New-York tribune., 1878-03-04
SKETCH or MR.. WADF,S CAREER.

Hills Parish, West Springfield. Mass. on the 9th
of October 1900, being the youngest of ten chill
dren. His father was a Revolutionary soldier, who
ia said to have fought in every important battle
from Bunker Hill to Yorktown. His mother was
the daughter Of a Presbyterian clergyman a woman
of remarkable strength OF character. who, While tie
father was III tho army. cared for the large 1amlly
which was in straitencd circumstances. There was
in the house a library Of about dozen Volumes
and these the boy read and !eread agalH and again
He worked rs a farmer dUI!ng Summer, attenulhg
school in the Winter, until lie was eighteen years
old. when, with 81 in his pocket and a
bundle Of clothing he started foot for Illinois
Reaching Ashtabula County. Clio, he determined to
wait there until Spring en- ~ gng himself to cut wood
at so cents a cord. He abandoned his intention of
proceeding to Illinois. and became a drOyer six
times making trips with cattle to Ncw-Iork. We
hear of him next AZ Albany, keeping SCHOOL Ill the
Winter, while in the Summer hc worked a. ,aborer
on the Erie Canal, then in the process Of consfuc-
ton. "Nlr. Wade" said Senator Seward, in speech
in the Senate "wdS the only American l know who
worked with a spade and wheelbarrow on that
great improvement" Then came another VIM
ter of schooi-teaching in OHIO lie was twenty-sX
wears old when he determined TO stndy lew,
being advised SO TO 90 and much encouraged by the
Hon. Elijah Wlittiesoy. lie admitted to the
Bar in Ashtabua County, in 1928. The story IS
told that he would have been quite unable TO par
sue his studies had not q friendly taycrn-kccpcr
offered 10 tIust him for III, board. After opening
his office, it is recorded that he waited IN entire
year for his first client. He went into the case CON
amore and secured "A verdict, the presiding Judge
aftcrwaTd giving him a word of encouragement. lie
continued to be hard student of law his efforts
began to attract attention, and within six years he
came to be employed in almost every important case
tired in the circuit lie had taken the fast step TO
competence and fame.
his ENTRY INTO POLITICAL LIE.
In 1885, Mr. Wade was elected prosecuting oihcer
of Ashtabula County. Ia 1887 he reluctantly ac-
Cepted nomination iOr the State Senate, and was
elected. He always insisted that this was the great
mistake of his life, and that he would have been
much happier and more successful mau If he had
stuck to the law As Senator, he served upon the
Judiciary Committee, and, among other bills
brought in one for the abolition Of Imprisonment
for debt. He was Wig at that time II politics.
and soon became one of tie leading of hs party
in Ohio. When the question of the annexation
of Texas came, he distinguished himself by
his vigorous opposition TO that measure and
began to exhibit the strong anti-slayery feeling
which characterized his subsequent political career
He spoke boldly of the scheme the sole object
of which was an extension OF the " accused system
of human bondage and he added: "So help Inc
God. Will never assist in adding one rood oi slave
territory TO this country" Mr.. Wade also presented
the petition of the negroes If OHIO fer relief from
oppressive State laws. and lie demanded that all
laws might lie repealed making distinctions among
the people Of Ohio Oh account of color Ihs was
bold language to use al that time when hardly
any progress had been made in ,OftcnluR the eX-
treme caste prejudice OF the country. Nr. Wade
alarmed his party friends and encouraged his
party encmls. The Senate at first refused TO rc
ceye the petitions Of the Blacks Mr, Wade in
sisted ,hat they must be received and toy were,
only to be laid immediately upon The table lis hu
nauity cost him his seat HIS party. under the
influence OF C0Orphoba, refused 20 rcnomlHatc hin.
He took his rejection, however, very easily, and
quietly went back to his law. Then and there, he
determined to have nothing more 20 do with poll
tics but the excitement of tho campaign OF 1910
led him TO break his resolution. For the first time
IN his life be became stump orator. ana his paln
talks in support of General Harrison were
found 10 he highly effective lie travelled over
the whole Western Reserve. speaking to the great
mass-meet ings, and working without cessation.
No speeches were more relisGcd by the people than
his. After the election over, he went back to
his law Office. At the fDrty-One years lie mar
ried Miss Caroline VI. Rosckrans, Of Mdllctown,
Comp, and the union was h3ppy one. U!stwochll-
dTcn, both sons distinguished themselves IN the
Union Army during the late rebellion. In 1871 he
was rendered nomination Tor the STATE rcnate,
which be declined In spite OF ms refusal his irendS
persisted i'm voting for him, and lie was returned by
a LARGELY II
renewed his anti-slaveIy iabofs. Ohio at that time
had a might've slave law Of her own, en-
acted. 1t. may, almost be said at the
Sr"I for the re repeal Of thi; was presented by blr:
Wade, and lie supported the prayer IN speech Of
The passage of the bill for the incorporation Of Ober
lin College. i'll which all might be educated without
regard to age color. 1t required moral courage
which in these different times, can hardly be COM
pretended 10 propose such mcasure-hOw much
may be inferred from the fact that the Senate then
voted down the bill, though il was afterwards passed.
All this time Mr. Wade was the chamlonoi the Tight
of petition then too often denied In 1887, Con-
gress had determined to lay upon the table all pet
TONS memorials and papers touching the ab0tlOn
Of slavery without debate 10 further action beng
permitted thereon. This outrage naturally aWak
cued the ind ynation Of the anti-slavcTy people of
Ohio who asked the Legislature tOprotost against the
obnoxious rule. The matter was rcforrrd to MI
Wade as "a special committee, and his report In de-
ton and was widely circulated as an effective
ant-slavery document. He also vigorously sus-
tanned the course of john Quincy Adams in opposing
gag rules in Congress, ana nahfuly oplO' llc re-
solution by which the Democratic majority III the
Legislature sustained the Atherton rule
HIS ELECTION TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
From 1912 to 1S47, again determined to leave
public life, Mr. Wade held 10 office, and devoted
himself diligently to the profession to which he was
so much at tached. In the year last named he was
elected bv the Legislature, President Judge of the
lid Judicial District Of the State of Ohio. His
popularity at this time was great, and he came to
the bench possessed of the unqualified confidence OF
the whole community. His district comprised the
important counties OF Ashtabula, Truubull, Ma,
honing Portage and summit lie filed he Judicial
Office to the entire acceptance Of the bar and the
public until March, 1851. Then. greatly 20 ms
own astoushment since he even did not Know That
ho was to DE a candidate, he elected 10 the SEN
ate of the United States When the news Of ms
election reached him, he was engaged III trying q
cause A firing OF cannon was heard and great
shouting and then messenger came running into
tLe conTt-room with the intelligence which Datur-
ally created much excitement. Judge Wade left tLe