Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1838-01-02
From the National EntelHgencer.
DEATH OF Mr.. KENT.

DEATH OF NIX. KENT.
Mr.. CLAY of Kentucky, rose and
said-The unavoidable absence of the
surviving Senator of the State of Ma
ryland has devolved on me the melan~
choly duty of announcing to the Senate
what it already too we'll knows, the
lamented death of his worthy colleague.
He, suddenly expired on the 24th of
last month, in the 59th year of his age,
and few minutes before apparently
in excellent health. His public career
has been evidently useful, and his pri-
vate pursuits have been crowned with
merited success. DIR. Joseph KENT
has served his native State Of Mary
land in the Legislature, in the College
of Electors of President and Vice Pre-
sident, IN the office of Chief Magistrate,
and in both branches of Congress. He
has discharged the duties of all these
stations with the greatest diligence,
with distinguished ability, and with
general satisfaction. He brought into
the public councils a large stock of
common sense, sterling integrity, and
Judgment sound, practical, and dis
eliminating. He was one of those
lone men, of whose decision, if he I'M
derstood the question which he was
called upon to consider, we might be
perfectly sure IT. advance. He spoke
in debate rarely, but when he rose he
spoke directly to the point, without any
ann at ambitious ornament, and full of
Interest and instruction, drawn by in
duction and from experience.
Twenty-six years ago, he and / en-
tered the House of Representatives
together. During the long period which
has since interviewed, what agltating
questions have arisen to shake this vast
Confederacy, each in its turn seeming
to threaten it with overthrow! But the
RePabHc stands up, proud and erect,
bearing aloft its glorious banner Of orr
ginal and added stars and stripes, and
marching steadily on to its high desti-
n.y. The fearful question, of contro-
versy have been happily put to rest,
and many of those who were most
apprehensive of the fate ofour country
silently sleep in the grave. Should not
these groundless fears inspire us with
more confidence in the durability of
our admirable institutions? Should not
our transltory turmoils, and our fleeing
existence, inspire US with a spirit o(
mutual forbearance and brothsrly love?
In private life the estimable man
whose untimely death we deplore, en-
Logged the unbounded confidence and
attachment of his neighbors and friends
and he was almost idsIized by his fam
lily and slaves. Plain and unostenta~
tious in his manners and department,
he was always cheerful, cordial, con-
ciIiatory and encouraging. For more
than a quarter Of this century, / have
had the happiness of his friendship.
And | have ever found him, in pros
porous and adverse fortunes, in the
spring and in the autumn of my life, a
firm. faithful, and never failing friend.
Such good man is great loss to
Maryland, to the Senate, and to the
whole country. But nowhere, out Of
the circle of his own family, will that
loss be felt with more severity than by
the People of this District. Untiring
in his exertions,h he was ever their warm
: Jealous, and devoted friend. Onmore
: than one occasion have my own first
impressions against measues brought
) forward for their relief been efaced by
the earnestness and intensity ofhis per
; suasion. And we will recollect how
not more than sixty days ago, we were
thrilled by a burst of indignant elo
quence from him in that now vacan
f place, against a bill which he though
f fraught with hardship and injustice to
} wards this District. That place will
5 again be soon be filled, and doubtless
$ will be ably filled by the enlightened
State which mourns his death; but M
man can bring to it a better heart, ant
a sounder head, than he possessed.
g 1t remains to us to perform the sal
D duty of awarding our share of the hon
a ors to his memory. propose the fol
0 lowing resolutions:
e Resolued, unanimously. That tn
s members of the Senate, from SINGER
It desire of showing every mark Of res
:. pect due to the memory of the Hon
J, JOSEPH KENT, deceased, late . mem
n Der thereof viii 90 into mourning b
h wearing Grape onthe left arm for thigt
7, days.
II ResoEUed, unanimously, That as a
Il additional mark Of respect for til
h memory of the Hon. JotEPH Kew