New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-16

Soese OF Physicians Pbiladeipha. and Member
Of the New-Iork and Pennssipah'a a,,i 60,
The active life OF Rufus King comedies almost
exactly In its beginning with that oil 'he ha''o"
which he served. The Revolution found him
student at Harvard College anxious 10 co'hp'e'e
his education. Immediately after the battle OF
Lexington American troops took possession VI INV
college buildings. and the library and records
were removed first TO Andover ana the" ~ N'
cord When the British General Gage evacu-
ated Boston, the college property was ie''0
% ,,s accnstomed uses and King who appears
TO have spent the interval OF fourteen ii'o'''"'
mainly In Newburyport, town lo' WHY" "
after life ne always cherished singular "''
ton returned to his class at His course
which began in 1913. was closed IN IL" VIII" '''
.,rct,on IN classics in literature, and especially
In oratory. The last point should Do rei''e''''e -
tor :, was as polished and effective speaker
that King was renowned among MS coi'e''po
roros. and Il Is in this character that he still
figures in tradition, though the volume III manu-
serves to show how many other more SOLID
claims he had on the affection ana respect Vi '''
courtrvmen. Beginning life at such time
King was not only enthusiastic pa'rio' o"'
was almost a stranger to those ties which bound
somewhat OlCeT IMAM Hc W
throne There is no trace in his early letters OF
that struggle between duty and loyalty WHICH 10
co often observed in the writings Of Revolution
.rv heroes He thought only OF America his
mind was clear of any misgivings about the fu-
ture simply because he hardly glanced a' '''
ros, bevond the days Of discomfort. In June
,77s he wrote to his brother-in-law. Dr. ROBERT
soutbeate. 81 think the crisis has almost ar
Il,,di 70 a proclamation
cage resnecting the state of the country as most
scandalously false" he launched a sentence WHO"
rrssaced the coming orator: But America spurns
the production Of the petty tyrant' ana ''e"''.'9
i, With deserved contempt. stands firm upon the
n,,,ars Of liberty immovable as Heaven ana oe'e'-
mined as fate" A man in Kings place more ac-
customed to the colonial tradition Wouid III r'iie
casesout Of ten have said. Massachusetts" where
Kinp said America" Unconsciously the Na'o"-
=, ,dea had grown up in him he grew. 1t was
evinced later in life by his leadership IN the feu-
ora, Marty Meanwhile he meditated seriously
.,o question Of entering the Army While
.ha was studying law in Newburyport he thought
=, ioining the forces that were sent against Dur
uorre FINALLY the war came too near him not TO
. ~. hin, When General Sullivan made
h,s exnedition to recover Rhode Island, body OF
froOn
q, General Glover and King was taken on ,he
~r .oN az q volunteer ade-de-camp with
~. rank Of major. He acquitted himself OF his
military duties TO the satisfaction oi "e''
,,,.on and then returned TO his law books
49,. 1T oor oar hogan with his election TO the
General Court of Massachusetts, in 1888. He seems
.o, - have favored the careful observance
:, tho Articles OF Confederation. and yet '"e
IN hi9 legislative career
,r.s his opposition to a tax on imports "n''"
Congress asked the state LOT po"e ,,I,
r.,s wos blow at the nationaiism OF "n''"
King was lifelong adherent' anu '"e
-. -, b,s mart is not clearly explained POS
.,h,v his position obscured for 'ili'e 'ns 49,
.. ro,rs throughout the country In 'he
course of the War of the Rev9iuoo" -.
49,, ,ra., ia,er, a JEALOUS! was 0"'ifNa os
49, Adar,ses and other men In Congress that
France was acquiring too great an influence over
.,,r nr,uc affairs and that certain men and par
% .,,,r states were devoted TO the views OF
u,.,oo ard that the welfare of the respective
statss required that instead Of increasing 'he
- -, Compress the general Government
.bouid be held to a dependence on the States Tor
-..--... (Which would enable the State TO in
o,,,rA concerning the policy and measures pur-
vyiu;am Coleman. excused King on the plea OF
his warm and ingenious youth. anu this -
nrohablv the best that be said. 1t was
time when even the maturest ana wlsest men
,,ora "a, from clear as to what the country need
Cd The only thing of which everybody was
,,,ora or less convinced was that the Confedera-
tion was an arrangement worse IMAM u'e''''
rror, tho moment when King took his seat In
DettlDS
=, trenton. he seems to have recovered the Ma
tional outlook of his youth, and throughout "''
subseouent career the thought of America as a
.,.,,od whole was his guiding principle 1t was
~. oroument against recording the yeas and
nays In the Constitutional Convention WIN"
go tho necessary secrecy for the delioera-
lions OF that great assembage' re oa'' ms
Itch, "a an orator against the plan Of having
Representatives in Congress chosen by 'he ''"''
,on,s,.t,res He sustained the proposition to
give the Executive full veto power anu oppo'.N
90 rh,ch would have lodged this power In the
Executive and members OF the Nauoiai JUN"
IT, onnosed the suggestion that the contribution
Of the several States to the Natiohai iie''u
Sho,,d no the measure of representation by
showing that non-importing states might ui'ue'
such a rule have no representation al all - ~
ma rk which he made In the course OF ,he ueo"'e
cssts light on his conduct in the Massachuse''s
Iegis,ature. The danger that particular states
,,.h, suffor in the matter Of representation said
no chad always been one powerful argument IN
favor Of the 5 per cent mposts' The aiiusion
seems 10 show how one who Thought himseh d
,horoueh Nationalist might oppose duty levied
40 as to give power to certain States by aepr'V-
inc others Of IT, On the rights OF the STATES ne
mas nartcularly outspoken. He doubted II tho
rou,sr ~ the States was so great an idol among
~. ,.,r,a .s some members of the Convention
Thought. The important fact was that the people
had already deprived themselves Of all the pow
srs which II was necessary for them to give up,
.ra tho arers OF the Constitution had nothing