Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-09-03
hENDRICK b. WRIGHT.
Death of the Veteran congressman at His
Homo In Wllkesbarre-One of
Pennsylvania's Oldest Pub


Homo In Wllkesbarre-One of
Pennsyivania's Oldest Pub
lie Men.
Hon. Hendrick B Wright breathcd hi.
last at little after IL o'clock yesterday
morning, at his residence Oh River street,
in Wilkesbarre. He was a few months
past seventy three and died of dropsy,
superinduced by liver complications.
Mr.. Wright had national repu-
tation. He was born in Plymouth,
this state, April 20, 1903. His
father came from the stock William
Penn brought to this country, and was a
farmer in comfortable circumstances. Mr..
Wright passed his youthful years on his
fathers farm, sharing in the labor incident
to farmers life. His father gave him
the best educational advantages the schools
in the vicinity afforded and subsequently
sent him to Dickinson college. After
graduating from that institution in 1929,
he studied law, and having prepared him
self by rigid course of study was admit
ted to tho bar in 1881, and in an exceeding
ly short time took rank rs one of tho
ablest practitioners in tho country. His
elOquence in pleading before q jury won
for him very profitable clicntage.
In 1884, at the age of twenty six. he was
appointed district attorney for Luzernc
county by George NJ. Dallas, then attor-
ney general aud afterward vice presi
dent. In 1871 he was elected to the state
Legislature, and reelected in 1S42 again
returned in 1S43. he was elected speaker
of the House. During his service in the
Legislature his name was associated with
three measures which he introduced
First, the stay law, which he himself
drafted. providing that goods attached
should be appraised, and, if not bringing
twO-thirds of the appraisemcnt, the sale
should be stayed second. Il law abolish
ing the practice of imprisoning poor debt.
Ors third, a bill to do away with the sys-
tenn of solitary confinement in prison.
The stay law was enacted at the session
Of 1912. Many still live who c'n testify
to its having been all immense advantage
to numbers who were financially cmbar-
rassed, temporarily, by the depressed con-
ditiOn of the trade of the country during
the years Immediately preceding, and of no
injury ultimately to single creditor. The
debtor imprisonment repeal law no and
Judge Elwell were together largely instru
mental in having passed. Both were mem
bers of the judiciary committee in which
the measure was perfected. He failed to
secure the passage of the third mentioned
orticle,
In May, 1914, Mr.. Wright was a dele.
gate to the Democratic national cOnven.
tion and was elected both temporary and
permanent chairman. That convention
lasted week and nominated Polk and
Dallas. He was delegate to the subse.
quent conventions which nominated Cass,
Pierce, Buchanan, Douglas, Seymour and
Tilden. MIR. Wright was elected to Con-
gress in 1852, but was defeated in 1854 by
the Know-NOthing element. Upon the
breaking out of tho rebellion in 1861 he
was again called from his retirement, the
being rendered by both politi-
cal parties. He accepted, aud, OF course.
was elected, and amid the perplcxities and
dangers surrounding Congress during the
two evcntful years following he was dis
tinguisbed as a consistent and untiring
advocate of an undivided Union.
Mr.. Wright strongly opposed and voted
against the creation of tho national bank
ing system. In 1872 MIR. Wright was q
Democratic candidate for congressman-at-
arge, and received the endorsement of the
|VOrkingmen's convention. He was, how
'ver, defeated at the polls, though running
head of his ticket. lie then, for a time,
from public life. About 1874 |
lr. Wright began to pin his faith to the
ireenback party, aud as the Democrats of |
he state were then coquetting with tho |
'reenbackers, Mr.. Wright was chosen to |
reside over the Democratic state conven-
ion at Eric, in the year of the Ohio Allen |
He was subsequently made |
hartman of the state central committee !
f tho party, and personally conducted the |
ampaign, paying out of his own pocket a |
arge proportion of tho expenses attending
t.
The defeat Of Allen in Ohio disheartened |
he Greenbackers and Democrats, but Mr..
Wright still clung stubbornly to the ad-
coates of initiation. In 1876 the Work
ngmen of his district called him from his
and in mass convention nomi-
ated him for Congress. The Democracy
ati6ed their nomination, and he was
lected. In 1878 he was returned by an in
reased majority. His record in Congress
) familiar to the whole country. Enter
lg that body again after the lapse of sew
raj years as the special representative Of