The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-11-08
" So sinks the man. whose conduct Heaven

4, So sinks the man, whose conduct Heaven
spls~sves,
Whom Angels venerate ard Virtue loves
| Lssnentihg Honor weeps upon her hcars,y
| g AMI carves in Uold, the monumental yerss
| While Glory beams Deaths retiring
| gloom,
And with rcfulgent sp'endcr crowns his
| Tomb"
| The Fife Of IoHN PhcE has been eminea,l,
nseiul to his country, and honorable to hia,sc,f
At ti'at awful crisis, when we mad no nati;jna,
eNistcnce-w when the tlclna gogues o. par,v sh,tnk
with dismav from the gathering gloon, OF g .he
times bat tried mems souis,r he nob,v dared 10
brave the fury and the cr.orS ofroy.l vengeance
| Inc storm was awful, bu; our beloved PAGE
stood secure and collected on the basis oS con
scinus virtue. Elected ~ the siarages Of h..
Fellow Citizens to tn. mos; exalted stations in
tls ssitt Ola free people, never did Re shrink FROM
ms awful responsibility A prosecuted patriot,
he wilingi; suffered lie Srowns of fortune and
the calumnes of e powerful party, whose malice
ana envy hrs own i!iuStrio,s mcri. excited and in
tamed. Surveying the most glorious revc;,iion
thtt ever adorned the annals OF the world; while
TIE tear OF Pity trcmblcs in our e,eA for the su
1SsinSs mt our Patriots < the blood uf nur Heroes
whiis we ct"slder Our Independence as the bcs,
blessing heaven can hes,ow, or that man
Icy; never let US forget those excellent men.
whose s,iiierings oonsecra.cG, and whose blood
| ctniented the holy templ: of our liberty. II a
ilie devoted to the service of his country can en-
ute him to public respect and individual atlnra
ton, few az more eminerilv distinguished
thm JoHN PAGE. The wagnitddc. OF thase sa-
I crihces he 50 cheeruy made F.; the dreadful dan
gers TO which, he was 50 constantly exposed the
paint,i privations he cndute,l wiz ever be re-
| mcrrbcred with admiration aud delight Few
men entered the bloody scenes of our rcy oliion
richer ut its close mary like lceches that suck
| me life blood OF sOcicty,' flied with ;nu MY
inereenary approximations, assuming; no decision
o! character, had fattcncd by mean and ,Iisoro-
r.bie si'ecuatons vet to- his eternal icncr be it
SAID, TINT splendid rs was his original fortune he
Quilted 1T poor; poor III every Possession ht the
| sweet ssiiles of approving conscience and the
.istrc Of virtuous reputation
Tire history of his life will be found in the his
tory OF iils country. Strange indeed would il be,
II h'S UIcniofyis not perpetusted To postciity l;y
! some memorial OF his coumtrys love Partial and
ungrateiIl would be t|iat country. wber,. the re-
! mems OF Alexander Hamilton rot III state, ncio-
sed in 4 Splendid rnGussleun., consecratcl 70 the
! memory OF the Soldier of approved yalor--t!e
| Statesman OF consumnatc wjsdom--the Patriot
OF exalted virtue and if;corrue.i6ie integrity :"
| whIe JoKS PAGE, unhonorcl md unknown
mouiders i'll AN humble grave. If respect be due
to man, ii is 20 him, certainly who t,evotes his
life to the service Of his country fyo5, bre qisiu-
tsres!e! 7,0tsss. The needy adj enturet for fame
or fortune, who fights to acquire the applause of
his commander and the admiration the world:
careless for 7oho7's or gchst he fghts--no matter
what his bravery IS orsmny be, cannot be com
pared to the honest ant! enlightened patriot who
bad no selfish interests at stake, was bound by no
ties, urged by principles but the love of iibei-
ty and man.
'Twere superhIous to follow him from his ac-
tive and useful services in Congress, to the hon
ored shades of ls retirement and his SUBSEQUENT
| administration of the government of Virginia
| his whole lie indeed has been but shining Sc
RES OF almost uneXAmpled virtue and the uosi
| unolemished honor 1t shows a main of exalted
taents-a statesman Of consummate wisdom---a
patriot OF mCoiru ,;tiblc vriue-a veteran of '76
whose energy OF mind, and firm decision of cha
racter in times of trial. and difficulty K dangers.
entitled him to the love aud thanks OF after ages
| an Richmond, where he resided during his term
OF ONCE as our governor, all men of every party
and OF all descriptions, besr cheerful testimony
| to the purity OF ms principles and The excellence
OF his heart and although age had Mario wed the
! ha6itual exertion OF his faculties although the
| s'nSiiness ct hIs revenue had contracted the
sphere OF his utility, still his name was venera
ted and respected to a degree of sincere and
| grateful affection, that tae most exate ed talents
seldom, and witch wealth never receives His
| life was always correspondence amiab!c Never
III old age has he deviated from those exalted
| principles which in youth he goricd in ayowinp
his m.'1uers Were conciiatn:, and highly polish
ed distinguished for the unaffected simplicity
| or VirginIan, alike removed tom the obscn;li
marty Of ceremonious pride.
| Yet virtue cannot save her children from the
grave, and PAC now Doulders L.. the silence of
Tic tomb. Over that spot Of earth, which his
ashes consecrnte, let no man pass regardless let
hlm behold with reverence and awe the ashes of
that man who was once useful to liberty and
honorable to man before whose awful frown
the mnlions of despoisnn s. the parasites of pow
| CT once sunk ~ horror and dismav. The vivid
flashes OF that eye and the thunders of that vice
which could once animate Il nation and instruct
the world, are now buried in the stiffness of the
tomb. But reason and revelation inpart the con.
ISOLATION, that lie has fled 10 another and better
world, where he still; bends forward TO behold
the country for whose liberty and happiness he
Itoilcd and bled, and triumphed.
Shall not principles so pure, and talents and
virtues go inquest )nably eminent, entitIe HIM to
public affection, gratitude aud respects Unques-
toobiy tic people OF Virginia viii slways vene-
rate his example and cherish the memory of his
services The erection Of & monument nicht
flstter the vanity Of private affection But in my
humble estimation. aitho0gn monuments may be
evidences ot an dUlizing party, they are no test-
moaY o' grateful country. The pagcartrv of
cOur''y spcudJr IS btt little suited TO the humble
SIN. iiri,, 81 republican institutions No lrohu-
n"ut Cci,u &c his proper and suthclent eulOgium,
whose generous and nOlle soul was so far s,ipe.
rio' so the lattcry % praise lad he been Il bad
man o. many bad ones obtain the testimony Of
m0nu'aeutei marbs 90 ticir prii5e.D Gt v0uld