New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-19
JOSEPH r. HAWLEY.

With the death of Joseph R. Hawley another
notable figure passes from the stage OF natlonai
politics. Suffering from a disabling Illness,
Senator Hawley had for several years past
played no active role in public life He had
apparently Outliyed his powers, and the close
of his career-a long and brilliant one-was in
A measure clouded by his enforced retirement
and physical breakdown. In the 9th and
18Th Congresses he rarely appeared either on
the floor of the Senate in his committee
room. His record a public man was prac-
tically completed a decade ago But that
record extending back for nearly forty years,
was one of solid achievement. AS a soldier,
an orator and a leader history will award
him an honorable rank among the actors
who crowded our political arena in the stirring
period from 1860 to 1890.
Senator Hawley's activity in politics covered Il
period of more than fifty years. Though born in
North Carolina his parents Northerners,
and his education was begun and completed in
Northern New-York. Settling as a lawyer in
Hartford, Conn, he soon drifted into journal
ism, espoused the Free Soil cause and went
10 Pittsburg in 1852 as a delegate to the Free
Soil partys national convention. He became
a Republican in 1850 and was delegate in 1856
TO the first Republican national convention,
at Philadelphia, He supported Fremont on
the stump and active in the Lincoln
campaign in 1850. Volunteering as a CAPTAIN
in the LIST Connecticut Regiment he served
through the Civil War rising finally to 4
major generalship. Connecticut rewarded him
by electng him Governor in 1866 and from
that time he grew steadily as a political leader
Living in a closely contested State he had
his reverSes we'll as successes But both
Editor of The Hartford Courant'' and as
orator and party manager he welded an
ever increasing influence in State politics and
soon established himself as a force to be
reckOned with in the broader national arena
He was chairman of the Republican national
convention in 1868, served four terms between
1872 and 1881 in the National House of Repre-
senfatives, and from March g. 1881, TO March 3.
1900, he represented Connecticut in the United
States Senate. He was the chairman of the
commission which organized and managed the
Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876
and was voted for in two Republican national
conventions as candidate for President
AS a politician General Hawley was dfstir-
guished for his Openness and Independence of
character. He was a partisan. intense and va
hement but he never sacrificed his ideals Of
fairness and manliness to the exipencies of
politics He was incapable of chicanerv or cor
rupuon and detested hypocrisy and humbug.
AS an orator he was impetuous and sometimes
oVerpass1onate But his ideals of conduct
were nigh, and his whole nature responded to
any cause which fully enlisted his synpathies
he was broad minded and plain spoken. and
MS ald was always given to movements which
sought 10 elevate political standards In his
PRIME he was leader whose influence was az
Wholesome as it was widespread His death
ends a career which honored Connecticut and
which measured up to its best and bigbast
traditions in craftsmanship,