The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-05-14

Extract from the Address Of the Right Rev.
G. w. DoAsE, ID. ID. Bishop Of New Jersey, on
the death of General HARRISON.
Il Ia dark December day. A deep snow clothes
the giound. A sharp and cutting sliced drives WIN
the wind. Against the binding storm, and through
the deepening Drift youthful soldier win ms KNAPP
sack on his back, pursues hissteadfAs' way. SiiP
pine OF nineteen Of slender frame, and feeble health
he is an Ensign in the Army Of America with w ash
inytons commission and he marches with his small
detachment on his first service. wasa patriotic
and Christian duty. There those before me who
remember we'll, what, in my young days, was yet a
FAINT 10 her bosom end children gathered closer To the
6re-Sr CLAiss DEFEAT. il was To thai battle field,
10 inter the bones Of six hundred slain that young
Ensign FASTENED with his troop. And though II ieas
a patriot and Christian duty, how much more sternly
than tho 6ercest onset Of the heady fight must that
still forest field the lowering sky, the bowling w,n1
those gallant men butchered by savage hands, and an
the reductions and forebodiDgs Of that most disas,
Ious day. have tried the spirit ofa youthiui so'e' %
his first campaign! ~
II wa. : chill November night when small army
of Americans cncalnped themselves upon small Posn'
of land between the Wabash and atnDu,Ary s.'can
They were the gentlemen and yeomen Of me County,
who hal enrolled themselves under tns Sfhso'iai
yeynor 10 defend their homes against the infoads oil
The bos,ile Indian tribes and 10 chasse tneif inso
lence A long and tedious march, through mos
Ireary wilderness brings them at last where their
willy foes await them and, ON fheir proposition loi
conference and treaty hosities iniermlted ior
day Slowly and cheerlessly the night wears on
within that guarded camp, with clouds and ram bu,
weary men rin sleep, whatever may tetide Them anu
now for hours sound has stirred the stiffness oil he
scene save the lone sentrys guarded step Dut what
is that which through The misty moon beams strug
cling iight il SEEN not heard, glides through
The prane grass Is asnake that winds his steahy
way1 No; bui subtle Indian; and IN one instant
49, 70 al 4
sery Sleeper from his cold damp couch, and death be-
oin, his work And this sleeping camp deceived,
snrnrsed betrayed} Was their Commander iailniess
10 his trust No; every man had slept whefe nc
mus, fight his clothes on, and his gun ioaoeo. ono
he while vet the night young sat by ms tent nre
I'M the hour should rouse his weary comrades
In moment he was mounted. Where Inc hgnt was
bo,,est there was he ball with no commission ior
ms life flies through his hair Ia vain ms oncers re.
onsr.te with him for is fearless hazard OF himself
re thinks ofbrave ST. Clair asd the gallant victims
~ thai fatal field He thinks Of wasted towns, and
blazing homes and mothers slaughtered with their IN
fants And the morning dawns not until the victory
is won
Earn a ula,n and modest mansion rises from so-
nnu lawn Its owner having filled with credit TO him.
self and honor TO his country almost every s'aoh ou
the fought lis battle governed terrtones. served
it in both Houses Of Congress, and represented !
abroadwears out, in frugal industry, his green old
age plain Ohio farmer his house, the very nome Oh
bosui,aIity bis name the refuge and solace OF the
,oor the stranger and the orphan his style the no
best that is known TO natures heraidy, patriot and
a patriarch.
n is gusty day in March. Before the morning
dawns the Federal City is alive with men. Il seems
now full TO overfowing; and yet every hour brings
hundreds thousands more. A cavaicade Is formed
Bells ring and cannons roar. Fair women and brave
men. throng every window Of that noble avenue
Not State Of the whole twenty six that Is not repre-
sentcd in that long drawn line is the nation Ju-
biee All classes, all conditions, both sexes, every
ace, partake the general joy. A grave, plain man,
aTrayed in modest black that rides uncovered on the
steed more conscious than himself Of the OCCASION Is
the magnet that attracts all eyes, and touches every
heart He reaches the Capitol. He ascends the steps
He stands majestic in his meekness and simplicity
before the unreasonable multitude who have brought
with them the homage Of the nation. The highest
officer of Justice administers to him the most magni-
ficent oath that rises up to heaven. And the
youthful ensign the gallant general the laborious far
mer, is President THE United STATES.
/" One little month" has passed. u Is htful Apn
day Again, the Federal City is astir Cannons are
heard but these are minute guns. The bells peal
out but tbs the funeral kne The streets are
thronged hut every face is sad, and every voice il
still Once more long procession passes down that
noble avenue but ycw and cypress take the place Of
noddng plumcs and muflled drums beat time to ach-
ing hearts Again, that grave plain man is there
no more and tall the pillar of the State but in
his grave Clothes stretched upon the funeral lie
enters not the gate when last beheld him TO that
glorious Capitol but turns aside to the still spot,
where sleep the honored dead and earth to earth,
ashes TO ashes dust dust concludes the story and
the scene Never had man funeral sublime
Never for Chieftain fallen, did whole nation pour
out its heart. Was it not beautful-and just as it
was beautful-that he, who, that sleety day, be-
gan his public life with pous rites for St Glars butch
cred host, should find himself such sepulchre