The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-11-11
HENRY WINTER DAVIS.
BY the Hon. Henry L Dawes, Ex-
United States Senator from
Massachusetts,.
Copyright, 1894 by S. S. Mcclure,
Limited)

Copyright, 1894, by S. S. Mcclure
Limited)
Henry Winter Davis was also q. con-
gressional leader in war times, but OF
altogether a different type, in person
ality and in quality and method of
leadership, from that of Mr.. Stevens
whose public career We have been con-
sidering. He forms, indeed, a striking
contrast with the venerable Pennsyl-
vanian at almost every point of view
in which his public life is presented.
There was no rivalry in the leadership
OF these two men. While no one
claimed for the young Marylander the
place due to the influence and power
welded by his elder associate, whom
he loyalty followed, still all readily &C
corded to him the rank of a great leader
IN times when guidance was most diff
cult and the hazards of leadership We're
greatest.
His public service was not entirely
contemporaneous with that of Mr..
Stevens, ne having entered Congress in
1855, four years before the re-entry of
Mr.. Stevens and having left it at the
second inauguration of Mr.. Lincoln,
March, 1865, three years and a half be-
tore the death of Mr.. Stevens, including
two years Of private life. This service
may well be divided into three distinct
Reriods, each having characteristics
8eculiar to itself and requiring an order
81 talent for leadership quite it's own.
These periods were that which en-
btaced the repeal of the Missouri COM
pApmise and the hansas-Nebraslla act,
the war period, and that of reconstruc-
t5on. In each OF these periods Mr.. Davis
was a conspicuous member of Congress
during the whole of the first and a
considerable portion of the other two
He was born and reared in Maryland,
2. slave state, educated to the law in
Virginia, and settled in his profession
in Baltimore, dependent upon the sup
port of its citizens for success, but
slavery never found in him sympa thy
or encouragement and the slaves he
inherited from his father he man
united as fast as they came of age.
BEGINNING OF DAVIS CONGRESS
SIGNAL CAREER.
He was elected to the Thirty-fourth
Congress largely upon a local issue, in
which the supporters OF law and order,
using for that purpose the American
5sSTty organizations, prevailed, with
him as their candidate over that yio-
lent and lawless element denominated
Plug Uglies." which at that time in
Tested the city Of Baltimore, threaten
ing the peace and personal security of
Its citizens. He occupied therefore
upon national issues a. position indie
pendent of both political parties and
free to consider every question upon
his conviction of it's merits. From a.
standpoint therefore of his own choice
~ entered actively into the debates
anE~ contentious, which in that Con-
gTess prepared the way for that
Ereater conflict which followed. and
Ut once took rank, although a, new
member, among the ablest men in the
body.
In the succeeding Congress he rose
TO the position of a conspicuous lead
er. which he maintained through all
subsequent years of his service. He
was man of rare qualities for lead
ership, in all Of which he was unlike
the great Commoner, who came upon
the scene in the Congress which fol-
lowed.
Mr.. Davis was a young man. in the
prime of lie and vigor, with spurs TO
win and ambitious of success He was
elegant in person, of polished manners.
and favorite in every circle. He was
n scholar of the highest culture and of
the most varied attachments. His die
ton was direct and incisive, his rhet-
or1c faultless and affiuent AS a de-
bater he had no equal, and as
OANANOAg Jul lew. INTO what
az uttered, he put the fire of an un-
q Nna Bile spirit and the vehemence of
4 1 unalterable conviction. The Hottest
SretensionS collapsed at the touch of
nis lance and the most brazen assur-
9nce quailed under his denunciation.
6ueh an one could not fail to be a
Seader if he had discretion and fore
fight
The locality which he represented
Gay Il =
ments he used. He spoke from within
political zone in which the sentiments
he voiced found little echo. Questions
concerning the local troubles which
had brought him into the public SER
vice obtained little or no considerat ton
in congress, and he at once plunged
into the debates upon the great ma
tional issues which were beginning to
nat aside al other questions and were
SION to involve the nation in a gigan-
re war. He saw plainly that slavery
lay at the foundation of this great
political upheaval, and could not be
ignored in its discussion. His instincts
and the early Impressions of slavery
which mad led him to eschew, from the
outset, ali. personal responsibility for
st, determined his attitude in the con-
sideration of all questions growing out
OF ii. The consistency Of his course in
LUIS I6SBCCl lLliOUSlOuI luG SillllG pun
7ic service, though marked with differ
ent degrees of progress in the rapid
march to the grand contamination, yet
attests the sincerity and the courage
of his convictions.
IMPORTANCE OF DAVIS POSITION
AND INFLUENCE.
The position which he took at this
time became of great Importance in
determining the attitude of his own
state in the contest which soon follow
ed-an importance almost pivotal. 1t
was early seen by both sides of the
great conflict which was then APP
preaching int upon the action of Ma
ryland hung the custody of the capitol
,and government archives, and the de-
Aacto government of the nation. And
"a was never doubted that the trem-
Hlling balance would have turned
against the Union but for the untiring
Ia bors of a faithful band OF Unionists
of which Governor Hicks was the Off
cial head. but Henry Winter Davis the
master spirit His large and controll-
sng influence in the direction of the
public current at home, as well as his
share in the shaping OF congressional
action rises at once into a national
leadership Of great Importance, and
Justify he claim for him of that posi-
ticn among the public men Of his time.
Dlring the nTSt TOUR years OF MS
pubic service, debate in Congress gath
cred around the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise and the Nebraska
complication which were preliminary
in the series of measures leading to
i4ie civil war. These measures were
pl ncted and opposed at first from the
81 1dpoinf of old party lines, but
party organizations of the past
soon broke to pieces in the attempt 10
throw the weight Of their political
power upon the one side and The 9th |
er. and new formations of political
forces for the determination of these /
issues and the questions arising out OF