New Orleans Republican., 1875-11-23
HENRY WILSON.

States, died yesterday at Washington
Although for some time suffering from
Ill health, the news of the death of the
Vice President was quite unexpected, and
that the nation is deprived at this time o.
the services OF SO great and good states
man. causes universal regret.
Henry Wilson was born at Pennington.
New Hampshire, February Is, 1912. His
parents were extremely poor, and young
Wilson found himself obliged to earn a
livelihood for himself, which he com.
menced to do by working on farms near
his home. His education was neglected,
but he had learned self-reliance and the
habits of industry which ever after
served him, and made him worker in the
world From the atmosphere of the
Granite Hills he derived an energy and
stability of character which clung to him
through life. In 1882 Henry Wilson left
Pennington for Natick, Massachusetts,.
where he learned the trade of shoe
making, and we believe he was
a good shoemaker. though politicians
have frequently referred to him, on the
merciless stump, as the Natick cobbler.
Prospering in the ways of the world, he
did not neglect his mind he read much,
and gathered information from all sources.
His upward career was not unlike that of
Andrew johnson. In 1910 he was elected
to the House of Representatives of NIassa-
chuseets, as Wing. Subsequently, he
was sent to the General Assembly as
State Senator, and was elected President
OF the Senate twice during the four years
he served in the upper house. 1t was
then that he distinguished himself as de-
cidedly opposed to the institution of
slavery. He was active in the organiza-
ton of a free soil party in politics in
1s4S, and in 1852 presided at the meeting
of the Free Soil National Convention.
held at Pittsburg. In 1855 he was the
successor of Edward Everett in the
United States Senate He had kent
pace with the progressive ideas of
the day, and in that year he be-
came leader in the Republican party.
He was fearless in advocating the repeal
of the fugitive slave law, and the aboli-
ton Of slavery in the District of Columbia,
and by his efforts more than those of any
other member of Congress was pas sed the
bill of 1862, abolishing slavery in the dis
trict. In the years before the war he had
stood side by side with Charles Sumner,
his able colleague, and after Preston S.
Brooks-who represented the South with
his club-had assaulted Mr.. Sumner in
the Senate, the gentleman from South
Carolina challenged Mr.. Wilson to fight
duel for characterizing the assault as
''murderous, brutal and cowardly." Mr.
Brooks was informed that the Senator
from Massachusetts would not violate the
laws of his country by fighting duel, but
would hold himself ready for self-defense
if attacked. Mr.. Wilson was reelected to
the Senate in 18 g. and worked unceasing-
ly for progress, for freedom and for the
Union. He was chairman during the war
Of the important Committee on Military
Affairs, and he threw the full force of his
talents into the work of suppressing the
rebellion, setting the example of raising a
regiment early in the war. In 1872 he
was elected Vice President of the United
States, on the ticket with President Grant,
and as such has presided over the Senate
with rare tact and ability, ruling with
dignity, d, Gliding impartially, and perpet.
uating bis name as an honest patriot and
spotless statesman.
Henry Wilson was noble specimen of
what it is possible for poor boy to make
of himself in America. He had not the
advantages Of early education, like Charles
Sumner, which would have made all au-
thors and languages his servants he was
not reared in the polishing schools which
rounded and fashioned Edward Everett;
but alone he grappled with the problem
OF success in public life, and solved it.
He studied always, and learned what he
most wished to learn, and stored his mind
with practical facts. He was an eloquent
and forcible speaker, and stood In the
Senate the peer of Everett and Sumner in
strength and ability to discuss the ques-
tions of the day. Recounting his services
for universal freedom and for the pres
ervation of the Union, writer says: ''No
public man ever brought to the high du-
ties of great occasion more sympathy
for the toiling and the oppressed, or more
faith in the people and the democratic in
stitutions of his country" During his
later years, with more leisure to COM
mand, he has been at work on an elab-
orate history called 1.-The Rise and Fall |
of the Slave Power in America, which |
will survive him, and prove valuable |
contribution to American literature.
Vice President Wilson is mourned to-
day not only as one who was an Aboli.
Zionist, patriot and Republican, but as |
a representative man OF our young ma
ton. He was of the people and for the
people. He read men, and understood |
the measure and wants of the laborinQ
classes. He was temperate. frugal and |
incorruptible among his fellow-men, and