Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-05-19

| expiration oil his Gubcrnntorlal term,
he was elected President OF the Phila
delphia and Erie railroad company. in
which capacity he evinced his usual
energy and industry, and contributed
largely to bringing its affairs to healthy
condition. lie was also, in 1855, elected
to the Senate of the United States
where he served for Fix years. When,
after the election OF Mr. Lincoln, it be.
| came apparent that secession would be
attempted, Mr. Bigler was untirng in
| his efforts TO secure an nmicable adjust.
ment of the National troubles. He act.
ed with Mr.. Crittenden in his efforts TO
secure n compromise, and held that the
| people OF the Southern States could
have no reasonable plea for resorting to
violence until they had first exhausted
all peaceful means for the adjustment
OF their grievances In the course oi
an elaborate speech upon the subject in
the Senate, in February, 1861. he said
AS for secession. am utterly against
it. | deny the right, and ! abhor the
consequences but shall indulge no
argument on that point. 1t il no rem.
! edy for any one OF the evils lamented,
and in my judgment il will aggrayate
rather than remove them and, in add.
| ton, superinduce others OF more dis.
! tressing and destructive character
lie was IA member OF the committee
Of thirteen, to which was referred the
famous compromise proposition Of Mr..
! Crlttendcn, and presented and adyocat-
ed a bill providing for submitting the
Crittenden resolutions 10 vote Of the
people of the several State, whichs was
rejected, but which has since been re.
garded 10y sagacious men as n remedy
which would have utterly crushed seces.
sion. lie was IA member OF the Charles.
ton Convention OF 1850. where he took
decided ground against the nomination
Of Judge Douglas. He was temporary
chairman of the Democratic Convention
of ls6i, and voted for the nomination
OF General George i. Mcclellan. He
was also nominated in the. same year
for Congress and though defeated re-.
ceived more than his party vote. lie
wgs again delegate 10 the Democratic
Convention Of 1865, which met in New
York. He had the nomination for del.
cgate to the convention for the revision
OF the State Constitution, but withdrew
tt'4t4 AHf NA'F'h W XIV l'tA'f W F|s''NRN q
Andrew G.. Curtin as representative OF
the Liberal Republican,. Afterwards
the delegates at large IN the Constitu.
tional Convention reported that they
had selected him to hll the vacancy
caused by the resignation OF ;. II. Rcy.
nolds.
"In ls-4 he was elected a member Of
the Centennial Board OF Finances, and
the energy and ability which be dis
played N that service are still familiar
10 the most OF our people. In ~"It"m
Der, $50. he was presented IN the
Democratic State Convention at Erie
tor the Guhcrnstorial nomination, and
from the third TO the tenth ballot led
all tho other candidate. His name
was Withdrawn after the tenth ballot
and Cyrus l.. Pershiue, Of SchuyikIll,
wa- nominated.
In 1876 hc manifested a warm inter.
est in the Democratic canvass for the
Presidency, aud when the election was
seen 10 turn upon the disputed votes Of
certain Southern States. he was request.
ed by Mr. IIldcn to go TO LOUISIANA
with other prominent and sagaCious
Democrats 20 see that the votes cast ia
that State were fairly cauyasscd and
thst the result was legally declared.
His associates from Pcnnsylyauia in
this duty were Mr.. Randall ard OK.
Governor Curtin. Mr. Bicler went TO
New Orleans Ht n great sacrifice Of per.
sonal comfort aud business Interests,
hut in obedience TO a profound sense Of
the gravity of the crisis. In his own
h.. T.1s b. ,,-.. a.. ,....4. ,.s,,s.
missioner aud being such, could not
be influenced 10y mere partisan eonsid.
crations, In all OF the proceedings at
New Orleans he was a prominent figure,
commanding the respect OF both par.
ties. and consulted as AN oracle by
those of his own political faith
"For several years past exGovcfnor
Bieler has given almost his entire at
tention TO the development of the re.
sources OF the county IN which he lived,
aud was highly esteemed by all who
knew him. lie was a man OF the stur.
diest character, honest and faithful in
doing all that he undertook, and what.
ever Of good can be said OF any man
who goes from this life to the one be.
yond may be said Of William Bigler,
anu tIutHluAil-
William Bigler died at his home in
Clearfeld, August Q, 1850, after an III.
ness of some months.
The subject Of this sketch belonged
TO n generation now past the younger
generation OF men are less familiar
with the name of William Bigler than
those older, although for many years he
stood in the front rank of illustrious
Pennsylyanians.
Thus zone generation passeth away
and another cometh." Paradoxical ne
it may seem IL is true that "ihere is
nothing constant but vicissitude.h
Nothing abides but the great law OF
change. Every one finds his time 10
die, and his place Of rest. This law is
immutable. Death hath al seasons for
his own. Il is his pale kingdom. lie
crosses the path of the conqueror, aud
vanquishes him in last battle he calls
the poet from his dreams, the philoso-
pher from his abstractions : he bids the