
George ). Boutwell, was elected Governor and
Charles Summer wa, sent TO the United States
Senate. In the meantime the Kansas difficulty
was precipiiaied, Massachusetts, became thor
oaghly aboliliouized. and in 1858, on the ex-
piration Of Edward Everett term in the Sen
ate, Henry Wilson was elected his successor as
the best representative Of the anii-slavery sen
iinnent OF the State. The polished orator and
scholar. whose fame Massachusetts, still loving
IN chrriShes, gave wav TO the ''Natick Cobbler, -
and who will say that his services were not as
brilliant and as useful as those Of his accom-
plshed predecessor?
In the great debates that eliminated in the
withdrawal of the Southern Senators and The
secession of the States which they represented,
Mr.. Wilson took prominent part He had
pluck-a quality of which there sas not SUI
pcEabundance on the Northern side in those
days, and his courageous utieranccs had a
mighty influence in strengthening public SEN
timent and in developing patriotic spirit
During the war he was Chair man of the Com
mitiee on Military Affairs, and in that position
assumed many weigh,y responsibilities and
bore them bravely through. During the re-
construction period he was one OF the leaders
on the Republican side, and was always found
fighting on the side of freedom and for the
rights of man" Nevertheless, the South
had no more sincere friend in the whole Union,
and during the last two years he appealed so
earnestly TO his party friends for peace and re-
concliation that in some quarters he was CALI
ed Conservative.
Since his election TO the Vice Presidency Mr..
Wilson's health has been feeble, and two years
ago'he had premonitions of the disease that fl
nally proved fatal At the last session of
Congress, as well as the one that preceded it,
he was only able to preside in the Senate for
short time, the chair being filled in turn by
Mr., Carpenter, Mr.. Anthony and Mr.. Ferry
Last spring he made trip TO the South for the
benefit of his health and was everywhere re-
cefved with demonstrations of the highest re-
spect He was even talked of rs candidate
for the Presidency whom the South would sup
port with great unanimity. But death has re-
moved him from the exalted station which he
already filled, and has put an end to all speeu-
lations as to higher honors. He did not attain
to the Presidency, but he secured place in the
hearts of his countrymen, and by them his
memory will be cherished us long as the record
of his patriotic services finds place in the his
tory Of the nation.