Memorial Address—Samuel D. Hastings. 687 
deeply sympathetic nature—those qualities of head and heart 
which grew and strengthened with his years—Avere never satis¬ 
fied with mere money making. In 1835, he became deeply in¬ 
terested in the anti-slavery movement. He was one of the 
founders of the “Liberty” party in Pennsylvania, and, at the 
age of twenty-four, was made chairman of its state central com¬ 
mittee. Through his zeal and activity in this movement he 
became intimately associated with such men as James G-. Bir- 
ney, William Lloyd Garrison, John G. Whittier, Gerritt Smith, 
Wendell Phillips, and with many others of national fame. His 
attitude, at so early an age, toward slavery, and his activity in 
this organized movement, against it, was but a. single illustra¬ 
tion of his inborn, hatred of oppression, and of his sympathy 
with the unfortunate everywhere, as shown in so- many ways 
throughout his entire life. 
In 1846, Mr. Hastings'removed to Wisconsin Territory and 
settled in Walworth county. He at once became identified as 
an active citizen with the public interests of the territory, and 
soon after, with those of the state. Lie was immediately placed 
in positions of public trust, and yet never through his own seek¬ 
ing. He was called to act as town clerk, justice of the peace, 
chairman of his town and county boards, and was elected to 
the legislaturei of 1849, and sat as a member of that body at its 
first winter session after the territory became a state. He was 
regarded as one of the able members of the assembly, and was 
held in high esteem' by his associates. The excitement over the 
subject of slavery and its. extension into 1 the territories was then 
running high, and Mr. Ha,stings 5 speech, made before the as¬ 
sembly in support, of certain resolutions, upon this subject, was 
widely circulated by the newspaper press, and was afterwards 
republished and further circulated as one of the documents of 
the Anti-Slavery Society. These resolutions, of which Mr. 
Hastings was the author, were, with slight alterations, passed 
by the two 1 houses, and thus committed the state, for the time 
being at least,, toi the views therein contained. 
In 1852, Mr. Hastings removed to the city of La Crosse, but 
soon after took up his residence in the village of Trempealeau, 
near by, where he had already acquired property. Here he 
was again called into political life. He was chosen a member 
of the assembly in 1856, and in the year following was nomi¬ 
nated and elected treasurer of the: state. This responsible office 
