Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-03-06
MR. WILSON'S CAREER.
1t Has Been Marked by a Series Of BRIT
liant Successes.

Jefferson county, Va, now west Nirgihia,
May 3, 1913. He Was the only child OF BEN
iamin Wilson by his second wife who Was
Mary Whiting Lyme Benjamin Wilson
was native of King and Queen county, Va,
but he died before his son William was four
years of age, enjoining by his will and other
wise that the latter should be thoroughly ed
ucated. Mrs. Wilson, who was as marked
by shrinking modesty as by devoted piety,
gave herself to this duty with singleness
of purpose only equaled by her faith in the
future usefulness and distinction of her son.
William first attended the Charles Town
Academy, where he was noted for his quick
mind and studious habits At fifteen he had
read more Latin, Greek aud French than is
required for college graduates, although
mathematics was his fsvorite study. He
then entered the junior class of Columbian
University District of Columbia, and grad
uated in 1860, at the age OF seventeen. He
declined a tutorship in this college and went
to the University of Virginia with the in
tention of spending several years. The war
broke up The school, and Mr. Wilson enlist
ed in 1861 in the Confederate army. He
Joined in the organisation of Baylor's Cav
airy, Company B, Twelfth Virginia Cavalry,
company largely made up Of schoolboys
aud college graduates from Jefferson, that
gained quite a distinction in the service, re-
ceving from Gen. Robert E. Lee himself the
unique compliment of furlough by general
orders for gallant charge made under his
own eyes at Warrenton Bridge. Among
other members of this famous company were
Capt. George Baylor q leading member of
the Jefferson county bar Charles Broadway
Rouss, the well.kown merchant of New
York city; Hon. w. B. English, member of
Congress from California Hon. j. G. Nc
Cluer, exjudge of the Parkersburg circuit
H. d. Beall of the Baltimore Sun, and 9TH
ers prominent in professional and business
life as bank presidents, merchants, lawyers,
doctors and other calliDgs.
At the close of the war Mr.. Wilson was
offered the place of assistant professor of an
cient Languages in Columbia College, and
while so engaged studied law and graduated
in 1867, but being promoted to the full chair
of Latin and debsrred by ;hs lawyers test
oath in West Virginia, he held on to his
professorship until 1871, when he resigned
and began practcing in Charles Town in
partnership with his cousin, Capt. George
Baylor, having full practice almost from
the start, and gaining prominence not only
as an advocate, but was often selected for f.
duciary trusts.
He first entered politics in 1880 as 4 dele
gate to the national Democratic convention,
and in that year made canvass of his State
as elector at large on the Hancock ticket,
which attracted much attention. In 1882
he was asked by the unanimous vote of the
regents to take the presidency of the West
Virginia State University, and reluctantly
accepted, entering on his duties September
6. On September 90 he WAS nominated by
acclamation as the Democratic candidate |
for Congress from his district, aud was elect
ed on the second Tuesday in October follow.
ing. He resigned his position at the univer-
sity with the beginning of the congressional |
term, March 4, 1888, but on the unanimous
petition of regents, faculty aud students |
served until the end of the season, in June
refusing pay for this period.
His twelve years of congressional service
have been marked by hard work, steady de-
votion to principle, increasing influence,
reputation and prominence in the country. |
As he had been an outspoken and earnest
advocate of Mr.. Cleveland's nomination in
1892 he was selected by the friends of the
latter for permanent chairman OF the ma
tional Democratic convention at Chicago,
and his speech on assuming the chair, as
also his subsequent address informing Mr..
Cleveland of his nomination, in the Madison
Square Garden, was regarded as master
piece of political oratory and kindled the
most intense enthusiasm
Speaker Crisp, in response to what seemed
a clear designation Of public opinion, APP
pointed him chairman of the ways and
means committee of the present Congress,
which was to prepare the tariff bill promised
by the Democratic party as its chief mission
on being given control Of the government.
This was a task of the most surprising mag
nitude and difficulty, aud Mr. Wilson enter
ed upon it with zeal, devotion and capaci-
ty commensurate with its greatness.
The Wilson bill having passed the House
Mr. Wilson sought rest in a trip to Mexico,
but was stricken down with typhoid fever
from the very evening he crossed The Rio
Grande. For weeks he lay i'll and suffering
in that country, and was not able to return
home until the middle of May, still weaken
ed and exhausted by his illness.
Mr.. Wilson was renominated unanimously
for the Fifty fourth Congress, but was de-
feated by A. G. Dayton, Republican, at the
polls.
Mr.. Wilson's speeches in Congress have
always been received with attention by the
House and marked approval by his Demo
cratic colleagues
l. --o, g. 700 -ao.--. E a. |