Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-24
william M. WadIey.

Years hence the compiler Of Georgia's
annals, and the historian who shall dwell
with admiration upon her worthless, must
perforce give a liberal space In the record
to William NJ. Wadley. In early life the
President OF the great railway system OF this
commonwealth was compelled to hard man
ual labor. He was not born in the purple,
or with silver spoon in his mouth; but,
like some of the most famous OF the worlds
heroes, lived lsborious days, was &C
auainted with sorrow and poverty, and had
to depend upon his own native talents and
indomitable energy for success. From the
lowest round of the ladder he has had to
climb, by slow and painful processes, to the
top. By no meteoric and eagle flights Of
genius has he shot to the summit of fame
and fortune. His march has been steady,
sure, persistent and victorious, but not rapid.
He had to conquer every inch OF ground
he occupied, and he never surrendered any
thing that ne won by his own effort. He
represents, therefore, the best type OF the
American man of affairs, who has drawn
his inspiration from the secrets OF nature
herself, and grown with the country that
filed him with an ambition peculiar to the
robuster character OF our people. Having
by individual powers conquered an uu-
promising condition, and having maintain
ed conquest by an intellect of sagscity that
was enlarged by triumph, Mr.. Wadley un-
derstands and appreciates the value OF his
struggle, and yet has retained the original
ideal that gave him mastership of men and
matter. He has not been spoiled by i'm
pressing his will and designs upon others.
The same stsunch material that made his
youth memorable has glorihed his later
wears, when, to use familiar metaphor, he
is like Etna, with a crown OF snow aud 8
heart of fire. Mr.. WadleY has often been
assailed as a stern maO, rigorous disciple
marian and hard competitor, but the path
he marked out to follow was not one of
''primrose dalliance," and the task he set
himself to accomplish required virtues more
than Spartan, and conduct that savored
rather of the Stole than the SVbarite. He
has been honest, true, faithful, enterpris-
ing, and, above all, just. What seemed
severity was Justice to himself and to the
great interests con6ded to his care. But
for this uufagging justice, which seemed, 70
superficial observation, almost cruel, the
grand work of his life, the consummate
mission of his career would have been de
feat and failure, instead OF triumph and
prosperity As his years advance, he behOlds
with exultant and most creditable pride
now his schemes for the glory and interest
of the South have been developed magnih-
Gently and acknowledged by all as the
crowning splendor Of a busy and useful eX
istence. His railway combinations reach
all parts of the Union, and are profitable
beyond the dream of vanity or expectation.
His superb steamships pillow the seas and
bring traffic to our ports. What has been
thus started, amid a thousand obstacles
and vexations, is as nothing to what those
who follow this illustrious and veteran pio-
neer will live to behold. Recognizing that
bis life is nearing the span accorded to the
common lot Of mankind, and solicitous
that nothing In the future shall imperil the
prodigies of the past, Mr.. Wadley, with q
still firm grasp upon the helm, recognizes
the necessity OF providing for the time
when he can no longer give to his
work the supreme cognizance OF an
earlier period. To this end he has drawn
to him, as Napoleon drew his Marshals, the
most consummate talent available in a
younger generation. Among the most &C
tive, energetic, alert and profound intel
lects thus made the sharers of his policy
and the inheritors OF his kingdom, there is
no one more conspicuous than W. G. RaOul,
who, now the second in command, will at
some future time, when the old chief vOlun-
tarily seeks the repose he has so dearly
earned, be the successor to one of the most
Mr. Wadley should have so trusted and
honored Mr.. Raoul, is Of itself sufficient
distinction; but it is due to Mr.. Raoul to
declare that he has qualities that make him
specially worthy OF this prominence, and
that he will not fail to add lustre to the vast
confidence reposed in him.
We have no fears of the verdict of the
annalist when an impartial pen shall sum up
the virtues of VIM. NJ. Wadley, and when
the generations to come will be witnesses
how his far-prevading mind has made Geor-
gia what the old economists despaired Of
accomplishment. Marvellous as this revela-
ton viii be, 1t cannot fail to have its match
in the grand self-abnegstion and patriotic
love of duty that impelled him, In the ra-
diant evening of life, to so confide authority
to juniors OF conspicuous merit, who will
continue nobly what-he had with infinite
hardship launched into coherent power.
1t is said that one OF the sublimest of
Athenian sculptors was ieered at when he
exhibited colossal statue Of hero upon
the ground. Its rough outlines evoked the
complaints of the multitude. "Wait," said
the artist, ''until the statue is placed upon
its lofty pedestal, as was intended from the
beginning" In due season the image was
elevated to It's proper position, and then the
spectators, behOlding the rough outlines of
the statue 'softened into symmetry by lit
tie distance, broke forth into the most rap
turous acclaim. And so, we think, will it
be with Mr.. Wadley. Here, close TO US,
sometimes having ways and methods differ
emit from our own, he may appear uncouth
and out of harmony with the softer moods
of weaker men. But the day will come
when he shall be viewed as the Greek sculp-
tors miracle in stone Then will It be readily
seen how monumental a man he really was,
and how, having "gone up higher" he dis
PLAYS the veritable grandeur of q king Of
men A1b01LstG Chronicle and CO7lStitIItlOndliSt