Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-06-25

Mr.. English as expressed in his minority re-
port. 1t embodied what was regarded as the
true Democratic form of government, under
the constitution as it then stood, and through
all the phases of legislation which related to
the right of the people to determine the
character of their domestic institutions dur
ing Mr.. Enollsh's Congressional career be
never wavered in his firm adherence to that
principle.
The agitation of the slavery question con-
tinued and eliminated in Congress upon the
proposition to admit Kansas into the Union
under what was known as the Lecompton
constitution, which did not prohibit the
institution of slavery, and it was at this
period of Mr.. English's Congressional his
| tory that he acquired his widest reputation
as statesman. He was firmly opposed to
the admission of Kansas under the Lee
compton constitution until that instrument
had been ratified by vote of the people,
and 30 true was he to his convictions that
he opposed the policy of the administration
of his own party upon the measure. 1t was
| the turning point in the history of the
country, and the position assumed and main
| tanned by Mr.. English in that long and ex
citing contest was the browning glory of his
Congressional life. He was "anti-Lecomp-
| ton " from principle and not from hostility
to the administration opposition did not
intimidate him, danger did not afrightAim.
He shrank from no duty, and while his ut
terances were bold they were consistent
with the right, with duty aud with the best
interests of the country.
The Senate saw proper to pass bill ad-
hitting Kansas, under the Lecompton CON
stitution, without limit or condition; but
this bill, although it commanded the favor
of the President and his cabinet, failed to
| receive the sanction of the House of Repre-
sentstives. The House, on the other hand,
passed bill as substitute for that of the
Senate; but this the Senate would not ACCEPT
or the executive approve. Thus was an issue
| formed between great Co ordinate branches
of the government, whose joint and har-
monious action could alone remove the dan
gerous question and give peace to the coun-
| try.
In this stage of the proceedings, when the
| whole country had about abandon
ed the hope of settlement of the disagree
ment between the houses, and the angry
contest was likely to be adjourned for further
| and protracted agitation before people al
ready infamed with sectional animosities,
Mr.. English took the responsibility of NOV
| ing to concur in the proposition of the
Senate, asking for committee of free con-
ference. The excitement upon the occasion
had scarcely ever been equalIed in the House
of Representatives. Upon adopting this
motion the vote was 108 to 108, but the
| Speaker voted in the affirmative and the mo-
| ton carried. From this committee Mr..
English reported what is known as the
l., oI, kka 10
struggle of unparalleled bitterness. Under
| this law the question of admission under the
| Lecompton constitution was in effect referred
back to the people of Kansas and they voted
against it, Just as Mr.. English and almost
every one else expected they would do. Even
so bitter partisan as Mr.. Greeley then was,
admitted in his book that the vote cast on
the proposition submitted by the English
bill ''was, in effect, to reject the Lecompton
constitution" Thus was the result accom-
plished which Mr.. English had commended
for from the beginning, and there is no in
consistency in his record upon this subject.
On the final vote which admitted Kansas as
State he was still q member and voted for
her admission.
RETIREMENT FROM CONGRESS-.
After the passage of the English bill'' a
very determined effort was made to prevent
Mr.. English's reelection to Congress, but he
was returned by larger maj ority than ever.
There had been no change insthe boundaries
of his district, but his career, in this as in
everything else, had been upward and on
ward his majority gradually increasing at
each election from 400 in 1852 to 1000 in
1853, and this at time when Democratic
oil ont Of avis
tence in the northern States. At the close
of the Thirty-sixth Congress, and when in
| the full meridian of success, never having
| been defeated before the people, and with
fair prospect of being advanced to still
higher political honors, he retired from Con-
| eress and active political life as an office
| holder. AS chairman of the committee on
resolutions at the convention of 1864, which
nominated his friend, Michael @. Kerr, for
Congress from his old district, Mr.. English
prepared and reported resolution, which
was adopted, declaring:
"That we are now, as We ever have been,
unqualifiedly in favor of the union of the
States under the constitution, and stand
ready, as we have ever stood heretofore, to
| do everything that loyal and true citizens
should do to maintain that union under the
constitution, and to hand it down to our
children unimpaired IS we received it from
our fathers"
To these sentiments of loyalty to the
union Mr.. English firmly and consistently ad-
hered throughout the struggle. his fidelity
never wavered, nor did his doubts ever gain
an ascendancy over his convictions that the
union would be preserved.
FINANCIAL RECORD.
| At the close of his useful and honorable
Congressional services Mr.. English was con-
fronted with the fact that new departure
in his business life was inevitable. He had
abandoned active politics and declined Of
fetal position. He had grown rusty in the
law, but his native energy forbade that he
should remain quiet. At this juncture he
concluded to embark in the business of
banking, and, in connection with j. F. d.
Lanier, % New York, and George W. Riggs,
of Washington city, he established, in the
spring of 1868, the First National bank OF
Indianapolis. The bank was among the
| first organized in the United States under
the national system and the very first to get
out its circulation. Mr.. English's connection
with this bank brought him into great prom
inence as a fnancier, and in this position, as
in other places of great responsibility, he
displayed consummate ability. During the
period OF his connection with the First Ma
tional bank the question of national finances
excited the profoundest solicitation and en-
gagged the attention of the best thinkers in
the country. During the entire period of
that discussion Mr.. English's views were well
understood. No mans opinions were less
squivocal. His knowledge of business finan-
oes and of the needs of the country was
comprehensive. He was opposed to infia-
ton, and as certainly opposed TO extreme
and hasty legislation looking to forced re
sumption. With regard to
gold and silver as the
standards Of value, and to the absolute nee
essity of ultimate resumption, no man in
the country was more pronounced in his de-