The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-03-14
tFron the ". Y. Tribune. }
BENJAMIN T. Wade.

familiar in the mouths Of millions Of
American freemen. His record covers
the history Of the Republic duringa most
important era Of its existence. Whenev.
er the slavery agitation shall be recalled,
he will be accorded whatever praise may
be due TO the most persistent and con
sistent. undismayed and answering op-
ponents Of the institution. He did not
belong TO the class Of public men who,
with the change in popular feeling. be-
came sufficiently numerous and, after
having been trimmers, finally discovered
the iniquity and the impolicy Of human
bondage. Those who read any Of the
numerous sketches which Mr. Wade's
death will call out. will find that from
the moment in which he became n legis.
lator he was a pronounced anti-slavery
reformer. lie did not follow so much as
lead thelittle handful called Anti.Slavery
Wings. He did not hesitate to speak, so
early as 1887, Of "the accursed system. q"
But he went much further than those
who merely opposed the admission Of
Texas to the Union. It required no or
binary moral courage to move at that
time the repeal Of all laws making dis
tinctions among the people Of Ohio on
account Of color-how much il required
is proved by the fact that Mr.. Wades
honest valor cost him his public place
OF course such a man, in the prime Of
life and in the full vigor Of his intellect
ual abilities, was not so easily ostracised.
Against his own wishes, he was soon sent
back to the State Senate. 10 begin again
his anti-slavery work, which never ceased
until emancipation removed all occasion
for il.
II we should be asked to designate the
most honorable as well as the rarest quail.
ity, Of Mr.. Wade's public character, we
should be tempted to find il in his com
parative indifference to mere political
success. He was always saying. no doubt
with the most perfect sincerity, that he
was heartily sorry that he had abandon.
ed the practice Of the law for any public
position. This philosophical feeling made
him difficult to manage. Nothing could
be done with one who never calculated
the chances of q reelection. Neither
caucus nor convention had any terrors
for n member who was accustomed TO
look back TO the time when he was n
county judge as the happiest Of his life.
He was precisely the kind Of statesman
wanted in these days, and seldom found.
Success never spoiled him. The bauble
OF the Presidency never modified his
sense Of right and wrong He could
serve, but he could also watch and wait
lie could stay in Washington and be
honest, but he could not be dishonest
that he might stay in Washington lie
had erased the word compromise" from
his vocabulary, at the time when com
promise was thought to be the precious
secret of all successful statesmanship;
and he turned his back upon his old par
ty the moment that party turned its back
upon its old principles.
There has never been an American
statesman who had more thoroughly
than Mr.. Wade the courage Of his opin.
ions lie astonished the Southern FIRE
eaters by showing that his ability TO eat
fire was quite equal to their own. When
they tuned and clustered. he was not
one whit less calm and firm. When they
were insolent, he retorted in language Of
proper resentment When they limited
at assassination, he put pair Of pistols
in his desk. and thus showed that he un-
perfectly well the first princi-
plies Of selEdefence. Mr.. Douglas was
not an easy antagonist to encounter-no-
body could be quicker or more thorough
ly in earnest; but we believe that he
never had a passage at arms with Mr..
W
he was worsted ignominiously.
Mr.. Wade's bravery extorted compli-
ments from some Of the most turbulent
Of the defenders of slavery. They ad.
mitted that they knew Just where he
stood and just what he meant while
there were Northern Senators Of whom
they could not say so much. Even the
chivalry" were obliged to respect one
kf nN NJ n n
could not be crushed-who went straight
10 his work, and, as he said OF himself,
could not be blutfed of by the mere
form OF shadow Of thing"
Such a man as Senator Wade, when the
War Of the Rebellion came, was inyalua.
BILE. He went directly to the heart Of
the matter, and was afraid Of no measure,
provided il was sufficiently vigorous. lie
was among the foremost in comprehend.
ing and distinctly declaring that the war
meant emancipation nor was he alarmed
at its natural sequence, negro suffrage -
When the opportunity came for moving
in the matter, he brought in n bill
the suffrage TO the colored peo.
pie Of the District Of Columbia. IL was
excellent then to see this man. born in a
humble position, hampered and hindered
by poverty IN his childhood and his early
victor over the accidents OF his
life, bravely speaking for the down trOd
ten, and the Door and ignorant, and
for them the palladium OF the
ballot He ended as he began-he was
consistent TO the last He was heard
from occasionally in his retirement in a
way which proved that the old spirit was
still unsubdued. lie still feared conces-
sion. He had all his old horror Of com
promise; and il he did not always speak
wisely OF the policy Of the Administration,
he at least left the country in no doubt
his opinions. lie had long
and he had lived long life. He
could not forget that he had once fought
the beasts at Ephesus.
We must not lament the departure OF
one who had lived more than three score
and ten years, and whose last days were
A prolonged and painful struggle with
death. We may, however, regret that he
leaves behind him so few who are as he
was, the best product of our sturdy work
ing classes. Tie was a thorough demo
crat, using the word in its proper and not
in its partisan sense. There are public
characters more highly cultivated, men
Of books and men Of manners, brilliant
Of speech and yersed in the arts by which
is won and kept but where
shall we find another old Spartan such
as he was, who. without sacrificing to the
graces. had always the higher grace Of an
veracity and the crowning
glory OF an unselfish philanthropy
1t has been proved that Reed, who was
nominated by Hayes for Marshal Of Ala.
bama, was an editor during the war and
advocated the assassination Of the Posi-.