Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-10-13

pjna-no matter, they must all be paihteu May
not BiographY. as well as History be truly call !
ed Philosophy teaching BY examples ana now
shall the example teach. II the fiorai 0e i"s''-
Upun those principles, we should Deg leave 10
change the reading Of a we'll known axiom, ana
bv casting out the adjective bonuns ''a9e IL,
:. De mortuis nil nisi uc,t'aa'-i SPEAK noth'ns Oh
the dead bat what is true i we deem M apoio-
gy necessary. indeed, formenticning some OF tie
faults of Hayes. as his constitutional Temperament.
removed much of his responsibility as moral
aren't: thew were the faults more Of mature than
Of hiiaseij.seThe melancholy feelings to winch
we have already alluded, invaded his peace and
happness in his earliest wears. Like the unior-
tunate Henry Kirke White. he became their VIC
tim in incipient studies. He VAS at this period
of his life in the custom of waking up his COM
panions in the house, to whose ears he would re-
veal his alarming tale--solne conspiracy had
been formed against him, the house was to he
burned by wicked incendaries, or he, HAYES,
was to be robbed o. murdered. These agitatins
fea.s and apprehensions, like churchyard ghost,
seen every where and no where, followed han
through his HE.
To obtain temporary respite from the ruth
less grasp of this, his worst constitutional enc
nv, he became confirmed and inseParablc dc
votee to the bottle. This course. pcraevered III
for series of wears, could not fail to impair his
health, TO weaken lis intellect, "a lnJure his re-
spectability and to rum his reputation and PTac-
tice as LAWYER; aud acco jingiy, all these Un.
happy consequences did tG,io". lie removed
to the country and tried SchG,. aud accounts
were brought that John WAS al altered nam; tha'
lie had become as settled, hnt nai hall ~ sapne,
as The rafter tree Of the aukl ~ jfg9la an a3t'ch
he Keep Il; but thew were deceptive. In a few
morths he appeared again in Bardstown; he was
indeed changed, but it was for the worSe-hls
propensity for liquor incurable-t was
link in the chain Of his existence--a fibre OF his
heart-he now manifested unequivocal symptoms
of the disease called Mo,,ia a po'u. He had
read and reflected much on the case OF Morgan,
and believed that the fraternity Of masons were
hunting him. Ike wild beast, TO put him to
death He had also been told that the medIc"i
faculty had discovered that there was something
remarkably fine. subtle and ingenious, In the
structure If his brain. and that they we're seek
IN. him to dissect and anaize II. Ibis made a
strong impression.
The first night after his return to RardS-
town. MIR. Elder. tavern keeper, hospitality
furnished him bed up stairs IN his house.
He retired, bat not to sleep--he imagined
that the freemasons had surrounded his bed,
and were in the act Of Selling him--with the
spring Of tiger, he dashed through window,
and would have found an mmedite termination
( TO his life and troubles, had not the proprietor
only few days before. built fat porch imme
diate!y under the window, on which he aighted
WITHOUT material injury. ------
Dung the whole period OF his mental aberra
tons, the citizens Of this town manifested tie Ut.
most sympathy and indulgence towards him.
it was their brilliant but unfortunate countryman
1t was the unhappy man of talents-it vas poor
John HAYES! and the tear wiped away. or the
sigh exhaled. was not less honorable to its object
than to the benevolence of those by whom thi,
silent tribute of respect and affection was, in Sc
cret offered:
'Tis done, the p wctfnl charm succeeds;
His high reluctant spirit bends;
In bitterness OF SOU! he bc,ds,
Nor longer with It's fate c0ncnd5.
= An IDIOT l1ugh the weIkin rends
As Genius thus degraded les:
TIL nitIIng heaven, IL, veil ,X ends,
I hat shrous in nigh, his ardent ewes
Had this extraordinary individual been blessed
with moderate share Of plain. every day sense
and prudence; could he have added sobrlety, eco
nomy and industry, te his proud mental supcri.
ority-to his retentive facuty--what night he not
have bceni The Idol of his friends the terror
Of his opponents -unrivaled at the bar distin.
gushed in the councils Of his nation. perhaps q
lasting monument of the greatness Of The West
ern regions of America the highest object which
ambition could emulate, or at which envy could
point her shriveIed finger But it pleased lie
divine dsposer of events otherwise TO order his
lot!
few words more shall close this mournfnl
tragedy! His friends, who had long despaircd of
seeing any reformation take place in his habits.
had of necessity. brought themselves to the me
lanchov resignation OF believing that he would
pass through all the stages of worldly humiliation
and distress-tllst ne would drink the cup to its
last foul, bitter and disgusting dreas. But they
were disappointed! The sands of his glass were
nearly run out,-the hammer was raised that
was to strike his kncl. On the cath of July, 1850
ne was found dead, near a fence. few miles
from town, in the neighborhool of Coxs creek
OF the mode and manner of HI. death nothing GER
tain is known. 1t is believed that in a parozvsm
of his mental malady, he was attacked BY some
Of his imagined enemies. the Masons or the Doc
ter9 and tina; he Dpri ,heI hy tho cneryv ~ HE