The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-11-14
From the Daily oregonian.
zACHARIAH CHANDLER.

whose death is announced, was never among
the great leaders of the thought of the coun-
try, he has for many years been distinguish
ed among those who have been looked to as
embodying the earnestness, patriotism and
fearlessness of the great masses who have
carried the country triumphantly through a
most stormy and dangerous period. His
death, therefore, is an event which attracts
universal notice and calls fortllEery general
expressions of regret. Zachar1ah Chandler
was born at Bedford, N. H. Dec. 10. 1913.
Like so many of New England's earnest
and adventurous young men, he went west
at an early age, and pushing into business
became highly successful merchant. In
1857, when the national conscience was just
becoming thoroughly awakened on the sub
ject of slavery, he was elected to the United
States Senate. The people of Michigan
knew him for forceNof character, for fidelity
to the growing conviction of the north that
the time had come to resist the aggressions
of the slave power, and for a most vigorous
and unquailing courage. The times demand
ed such men, and in him his constituents
proved that they were not mistaken He
was one of the strong pillars of the admin
istration of Lincoln during the war. In the
political struggles which preceded the war
he was one of the few undaunted men who
braved the insolence of the secessionists,
defed their power, and foretold their over
throw. Among the first to divine their pur-
poses, he told the country that they meant
rebellion and the disruption of the union.
He was not an orator, and yet his speeches
were characterized by an extraordinary di-
rectness, fearlessness and force. There was
not in his manner anything of the courtly
suavity of Seward, nor in his style anything
of the stately and lofty defamation of
Sumner He and Ben Wade, for many
years contemporaries in the Senate, much
resembled each other in certain points of
manner and character. Both possessed re-
markable boldness, and both had an Incl
sive plainness of speech that expressed in a
few words all there was to be said on SUBJ
ject While Seward and Sumner would de-
liver speeches, which they had wrought into
most elaborate orations, setting forth to the
country the irrepressible conflict and the
aims of the slave power, Chandler and
Wade, in occasional speeches of dozen
lines, interjected here and there in the
course of the extended debates of the time,
would send their shafts right to the mar
row of the subject, disconcerting political
opponents and furnishing political friends
with texts and tests by which to Judge the
movements and tendencies of the rising con-
fict Chandler became intensely hated by
political opponents, solely on account of his
uncompromising hostility to confederate
democratic schemes and the courageous
manner in which he denounced them.
Hence for many years he has been most
bitterly assailed by every degree of political
opposition. In time it came to be thought
by class of persons in his own party that
his stalwartism" was extreme So in
1874 they combined with the democrats to
prevent his reelection to the Senate, and
succeeded. But the man who had been
chosen in his place (Mr. Christiancy) did not
serve out his term. When President Hayes
came into Office Christiancy resigned the
Senatorship and accepted mission to a
South American state. Meantime the peo-
pie of Michigan had begun to realize that
Chandler was. after all, the man whom they
wanted in the Senate. After his retirement
had made him secretary of the interior, the
duties of which he discharged in so efficient
manner as to disarm the criticism which
attended his appointment to the Office. After
the expiration of his term in this position
the people of his State gladly seized the op-
portnnity to send him back to the Senate
to fill the place vacated by Chrlstiancy's s
resignation. He was just the man to en-
counter the returned brigadiers in the SEN
ate. His famous speech of ten minutes last
winter, in reply to those who were defend
ing the rebellion and praising the patriotism
of the principal actors in it, dumfounded
the Southern Senators and their northern
allies and rendered it impossible even to at
tempt reply. Chadler had qualities which
rendered him most useful man in crisis
like that through which the country has
passed while he has been in political life.
There can be no doubt that he would have
been reelected to the Senate had he lived.
He was, undenlably, an exponent of the
stalwart Republican sentiment of Michigan,
and though no man is ever essential to a
great cause, it will not be easy for Michigan
at this time to supply his place.
Senator Chandler was chairman of the
Republican national committee. 1t is prob
able that the committee will soon meet to
take proper action in respect to his memory,
and also to elect a successor to the chair
manship. This last will be necessary in
view of the approaching national contest.
The remains of Senator Chandler
while lying in state, in the City Hall,
of Detroit, Michigan, was visited by
vast concourse of people, all anx.
ious to take look at the dead Sem
ator. His coffin was trimed elabor-
ately with floral crosses aud ever.
greens; at the foot of the casket
was placed sheaf Of wheat with a
white floral sickle, forming a beauti-
ful and touching symbolism of the.
ripe usefulness of the departed. be-
fore being cut down by the reaper,
death.