Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-06-25
ty in 1851, and was elected its Speaker at

ty in 1851, and was elected its Speaker at
that session.
With the close of the long session of the
Legislature of 1851, in which Mr.. English
had earned golden opinions from men of
all parties, he was justly regarded as one
of the foremost men of the state, and the
Democrats of his district with great unan-
unity solicited him to become their stand
ard bearer in the race for Congress. He
was nominated, and in October, 1852, was
elected by 4SS majority over John D. Fer
guson, now deceased, with whom he was
always on terms of the warmest personal
friendship.
MIR. English was All active participant in
the canvass which resulted in the election
of Franklin Pierce over General Winfield
Scott.
MIR. English entered congress at the be-
ginning of Pierce's administration and re-
mained in the House until Buchanan's s
term, retiring from public life at the close
of the memorable session of 1861. He be-
came particularly prominent as the author
of the g English bill,' which passed con-
gress after long and bitter controversy
between the political parties of the day.
The bill was compromise, removing an
angry issue between the Senate and
House of Representatives, and placing it
in the power of the people of Kansas,
by vote, to either prevent or secure
admission as state under the Lecompton
constitution as they might determine. The
Senate had passed bill admitting Kansas,
under the LecomptOn constitution, with
out limit or condition but this bill, al
though it commanded the favor of the
president and his cabinet, failed to receive
the sanction of the House Of Representa-
tlves. The House, on the other hand,
passed a bill as a substitute for that of the
Senate but this the Senate would not ac-
cept or the executive approve. In this
stage of the proceedings, when the
whole country had abandoned the
hope of a settlement of the disagree
ment between the two houses and the
angry contest was likely to be adjourned
for further and protracted agitation be-
fore people already intlamed with sec
tional animosities, Mr.. English took the
responsibility of moving to concur in the
proposition Of the Senate, asking for q
committee Of free conference. The excite
mcnt upon the occasion had scarcely ever
been equaled in the House of Representa-
tives. Upon adopting this motion the
vote was 1OS to 1OS, but the speaker voted
in the affirmative and the motion carried.
From this committee Mr.. English reported
what is known as the "English bill, :"
which tecame the law after a
struggle of unparalleled bitterness. Under
this law the question of admission
under the Lecompton constitution was in
effect referred back to the people of Kan
sas and they voted against it, just as Mr..
English and almost every one else expect
ed they would do. Even Mr.. Greeley ad
mitted in his book, that the vote cast on
the proposition submitted by the English
bill "was, in effect, to reject the Lecomp-
tion constitution Thus was the result
accomplished which Mr.. English had con-
tended for from the beginning, and there
is no Inconsistency in his record upon this
subject. On the final vote, which admitted
Kansas as state he was still a member
and voted for her admission.
In the meantime the shadows of the
great civil war began to be visible to his
experienced vision. Mr. English was then
a member of the national campaign CON-
mitteee. He was not a delegate to the
Charleston convention, but he went to
Charleston to do what he could as peace
maker, to prevent, if possible, the division
OF the Democratic party. Disguised with
politics and tired of public life, he declined
a denomination for Congress in 1860, and
entered upon business career. He was
offered the command of regiment by
Governor o. p. Morton, who had long
been his personal friend. This he declined,
but he remained firm and cOnsistest ad-
vocate OF the Union cause throughout the
struggle. "He trusted that the bitter cup
OF civil war might be passed from our lips
and he would exhaust every possible
means of maintaining the peace but if
nothing will do but war, then we must all
stand or fall together
Removing to the city of Indianapolis,
MIR. English Immediately identified himself
with important business movements. Chief
among these was the organization of the
FIRST National bank, which was the earliest
institution under the new national bank
ing system in Indiana. He was placed at
the head of the bank as president-a po-
sitiOn which he continued to hold until
1877. His management was marked by
great judgment and energy, and the bank
holds rank equal to that of any of the
leading financial institutions of the United
States. His knowledge of business,
of finances, and of the needs of the
country was comprehensive. He was
tainly opposed to extreme and hasty legis-
latiOn looking to forced resumption With
regard to gold and silver as the standards
of value, and to the absolute necessity of
Ultimate resumption, no man in the coun-
Try was more pronounced in his declaration.
The heresy of an irredeemable paper cur
'ency found in Mr.. English an uncom-
OppOnent-in fact, he was in ac-
ord with everything but the prevailing
Democratic doctrine on the finances held !
~ the mass of his party in Indiana.
MIR. English is above the average height, |
With an erect, well-made figure. His head !
of good size, with regular features. His
is high and broad, and his eyes
ro small and deep-set. He is digniied
nd gentlmanly in his mariners, and has a
leasing address. When in Congress, his
fforts as debater were more remarkable
or practical common sense than for bril-
ancy or the flowers of rhetoric.
The Democratic National Committee.
The following are the new national com