This gentleman, who died in
Washington on Monday, was in his sixty-ninth year.
He was born in
Kentucky (whither his father had moved from
New Jersey) in 1794.
The family soon afterwards moved to
Ohio.
Mr. Corwin had filled the most responsible public stations in
Ohio, including that of Governor.
He had been a member of each of the
Houses of Congress, and filled the office of
Secretary of the Treasury under
Mr. Fillmore.
Mr. Lincoln appointed him Minister to
Mexico, where he remained until
Maximilian arrived, when he came home on leave of absence.
Since then he has been engaged in his profession of lawyer.
It was alleged that he also undertook the business of "pardon broker."
Mr. Corwin was a man of more than ordinary ability amongst the representative men of the country.
He excelled in humor and playful satire.
He employed this talent very successfully in answer to
Mr. Crary, of
Michigan, who, during the
Harrison Presidential campaign, who, during the
Harrison Presidential campaign, had, in the House of Representatives, assailed the military career of
General Harrison.
His reply so completely unhorsed the
Michigan Congressman that on the next day
Mr. John Quincy Adams alluded to him as "the late
Mr. Crary," which excited the irrepressible laughter of the whole House.
Mr. Corwin belonged to that powerful party of Whigs which struggled so long against the
Jackson Administration and the successive Democratic dynasties; but which finally, from motives of mere policy, permitted itself to be merged in the Republican party, and thus brought on the bloody conflict, which, had it remained fast and firm to its own old Whig flag, it might have averted — at least for long years to come.
He was bitterly opposed to the
Mexican war of 1848, and was the leader of the opposition to it.
Mr. Corwin was raised a farmer, and is said to have been a wagoner in 1812.
On his return from
Mexico, with his naturally dark skin considerably bronzed, he was introduced to an English gentleman as an "Ohioan."The
Englishman shook him by the hand, and inquired "whether his tribe were at peace with the whites?"
