Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-10

: 8uaBe.
AT HIS FATHERS TRADE.
s Before his thirteenth birthday William ap
> prenticed himself, with his mothers consent
to Richards 4 Dubosq. jewelers. The appfen
! tieeship was to expire April II 1884, his TWEEN
i tleth birthday. The apprentice was then free
} and journeyman jeweler. The bitter war be
tween President Jackson and the United States
. Bank disturbed the country. so that business
, was suffering universal and extreme depression
and there was no work for jewelers..
In 1885 there came such q revival of trade as
!. enabled him TO get employment in Boston,
. where former shopmate had found work and
opened way for him. His stay in Boston had
marked effect upon the broader career which
ability, industry and perseverance, were TO open
to him II was his good fortune to come lnto
contact with men OF high attainments, whose
: influence and example fred his ambition and
directed It into prof table preparatory channels,
A suggestion came from the late Colonel James
WST EVs Sont % ife yon Us1 study aw
why don't go to Congress, sir?" replied kel-
ley, the one thing seeming to him as practicable
as the other. Perhaps you may some day but
first come and read law with me-" March g.
1889 Colonel Page registered William u kel-
ley, who had now returned to Philadelphia, as
student at law in his office. and April II, lS4l,
on Colonel Pages motion, the jeweler became
full-fedged limb of the law. In lS45 he was
made Prosecutor of the Pleas for Philadelphia,
to which place he was twice appointed The
acceptance of this Office devolved upon the
young lawyer the prosecution of all persons ar.
rai2ned for participation in the bloody riots OF
1874, and afforded rare opportunities for Kelley
to display his Independence OF character anq
forensic ability.
HIS CAREER AS JUDGE.
He continued to perform the duties of prose-
cutor until he was nominated by Governor
| Skunk to seat on the bench OF the Common
| Pleas 0var Taruninar ann Ouartar SaRSiOnS.
Judge Kelley's commission bore date March
l3 lS47. eight years. less one day, from the date
Of his registration as a law student, and about
a month before he had reached his 3Sd year.
By constitutional amendment, ratified in 1850,
the judicial Office was made elective. The
change was to take effect in March. 1851, when
but half of Judge Kelley's term would have ex-
pired; Meanwhile there occurred an election
for District Attorney The late Horn r.
| Kneass was the Democratic candidate, and the
| late William B. Reed stood for the Wings. The
Reed and his friends came TO the front with
prompt and vigorous attack on its validity,
making distinct allegations of fraud.
After the most protracted investigation OF an
election case that bad ever occurred in Phlla-
| delphia, Judge King, supported by Parsons
and Kelley, delivered an exhaustive opinion.
which gave the Office to the Wing contestant
| Judge Kelley was known to be largely RESPONSE
| BILE for this opinion, and the vItuperation now
heaped upon him served the better to em-
phasize the public service he had rendered,
Though Democrat, Judge Kelley had al
ways been hostile to slavery. In Difference to
| judicial propriety be avoided open political
demonstrations, but in social intercourse and
correspondence he devoted much time TO the
discussion of this grave question. He was
thus committed in advance Of the Republican
party, and while he did not appear at the Con-
ventton of 1854 which was held in this city, he
consorted freely with such of the leaders from
the interior of this and other States as we're
known personally to him.
HIS FIRST NOMINATION.
In August of 1856 Samuel v. Merrick Gen
eral Hector Tyndale Judge Kelley and other
gentlemen interested in the long dormant Sun
bury and Erie Railroad enterprise, set out to |
locate a route. There were not even stage lines |
through the wild region, and it was necessary |
to hire wagons at Lock Haven. When the |
party reached Willamsport on the way back, |
they found the first Philadelphia newspapers |
that had been seen for several days. and from |
these Judge Kelley Learned that the Republi- |
can Convention of the Fourth Congressional |
District had placed bin in nomination. He |
had not been consulted by anybody about max |
ing such use of his name. In determining to |
accept the nomination, he also determined to |
throw himself actively into the campaign /
against slavery and then to leave the bench.
or course Judge Kelley was defeated in the /
his seat on the bench, having held 1t for ten
years. and made an honorable record as
learned. 1oaI1oSS ana Impartial JuORe.
