warth shook the sands of his native Jersey from his feet, and located in what was then Northumberland, afterwards Union, now Snyder County, Pennsylvania. He was penniless, friendless, and without education. It is doubtful whether he ever had the advantage of even the rude schools of his time, as he located in what was then almost a wilderness, and is still one of the most primitive regions of the State, although free schools have long been in operation, and now the scream of the iron horse resounds through the yet thick forests of the Beavers. He was a natural leader, and, had he been born half a century later, would have been as liberal as he was sagacious and able. For nearly fifty years he was prominent in the political movements of the State, but I never met him until 1853, when, for the first time, he took his seat in Congress to serve a single term.

He was then well-nigh threescore and ten, but his step was as elastic as if he defied the ravages of years, and he was one of the most industrious members of the House. His appearance was altogether unique. He was rather above medium height, stoutly built, with singular breadth of chest, heavy neck, square shoulders, and a head that was of colossal size and exquisite mould. In dress and manners he was severely plain, and his horny hands told the story of a life of actual toil among his mountain furnaces and fields. He made no set speeches; but he occasionally addressed the House in brief, terse sentences, and always commanded profound attention. He spoke with equal fluency in English and German, and as a conversationalist was one of the most entertaining and instructive men of his time; but his short term of service in the national councils, at an advanced age, made few outside of his State appreciate the distinguishing qualities of the man.

Pennsylvania was the theatre of his political actions, and Union County was his constituency. It was thoroughly German, and was deferential to leadership; but it was fickle in its love, and capriciously worshipped and rejected its great chief

tain. During the war of 1812 he led a company to the field, but he was not eminently successful as a soldier. Soon after the war he was chosen to the Legislature, and he was seventeen times elected to the House, and once to the Senate for an unexpired term of a single year; but he was several times defeated in contests for both branches of the Legislature. He was ambitious, and seemed unwilling to be out of office. Now and then his people would tire of him and defeat him; but it was impossible to find a substitute for him who did not suffer by contrast in serving them, and in a few years they would rally for Middleswarth, and send him back with great enthusiasm. One of his contests for the House was remarkable for the bitterness of the strife. Middleswarth had been Speaker of the House the preceding session, and, as such, had signed the freeschool bill, as the Speaker is. required to sign all bills in certifying to the Governor their passage by both branches of the Legislature. He had earnestly opposed and voted against the measure; but when the German pamphlet laws reached Union County, the school law was there with Middleswarth's name signed to it as Speaker. His competitor was Mr. Yearick, and he made the issue on the then odious free-school bill. In vain did Middleswarth protest that he had opposed the bill, and that he would work more efficiently for its repeal than his antagonist. To this Mr. Yearick answered, exhibiting the infallible German types of the official laws, and vehement in the favorite language of the people: "Here, fellow-citizens, is Mr. Middleswarth's name signed to the bill. How could he be opposed to a bill to which he signed his official approval?" The argument was conclusive, and a tidal wave of popular reprobation swept the German leader into private life, because his name was appended to a bill his people did not approve. In a few years, however, the mistake was appreciated, and the usual atonement made by sending Middleswarth back to the House. In 1828, '29, and again in '36, he was Speaker of the House,

