Henry Hyde: A Statesman, Not a Politician
In Memoriam
Henry Hyde: A Statesman, Not a Politician
April 18, 1924 - November 29, 2007
This morning, Illinois and the Nation suffered a great loss. Former U.S. Representative, Henry Hyde, died at the age of 83.
Rep. Hyde had undergone triple-bypass heart surgery in July of this year and his health had been failing in recent months. However, Rep. Hyde will not be remembered for the way he died. He will be remembered for the way he lived, and his legacy will stand for many years as an example of service to God and country.
"Today, Illinois mourns the passing of a favorite son, the Honorable Henry Hyde. Illinois citizens and families across the nation have good reason to celebrate his life and his many years of public service," said Illinois Family Institute's Dave Smith.
"Congressman Hyde was a patriot and a statesman. He worked hard to champion the principles of life and liberty. Illinois, and the rest of the Union, are better because of his good work and his achievements in Washington DC."
Henry Hyde contributed to the United States in many ways. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946. After World War II ended, Hyde continued his service in the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1946 through 1968. He was a man who felt his life in America was worthy of a lifetime commitment to the country he loved, and, by his actions, Henry Hyde will certainly go down as one of the great figures in our nation's history. He will not be forgotten.
Some people might refer to the 32 year veteran of the U.S. House of Representatives as a politician. But Rep. Hyde was more, much more. A better word to describe the man would be 'statesman.' Though Hyde held to his conservative pro-family convictions, he was an individual who brought to mind the comity of years gone by. Rep. Hyde never used pejoratives or ad homonyms while debating issues with his political foes. Rep. Hyde represented a nearly forgotten time when principle took precedent over politics, integrity held sway over political expedience, and the prosperity of our nation was most important of all.
In the midst of a successful law practice, Hyde began his long and illustrious career in 1964 as Illinois' Mr. Conservative from Chicago's 41st Ward on the northwest side. As a member of the Young Republicans and the Ward Republican Organization, he was slated for State Representative by his Ward Committeeman and his sitting Republican County Chairman, Tim Sheehan. After a decade in the Illinois General Assembly, Hyde was elected to Congress in a newly-created suburban district in a battle of conservative titans by besting the Democratic State's Attorney, Ed Hanrahan. The rest is history.
At the beginning of his career in Washington, the newly elected Congressman sponsored such monumental legislation as the Hyde Amendment which was first passed in 1976. The legislation banned public funding of abortions through Medicaid. Some estimate the Hyde Amendment may have saved the lives of one million Americans since it became law 31 years ago.
Near the end of his career, in 1998, Hyde was appointed as a manager by the U.S. House of Representatives during the impeachment process of then-President William Jefferson Clinton. It was not an enviable position; at the time, Rep. Hyde came under heavy criticism for his role in the impeachment -- from not only Democrats, but from some members of his own party as well. But Rep. Hyde stood on principle and the rule of law. Clinton was impeached, though he was not convicted by the U.S. Senate. However, Henry Hyde did what was asked of him in a time when the U.S. Constitution and those who held elected office were tested to the utmost degree.
Henry Hyde has passed away, but America is a better place because of his service.
May the Lord comfort the family and loved ones of a man who, in many ways, was larger than life. Yes, Henry Hyde will not be forgotten.
Please keep his family in your prayers.
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