Judge Kelley was now thoroughly identified
with the Republican party. he was a delegate
in the Chicago Convention of 1880, and when
Lincoln was chosen TO be President Kelley
Pennsylvania in the famous Thirty-seventh
Congress. Judge Kelley has held this seat
without intermission since then.
1t is not necessary to follow the details of
Judge Kelley's career in Congress. They are
knit in with the history of the Republican
party and are better known than the story of
aar ha of bis fv |
achievements, which it is thought well to give
not only as a key to public character, but as
can lads OF small opportunities and honorable
ambition.
HE STOOD WITH THE FOREMOST.
1t is enough to say of Judge KeIley's record
in the House that he at once took rank beside
the most earnest and able of the defenders of
the Union; that he favored the most vigorous
conduct Of the war, and interested himself per-
sonally for the comfort Of the soldiers; that he
was in favor Of emancipation and manhood
suffrage, and SO early as 1862 advocated the
arming Of the negro; that he took an advanced
Republican position on the question of recon-
struetion; that he advocated the Morrill, tariff
of 1861 and has since stood Yaliantly by the
principle, and has defended the
greenback as good and lawful money no less
serviceable in peace than in war. Judge Kelley
was always busy, though not always In the best
of health. and understood better than most
men how to economize time. He conducted an
immense correspondence. 70 which he was able {
to attend promptly with the aid of an accom-
plished shorthand: secretary, whom he Kept
IlWhile Fernando Woods Ways and Means &
COMMITTEES was In the agony of bringing forth :
That grotesque monstrosity known as the Wood :
tariff bill and while it was being knockad ahout
in the House, to the Judges private rooms in |
Washington came everybody who visited .
W ashington on business in any way connected v
With the protective side Of the tariff question.
Forty gentlemen, representing more than half o
IS many Interests. gathered there at one time
and bushel OF letters ana kilograms was wait
ng to be looked into the Judge giving audi O
snce and going over his mail as be lay upon
ais back suffering from serious fall. A gen
leman who came to instruct the tariff cham Q
ZION on the drug list had his audience and was
lassing out when be met tpplate man, to
Il came to tell Judge Kelley about our busi- s
less and how the Wood bill will Affect il but =,
le knows more about 1t than do.n
us that sol Well, I've just found that 1 :,
ant tell him anything about tinplate, and he !,
ias given me some good suggestions which had
lever occurred to me-"
NOT ALONE REGARDING PIG IRON. .
1t was one of the secrets of Judge Kelley,s :,
trength on the tariff question that he had ex,
lored it to the bottom and through all its | 4
ami1cations. He never forgot This readi- v
ess he never exhibited to better advantage o.
han in his speech against the Wood bill
lhich old stagers declared to be the greatest
peech on the tariff question ever delivered in Is
be American Congress. lS
On a certain occasion when the Judge was v
q the floor and rolling out his tones to the best
dyantage, one of those fellow-citizens who N
ost themselves in the gallery because it is a =,
ice warm place for comfortable nap on a ~
Did day, suddenly awaking from his slumber,
louted in voice almost a loud as the Judges:
" ~, h9ITEoEsVA fellow can't sleep when Kelieys
ln a volume of his speeches, letters and ad
resses, published by Henry Carey Baird in
~ and which he dedicated to his lifelong
lend and Teyered teacher. the late Henry C pl
arey, Judge Kelley told the story of his con :
srsion from the doctrine of free-trade 10 the
rlnclple OF protection to American Industries
e had been charmed by the taking phrases
ID abstract theories Of the free-traders; he
I'd looked with confidence on the Walker rev
rue tarln OF 1916; hut the commercial panic
"a lnanstrlai ruin that followed started new =
ne OF thought and that led to close investea-
pn, and that to conversion, The story Is told
length IN the book, and is worth reading as a OI
r1n primer, which completely puts the case
language that everybody can understand =