Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-07-03
THE PEOPLES LOSS.

NO man IN Tue AcIileuiy rulOy Gu hoio
extended acquaintance, warmer per-
sonal friendships, or held higher posi-
ton in public confidence. Those who
knew him best honored him most and
now mourn his loss.
Obediah B. McFadden, was born in
Washington County, Pennsylvania, in
1917. Nature endowed him with
broad and comprehensive mind, which
in his school-boy days brought him
prominently into notice, and which in
after life marked all his acts with de-
gree Of intelligence and purity which
won the confidence and admiration Of
all with whom he came in contact. He
was educated in his native State;
studied law, and was admitted to the
bar sometime in 1S43. In the same
year he was elected to represent his
county in the Legislature, which service
he performed with rare ability. In
1916 he was elected Prothonotary of the
Court of Common Pleas in his native
county, and in 1853, was appointed AS
sociate Justice of the Supreme Court of
Oregon. In 1854 he was appointed AS
sociate Justice of the Supreme Court of
Washington Territory, and in 1853
Chief Justice, which position he filled
until the fall of 1861. re
As Judge he was dignifed, yet
courteous. His decisions were always
brief and pointed, his reasoning clear
and forceable, and his conclusions were
seldom excepted to or appealed from.
He enjoyed alike the confidence of the
people and the bar. He was never
known to be unkined OF abrupt, and
the members of the bar who practiced
before him unite in praising the firm
yet gentle rule which governed his
Court. But as practicing lawyer he
displayed more fully these great and
varied accomplishments which he &C.
quired from nature, education and dill
gent application. He came to the bar
with his natural abilities cultured and
matured in his judicial position, by con-
slant labor and thought. On questions
of law his judgment was always sound,
and his natural wit, eloquence and
quickness of perception, made. him
famous as jury lawyer. His genial
and happy disposition made him hosts
of friends. This quality of the man,
coupled with the purity of his. motives
and the honesty of his purposes, as
evinced by every act of his life, made
him deservedly popular.
"'Tis to the virtue of such men, man owes,
His portion in the good that heaven bestows."
As politician he was trained in the
Old Democratic School, and whether
the principles OF his party were popular
or otherwise, he was always the same.
During the war, while representing us
in the Council. his acts show that his
heart was with the Union, and his voice
was the first that was raised to condemn
the attempt made to pass Specific
Contract law, having for its object the
reputation of the national currency.
His career in Congress was short, but
brilliant and successful. Elected as q
Democrat, and known to be the leader
of his party, he had to contend not only
with all that opposition which is Incl
dent to an adverse Congress and AID
ministration, but also the captious OPP
position of rival politicians and un-
scupulous men, who were willing to
check him in his career of usefulness il
thereby they could possibly advance
their own selfish schemes and ambition:
desires. But his happy faculty of mali
ing new friends, and retaining the old
ones, with his marked ability, his ardu-
GUS labors and persistency, overcome
much OF this opposition. When we
contemplate bis position with referenc.
to the Congress in which he served, and
the spirit of retrenehmcnt and reform
which prevailed the land, we are sur
prised at the number of appropriation
he secnred, and the unprecedented sue
cess which attended his labors.
After the adjournment of the frs
session Of Congress. while in his nativ
State. be was stricken down with inAam
matory Rheumatism, which came nea
proving fatal. And hers we have evi
dencs Of the public appreciation an
esteem in which he was held among hi
old neighbors. The newspapers dali
recorded the condition of his health
the people from all sections called t
uan hs.n ~,.1 thnNTfa,no.-o