BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. OBERT MCCLELLAND was born at Green Castle, Pennsylvania, ROBERT MCCLELLAND, Wather was an eminent physician of that place. The son graduated at Dickinson College (Carlisle, Pennsylvania) in 1829, was admitted to the bar at Chambersburg in 1831, and after practicing there a short time went to Pittsburg and practiced his profession there for about a year. He removed to Monroe, Michigan in the summer or fall of 1833, where he went into partnership for about two years with James Q. Adams. Then in 1835 he opened an office and practiced alone and with great success. He was a member of the constitutional convention of Michigan in 1835, member of the State Legislature in 1838, 1840 and 1843, and Speaker of the House in the latter year (and the Michigan Legislature never had a more accomplished Speaker); a member of Congress for three successive terms (Twenty-eighth, Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth Congresses), from 1843 to 1849; member of the Constitutional convention of 1850; the first Governor for the short term under the new constitution for 1852, elected in 1852 for the term of two years, and went into office as Governor January 1, 1853. On the inauguration of Franklin Pierce as President, March 4, 1853, McClelland was appointed Secretary of the Interior, in which office he continued till the end of Pierce's administration, March 4, 1857. This was his last public office. This list shows of itself that he must have been above the average of men in ability and fidelity to the public interests. And when it is further stated that he performed the duties of these various offices with credit to himself and a high reputation among all parties for ability and integrity, little more need to be said of him in this direction. In 1836 he married Miss Elizabeth Sabin, a beautiful and excellent lady, who survived him, but died at Detroit in 1884. He had removed to Detroit prior to his election as Governor, and resided there afterwards till his death, August 30, 1880. As a politician, he was eminently cautious and conservative, and when he thought his party was going to extremes in any direction, he used his best efforts to restrain them; but like a true politician, if, in spite of his efforts, they persisted, he did not denounce them or leave them, but went with them, though against his better judgment, probably believing that by so doing he could have a more salutary influence in restraining them from dangerous extremes than by coming out in open and direct opposition, by which that influence would be lost. Doubtless many other patriotic men of all parties have honestly acted upon the like principle. Few, if any, knew him more intimately than I did, [says I. P. Christiancy, author of this sketch], having been a student in his office for two years (from 1836 to 1838), when I was admitted to the bar, having in 1845, taken and closed up the business of Wing & McClelland, and been a law partner with him in 1849 and 1850. As a man and a citizen he was strictly just and fair, and while exacting what was his due he was careful to exact nothing more. He was of a cheerful and social disposition, of pleasant address and popular manners, never morose or fretful, and if ever melancholy or despondent he would successfully conceal it. Though seldom indulging in witticisms or story-telling, yet he enjoyed these qualities in others, and in all circumstances was ready to indulge in a pleasant laugh, so much so that his opponents asserted that he laughed himself into office. As a practicing lawyer he was systematic and orderly in his habits, strictly and conscientiously faithful to the interests of his clients. His industry and care in the preparation of his cases were persistent and indefatigable. No decision bearing upon his case escaped his search, and all efforts were made to ascertain what the evidence was likely to be, and if he failed of success it was no fault of his. But he was a lawyer of the old school, and adopted A. D. Frazer, of Detroit, as his model. This school of lawyers was strong so far as they could find decisions sustaining their positions, and these decisions were treated as texts of revelation, and commented upon much as the old Scotch divines commented upon texts of Scripture. But they were very timid, and therefore not very strong in reasoning upon the fundamental principles of the law and demonstrating what the law must be in the absence of any authority upon a particular point. They did not lack the power of reasoning upon such principles, but they did not often venture to exercise it. He was ambitious as a lawyer for honorable success in his profession. As a politician he was also ambitious for success, but though after 1848 I was opposed to him in politics, I never doubted his patriotism. I remember him as I do Judge Warner Wing and Hon. Alpheus Felch and many others with whom I differed in politics, as excellent men, who would be deserving of a high standing as true patriots in any country. I believe they all honestly strove for what they sincerely believed best for the welfare and prosperity of our whole country. I think they were in some things mistaken as to the best means of accomplishing the result -they thought I was; Omnipotence alone can finally decide which was right. With Governor McClelland's administration came the end of "the old regime" under the auspices of the Democratic party. The state was just emerging from the embarrassments resulting from participation in internal improvement schemes. Settlement had increased to a population of over half a million. Two railroad lines stretched entirely across the state and a third was pushing rapidly westward. Farms were increasing in value. Villages were growing into cities. Educational facilities were multiplying and improving. The credit of the state was improving in financial centers. The state institutions were rapidly developing. The hard pioneering period had passed and life in the young State had become comparatively easy. A new era of material, social and political life was at hand. |