The Portland daily press., 1895-04-11
TOM coRWIN.
A Statesman of the Ante BIZ llum Period
His Career at the Bar and in Congress
A Political Career Ended by His Sarcasm
One of the Most Brilliant Men of His
Time.
tBy Hon. John J. PerryJ

x
of Ohio, better known in his own State
among the people as "Tom" Corwin. He
was native of Bourbon county, Ken
lucky, born July 30, 1894. His PARENTS
were of humble life, poor and without
the means to give their son an educa-
zion. But Thomas was bright, obsery-
ing ambitious hoy, who by laboring with
his own hands managed to get limited
education; and by the aid of two or
three friends who saw in him rising
genius" read enough law to gain admit
lance to the Bar of the courts of Ohio In
1917, to which State he had emigrated
Here commenced his distinguished career
as lawyer which within few years
after placed him at the head of the Bar
in that great State. For years, as jury
lawyer he had no equal In the State.
Coming from the common walks of life
he knew just how to capture Western
jury and many are the Evolutionary
stories among the elder people of Ohio of
Corwin's great legal conquests and WON
derful arguments in the courts of that
State.
| One of these occasions was years ago
described to me by an Ohio man. who
was present. A man was on trial for the
murder OF his wife, and Corwin was at
that time acting States Attorney. A
majority of the jurors were backwoods
farmers. rough il. the exterior, but hon.
est and true to their oaths. Corwin
/ w in 10 t,,,ir, l., &C. oil
argument was mastery arrangement of
the prisoner at the BARN which he
gave a dramatic description of the crime
and OF the prisoner whom he denounced
upon the law and evidence a fend and
murderer no longer fit to live. He then
appealed to the jury to let justice be
done and render verdict of guilty
against monster who had forfeited HIS
right to live on the face of Gods earth
At this point the foreman of the jury be
came SO excited he could stand it no
longer. and bringing his brawny fist
down on the railing loudly exclaimed,
| Yes! yes! Tom. We will. We will fix
| him. Wen fix himl"
| The same elements of character that
made his arguments before juries SO
effective soon bought him into promi-
hence as a political stump speaker One
Of his most effective weapons was his
| keen incisive wit. He was not only a
wit, but an actor. Prominent on this
line was Corwin's large expressive face,
whose light and shades" when speaking
SO naturally responded to his wit that
! listening crowds were often completely
carried away with FORTS of laughter and
shouts of applause. An old Buck Eyer
Wing once (when speaking OF stump
| speakers) declared he had rather have
| Tom Corwin's expressive comic face to
| carry a Western crowd than the best
| stump speaker that could be brought
| against him. In Corwins' palmy daysshe
was an ardent Wing and a great eader
in that old party. In person be was tail,
erect, stout built, with al eagle eye, and
| a complexion so dark that some of the
boys" with whom he associated some
lau ghingly called him black Tom. . In
countr! at that time sometimes called
the wild West" it was not at all strange
thatMr. Corwin should at an earlyage have
been called to public positions of honor
and trust. In 1922 he was elected a men,.
Der of the Ohio legislature. In 1851 he
was elected to Congress from the Warren
district ard continued member of the
Honse until 1910, when he was Presi-
Dental elector, and in October of that
year was chosen governor of OHIO, which
office be held two years.
In l845 the Wings succeeded in eIectIng
majority of the legislature, and Mr.
CorWin was elected United States Sen
ator, winch Office he held until his APP
pointment as Secretary of the Treasury
by President Fillmore IN 1850. In 1855
Mr.. Corwin WAS again elected Repre-,
sentative to Congress. lie was reelected
to the 37th Congress, but in 1851 was an.
pointed by President Lincoln Minister
TO Mexico.
Mr.. Corwin was a Wing and supported
| Wing measures until that organization
retired from the field of politics, when
he joined the Republican party.
While in Congress prior to 1850 he was
| recognized as great party leader. He
was violent opposer of the Mexican war,
always maintaining it was d war in the
| interest of American slavery and brought
on by aggressions from our own people
on Mexican territory. In his palmy days,
| both in the House and Senate, he had
few equals as debater. When aroused,
his scarcasms WAS terrible and very few
men cared to "cross swcrdsn with him
| in debate.
| Several years since friend of mine
who was present gave me description
of debaJe In the House at the time Gen
Harrison was candidate for the Presi-
| dency. Corwin was a great friend of the
him at any and all times when assailed
| by his opponents.
| There was at that time a Nom Der of the
House from Michigan by the name of Nc
Crary, who was a Democrat. Desiring to
do something to immortalize his name
with his party he, in speech in the
House. made a violent unprovoked attack
on the military record of Gen. Harrison.
| This aroused the wrath Of Mr.. Corwin.
who in one of the most scathing speeches
ever made in Congress brought down
upon the head of poor Met reary the scorn
of his opponents and the pity OF his
| friends. 1t Eeems McCreary was some
kind of a military officer in his State;
| and Corwin gave description of the man
mounted upon mule, describing the
military trappings of the longea!ed ami
NAL, the military suit of McCreary, includ-
ing mis- cooked hat. cowhide boots, and
huge wooden sword at grand military
review of a squad of ragmufEn militia.
Corwin's keen sarcasm and ridicule kept
the House in continuous roars Of laughter
until McCreary, who could stand it no
longer, fed in dismay from the House
followed by the shouts of his uproarious