and in 1841 was the nominee of his party for the chair, but was defeated by a bolt that resulted in the election of Hon. William A. Crabb, late of Philadelphia. He was regarded as one of the best presiding officers in the country, and was honored with the chair of the convention that nominated John Quincy Adams for President in 1824. Although he was frequently a candidate for the Senate, he never succeeded until 1847, when the death of Dr. Wagonseller (who had beaten Middleswarth in Union County for the Whig nomination two years before) made a vacancy for one year, and it was conceded to Middleswarth. He was elected over the same Mr. Yearick who had beaten him for the House on the free-school question, ten or twelve years before. While in the Senate he was nominated as the Whig candidate for Canal Commissioner in 1848, on the ticket with Governor Johnston; but while Johnston was elected by a small majority, Middleswarth was defeated by General Painter by 2800, mainly because he had voted in the Senate against the ten-hour law. He argued then as he argued against schools years before: "I work twelve, and sometimes sixteen, hours a day to live, and there should be no limitation upon the hours of labor." On the school question he had said, “I never went to school, and those who desire education will attain it without taxing the public fund." He never advanced beyond the carefully nourished prejudices of his own constituency. In 1851 he was again defeated for the Senate, and in 1852 was elected to Congress, but failed to be re-elected. When he retired from Congress, he had reached the patriarchal age; but his ambition for office was unabated, and he was soon chosen an associate judge for Snyder County. When his five years' term had expired, age had bowed his once erect form, and deeply wrinkled his massive brow. Only when the vigor of his powerful physical constitution had been broken by the conflicts of three quarters of a century did he accept retirement, spending the evening of his long life in the quiet of his moun

tain home, with his large family of children settled around him on his immense possessions. In 1865 he had filled the measure of his days, and he calmly passed away.

He was one of the few men who have swayed localities as if by magic in the conflicts of politics. Until 1829, he was a decided Democrat, and was the competitor of Wolf for the Democratic nomination for Governor in that year. He was disappointed, and, with Ritner and others, espoused the antiMasonic cause. He revolutionized his county overwhelmingly, and made it one of the most thoroughly anti-Democratic counties in the State, which it is to this day. He aspired to gubernatorial honors for many years under the new political organization; but Ritner held the candidacy in 1829, '32, '35, and '38, when the Whig party supplanted anti-Masonry, and Middleswarth never became conspicuous as one of its State leaders. He lived throughout his life in opposition to liberal progress, rejecting education in his own household, and fell behind the advanced ideas of the excellent, but usually unsuccessful, Whig party. He was in sympathy with his own people, and with them and with himself he was content.

But in spite of Middleswarth, his people at last began to progress. Younger blood and fresher ideas gradually confronted him. Schools had been dotted over his county in defiance of the prejudices of the past, and colleges began to show their spires on the beautiful banks of the Susquehanna. He sadly witnessed the gradual departure from the good old days when schools were comparatively unknown, and the scanty literature of the region, and even the laws, were read only in good old Pennsylvania Dutch; still he battled on not only until the issue became doubtful, but even after he had been unhorsed on his own battle-ground. He struggled against fate. Such a contest between liberal ideas and prejudice of necessity presented, in due time, the representative man of the new creation. A German lad of the Dunkard type, born in Chester

County in 1818, was taken by his parents to Union County at an early age. Soon after, he was left an orphan, and returned to Chester County, where he remained among the people of the faith of his parents until he was about sixteen, when he returned to Union County and was apprenticed to a hatter. He had received little schooling, and could scarcely speak English. He soon acquired the language, and devoted the leisure hours of his apprenticeship to study. When he was free, he was one of the most intelligent mechanics in the place, although so unobtrusive in his manners that few knew or noticed him outside of his immediate associates. He pursued his trade until 1841, still assiduously devoting his spare time to reading and study, when he engaged in the boating and boatbuilding business, and soon after connected with it the manufacture of lumber. His energy, fair dealing, and intelligent management of his large manufacturing operations made him prosperous, and he acquired a liberal competency. Subsequently he retired from the boat and lumber trade, and established large shops for the manufacture of agricultural implements, in connection with a foundry; and he continued as a partner in that business until a few years ago, when the wear of his devoted and faithful official service given to the State compelled him to retire from all active pursuits and seek to restore his broken health.

From the humblest and most illiterate of the lads of his community, Eli Slifer became the first citizen of Lewisburg, foremost in all efforts for the moral or business advancement of the town, and enjoying the confidence and respect of his neighbors of every class and every political belief. He was, from sincere conviction, a radical antislavery man, and, as such, consistently supported the Whig party, although he took no public part in political affairs until 1848. A large mass-meeting was held in the early part of that year near Lewisburg, at which Mr. Middleswarth presided, and Judge Casey and others