Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-09-28
HENDRICK B. WRIGHT.
ONE OF pENNsYLyANIA's OLDEST PUBLIC
MEN,

ONE OF PENNsYLyANIA's OLDEST PUBLIC
MEN.
Hon. Hendrick b. Wright, who
died at his home in Wilkes. Barre, on
the I'd inst, in the 74th year of his
age, was one Of tho oldest and greatest
of public men. Mr., Wright had u
National reputation. He was born in
| Plymouth, this State, April 90, 1903
His father came from the stock Wm.
Penn brought to this country, and
was farmer in comfortable circum-
stances. Mr.. Wright passed his youth.
iul years on his fathers farm, sharing
in the labor incident TO farmers life.
His father gave him the best educa-
tional advantages the schools In the
vicinity afforded aud subsequently
sent him to Dickinson College. After
graduating from that institution in
1929, he studied law, and having pre-.
pared himself by n rigid course Of
study was admitted TO the bar in 1891,
and IN an exceedingly short time took
rank as one Of the ablest practitioners
in the country. His eloquence in
pleading before a jury won for him
very profitable clientage.
In 1894, at the age of twenty.six, he
was appointed District Attorney for
Luzerne county by George NJ. Dallas,
then Attorney General and afterward
Vice President In lS4l he was elect.
ed to the State Legislature, and re.
elected in 1912; again returned in |
lS43, he was elected Speaker of the
House. During his service in the
Legislature bis name was associated |
with three measures which he intro. |
duced First the Stay law, which he
himself drafted, providing that goods |
attached should be appraised, and, III
not bringing two.thlrds ofthe appraise-
ment, the sale should be stayed sec.
ond, law aboishing the practice of
lmprisomng poor debtors; third, bill
to do away with the system of solitary
confinement in prison.
The Stay law was enacted at the
session of 1912. Many still live who
can testify to its having been an i'm
mense advantage TO numbers who
were financially embarrassed. tempo 4
rarily, by the depressed condition of
the trade Of the country during the
years Immediately preceding, and of
no injury ultimately to single cred
itor. The debtor Imprisonment repeal
law he and Judge Elwell were together
largely Instrumental in having passed
Both were members of the Judiciary
Committee in which the measure was
perfected, He failed to secure the
passage of the third mentioned article.
In May, 1914, Mr. Wright was
delegate TO the Democratic National
Convention and was elected both TEN.
porary and permanent Chairman.
That Convention lasted a week and
nominated Polk and Dallas. He was
a delegate TO the subsequent conven.
tions which nominated Cass, Pierce,
Buchanan, Douglas, Seymour and
Tilden. Mr.. Wright was elected to
Congress in 1852, but was defeated in
1854 by the Know Nothing element.
Upon the breaking out OF the rebellion
in 1861 he was again called from his
retirement the nomination being ten
dered by both political parties. He
accepted, and, of course, was elected,
and amid the perplexities and dangers
surrounding Congress during the two
eventiul years following he was dis.
tipguished as consistent and untir.
ing advocate. .oi an undivided Union.
Mr.. Wright strongly opposed and
voted against the creation of the Ma.
tional banking system. In 1872 Mr..
Wright was a Democratic candidate
for Congressman.at.large, and received
the endorsement Of the Workingmen's
Convention. He was, however, de.
teated at the polls, though running
ahead of his ticket. He then, for
time, withdrew from public life. About
1874 Mr. Wright began to pin his
faith to the Greenback party, and as
the Democrats of the State were then
coquetting with the Greenbackers, Mr..
Wright was chosen to preside over
the Democratic State Convention at
Erie, in the year Of the Ohio Allen
campaign, lie was subsequently
made Chairman of the State Central |
Committee ofthe party, and personally |
conducted the campaign, paying out
of his own pocket large proportion
of the expenses attending it.
The defeat of Allen in Ohio dis.
heartened the Greenbackers and Dem.
ocrats, but Mr., Wright still clung
stubbornly TO the advocates Of inha.
ton. In 1876 the Workingmen of his
district called him from his retirement,
and in mass Convention nominated him
for Congress. The Democracy ratified |
their nomination, and he was elected.
In 1878 he was returned by an increas.
ed majority His record in Congress
is familiar TO the whole country. En-.
tering that body again after the lapse
OF several years as the special repre-
sentative of the labor cause, chosen on
account OF his wellknown and freely |
expressed views on questions directly |
concerning the industrial classes, he
sought TO alleviate their lot as far as
Legislative enactment could accomplish.
His efforts in many respects were mis-
directed as he supported number OF
wild and foolish schemes. In 1880 he
ran as a straightout Greenback cahdi.
date for Congress, and was defeated
by the Republican candidate, Joseph
A. Scranton, who secured l3,455 votes.
The Democratic candidate, ID. W.Con-
molly, had 10,9lS votes, while Wright
had but AHA. He was an excellent
lawyer and held large and lucrative
practice, During bis leisure moments
be found time 10 write two books, one
the "Reminiscences Of Plymouth" and
the other "a Practical Treatise on
Labor" He was wealthy, and leaves
family OF grown up children.
HE NEEDS A REVISED CopY.-An OK
change says; A sure bet jenkins
was travelling in Missouri last year
just before the Presidential election,
and in the car just across from him two
men were arguing as TO the probable
result of the election. Says one "Han.