Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-06-17


/ fore, that this national bereavement is also
of the Lord. For the morning shower
that chilled our late chief, and the disease
which clave to him and finally slenced
the pulsasons of his heart, were but the
agents of God for removing him. And
why was he taken away A full and
certain answer TO such question is not to
be expected in this life. To profess to
give it would be presumption; for in such
an attempt we should be
Sure TO err
And scan his work in vain;
God is his interpreter,
And he will make it plain
| But still it is our duty to read the provi-
dence of God as far as we can. And it
becomes US to inquire what national sins
or common iniquties, such as pride, inf
deity, intemperance, oppression, Sabbath
dissertation, or proianeness, may have
challenged this visitation of the Almighty
Too many are direct parlakers in these
sins, and it may be well for christians to
ask how far they may be indirectly par
taking in them, by Withholding their re-
proofs or the force Of their example. -
And whatever else we may learn from
this dispensation, brethren, 1t is very GER
tain that we may read in it the broad and
solemn lesson Of the text, thai man in
| best estate, or greatest elevation, is fall
en-, dying creature in spirit frail, IN body
nothing but dust And with this virtual
repetition Of the text, We proceed to make
use of it:
II. AS guide IN rendering due honor
to the memory Of The deceased. And here
we feel the need of some such wholesome
check. For our personal feelings, unre.
strained, might carry us off into strain
of laudation which would make us forget
that all human greatness is but relative.
Even the first man, in his primeval inno.
cency and perfection, was but organized
dust, iearfully and wonderfully wiough.
up, and animated with living soul. And
when we speak of man as he now is, born
in sin, born under the sentence, dust thou
art, and unto dust thou shalt RETURN our
praises should be measured and compare
tive. Nevertheless, praise is not improp-
err. There is such a thing as rendering
honor 20 whom honor is DUE And the
apostle bids US honor all men, for all
men are in some sense honorable. The
lowest man upon earth, compared with
the highest irrational creature, is an au-
gust being; for he has the image of God
enstamped upon his soul! The subject OF
our present notice, certainly stood out
prominently from the mass Of his fellow
men. And leaving his acts as a civilian,
and his achievements as military chief
tain to ADLER hands, we shall be content
with giving sketch Of few personal
traits. We begin by observing that he was
A man Of Intelligence. He had a good
native intellect, improved by "a liberal ed
ucation and cultivated by an acquaintance
with books. And his mind was especially
well stored with The most useful ofall know.
ledge-a knorcledge Of men and things
His perception was quick, and he was re-
markabe for a readiness and taste in ex.
pressing his thoughts, both in speaking
and writing. But his leading mental quail
lily was that best balance wheel Of the in
tellectual powers,-a good Judgment
This excluded inordinate self confidence,
and led him to surround himself in his Of.
fetal station with the best counsellors.
Although not unconscious OF his own
claims, he was ever ready to award all
praise to the talents of his competitors in
the race for high office; for his mind was
not darkened by envy-that thievish, but
seli-convlctng passion, which strives to
add to its own stock of reputation by alb.
stracting from The fame of others. And
this leads US to add,
That he todS Just man an The raaSdc.
lions Of business. Money was with him a
very secondary concern. But although he
was liberal to a fault, his liberaity never
violated justice, or wasted the resources
of others. Three millions of Government
money were disbursed by him with clean
hands. And opportunities of speculation,
which other public men might have EN-.
braced, were to him forbidden grounds.
In his private dealings he did not identify
strict legal right with moral justice. He
took higher standard. And If his econ
omy was not as good as it might have
been, it was his generosity which trenched
upon Il, not his selfish indulgence for his
tastes were plain, and his mode of living
simple. But he was far from being indo.
lent.
He cdS man Of great enterprise and
encrgy of character. These features were
developed 10 his early history, when he
left the matured comforts and the refined
hospitality of the 'ancen: dominion to
engage in conflict with savages. And
when the war was ended, he did not re-
turn to his native State, but settled down
among the hardy pioneers of the West.
From that time he led lite in many re.
spects of romantic interest as well as pub
lie usefulness alternately warning and
negotiating with enemies, both savage
and civilized one while a governor, and
at other times a legislator, in our State
and National halls; until at last, the
young soldier and pioneer returned to the
East, an aged man, to assume the highest
office in the gift of the people
Is 1t said that he was ambitious We
grant it. Nor must we in this sacred
place hesitate to affirm that uusanctiied
ambition is sin. Even in the gliding
phraseology Of the world, it is called the
Iinfrmity of noble minds And God APP
...z,-1r, = o..ca,,t ;e faith fully and