The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-04-14

n 1nppan, JOhn NJ. uoOuenOw, Jeremiah
: HGlIock, Daniel Webster, Henry Clay
John Sergeant and Others, alt "foemet
!. worthy OF his stcel.' His sun paled II
sptendor before none Of these ldmtnaries
but shone as brilliantly rs any. In The
spring OF 1910 lie changed his residence
b from Wheeling 10 Belmont county, Ohio
and located on a farm about four mile
east Of 81. ClaiBville, and since known Us
y the "Woodmansee Farm" Here he en-,
' gagged in the practical duties Of IN agricul,
" turist, while at the same time he pursued
Y the practice OF his profession. III the early
n morning he would be seen driving his
oxen about the fields, but when the hour
: for the session Of Court arrived he would
be found promptly at his place attending
0 to bis cases, In addition 10 the duties
imposed upon him by reason OF
his large and rapidly increasing
practice were those Of the Office OF Master
Commissioner in chancery for Belmont
county, TO which position 10 had been ap.
pointed in the same year in which he 10.
Gated in that county and which he held
until the year 1918, when he resigned in
J favor OF Thomas II. Genin, young man
who had recently come west 10 better his
fortunes, and who bore with him letter
Of recommendation from De Witt Clinton,
Of New York, who extolled his abilities and
character in the most iiattering terms.
About this year he contemplated remov-
ing to Cincinnati, but owingtO the happen.
ing OF an unfortunate occurrence, which
It Is unnecessary for It's to designate, he
was deferred from doingsO and 1t was not
until the year 1898 that he accomplished
the contemplated change. During his res.
lhencc III Belmont county be perhaps was
the instrument OF settling amiCably more
cases than all the other members OF the
bar together. Noman was ever more free
from the charge Of fomenting litigation
than he. So marked was this trait in his
character that the sheriilCof the county
was accustomed to express himself by say.
ing that unless Charles Hammond left the
county, he and the clerk would starye for
the want Of fees.
as NC have already iutimated he was n
man Of fixed opinions, which he earnestly
ana diligently sought to promulgate,
Hence he embraced frequent opportunities
oil giving currency 10 them in.newspaper
communications. His iedenlist views, to
which he Tremendously chung, were not only
unpopular, but daily growing distasteful.
AS the hostilities between our own country
and England beCame more imminent, and
finally eliminated in the war Of 1912,
those who had always respected his ability
and sincerity shrank from publishing his
views when rendered by him. His opposi.
ton to the war, was fearless and out
spoken. AS u consequence he was de-
nounceu threatened, abused and mobbed,
But this conduct on the part Of his op. |
pOnents only intensified his purpose, and
resolving to maintain his rights BY their |
exercise, lie founded and established Il |
journal Of his own. Such was the origin OF !
the "Ohio Federalist' printed for him Mt
st. Evansville, Ohio, by one John Berry.
It's motto was significant Of the character
Of its owner, being the following extract
from one OF Cowpers poem:
"ln Freedoms field. advancing his firm foot
lie plants II on the line that Justice draws,
And will prevail or perish In her cause"
1t was as the editor Of this paper that
he laid the foundation OF reputation
which subsequently placed him among
the most prominent OF the editorial fra
ternity. Bold, aggressive and authorize.
tive in all his utterances, his paper became
widely known and sought after. While
the views it expressed and the principles
it announced were generally condemned,
yet the earnestneSs of purpose and attach
ment to the advocacy Of what it deemed to
be the right were admired and COM
mended.
From one among his first editorials we
make this extract for the purpose Of con-
veying in some slight degree an idea of
the incorporating hostility manifested
by him in reference 10 that which he be- |
lieved to be detrimental in its character
and influence. II shall resist" he says
this administration, in spirit Of desper.
alton, as man bereit Of MI hope and reck. !
less OF what may befall him."
AS m editor his habits Of business were
methodical: During his journalistic career
he looked through every paper which came
into his hands, and he selected what was |
valuable ut once. II in the exercise OF this |
habit he came upon anything suggestive |
that i'll the future it might be made useful, |
he was i'll the habit OF placing it to one
side for the purpose Of being bound and
IndeXed which was usual " done at the end
OF each month, while those which he
deemed to be Of no importance were com.
mltted to the waste basket. Hence his
contemporaries were always at his mercy,
Tor he could readily refer to their views,
expressed it might be years before, and
which in the lapse OF time had passed from
their memories, rs well us accurately state
occasions and events together with the I'M
pressions made by them at the time Of
their occurrence.
His political course was distinguished
Tor consistency and integrity as well rs for
talent and industry. In early life he i'm
Dibed the political principles on which our
National Government was administered
during the first ten years Of its existence.
lie studied and approved the system Of
policy practiCed by Washington and his
associates. Having been brought up in |
that school, pleased with its principles,
and convinced OF their saIutary influence |
on the happiness and prosperity OF the
Nation, he adhered to them after they had |
been prescribed. In other words, having
been Fedcraiist in the days of Washing.
ton, and having imbibed his opinions in
early lie, he refused to abandon or disa. |
vow them. ThepenNl results Of adhering
TO bis creed, aud Of retaining the political
name Of his party which sunk him into
prescribed minority presented no terrors
TO his mind. With q full knowledge Of all
the consequences, he was prepared TO meet
them. Soon after the decease Of Washing.
ton, the political opponents OF that great
man gained the ascendancy, and the origin
and meaning Of the term, teleralist, as it
had been originally understood, was for
gotten. Instead Of Indicating friend aud
supporter Of the Fcdetal constitution, as
the truth was, it became term ofreproach,
booming all who acknowledged It to the
most relentless persecution. Mr.. Ham
mond, though well aware Of this, chose to
retain his principles and his integrity with
clear conscience, rather than sacrifice
them for selfish purposes. The once ven
Grated name Of Federalist could not become
u term Of reproach in his estimation. He
knew the purity OF principle and motive
which distinguished the party, and he
chose to meet the persecution which he
saw before him rather than disavow it.
These principles his busy pen sought to