The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1841-05-20

with that same suavity, which threw 70
sy coloring round all ne did and said.-.
Wilh7no fear for the mighliesi, he coult
no. wound or wrong the meanest. TN,
fortunes of his life had thrown him int
J the camp and on the battle field. But h,
| was not made for a warrior. as warrior.
| usually have been; and think all the bet
ter of him that he was not. q He had no
enough OF the contentious aud destructiv,
spirit for that Nevertheless his higf
moral sentiments led him always to ac
bravely and well, however repugnant the
task might be to his nalureior taste. o.
one thing | am sure; lie would have made
poor military man if called>to fight ;
battle in an UNI ust cause. 1t has beer
said as marked feature in the character
of him who was first in war" as il
peace. that his retreats were as remarka
BILE as his successful engagements, show
ing the element of mercy ever vigilanI tc
protect his soldiers. Ii was the FREEDOM.
nance Of the same trait, which must have
robbed the battle field of every charm il,
the eyes Of him, who followed him in his
last elevated station. Yet this very pc
culiari,y only rendered him the NOR: fl
to fill it well. He had been made 10 shine
bestin the councils of State end The civil
ian's chair .- ....g. ..- ... ...-.q.sl .,.
AS to his intercourse with others, he
could little sympalhise with the remark
of the willy Talleyraud, tina, God seem,
ed to have given us the power not to ex.
press but TO conceal our thoughts His
natural frankness and openness, both OF
which we're conspicuous, might possibly
have been deemed inconsistent with the
character of an eminent and successful
statesman. | know not but as the in
trigues of courts and their ar,ful policy
may, in the past history of the world
have been managed, i, might have been
so. But | have yet to learn that such
crystal traits as these can be any mpedi.
ment towards forming good and virtu-
Gus one. Let us believe, rather, that il
we are to consider political life as only
capable Of being pursued successfully by
ar,ifce. slratagem and concealment, WE
have not yet discovered its righ,ful paths;
and that we have no claim as yctto be Ell.
rolled as the worthy servants of men till
we have first become the true.hearted and
faithful servants of God. .....-.. ..... d. .
10 the removal Of sucl, a character,-
let me hope | may not have departed from
the truth of tit is not easy at any time
to be indifferent. Occurring as it has, n
has seemed to render more mournfnl, il
not to magnify the loss. Nevertheless
let us beware lest we look at the divine
appointments only through our own sor'
rows. st is related as singular leIici
,y"-I borrow from another the beautiful
description of record of history iii i.
related as a singular felicity of the grea
philosopher Plato, that he died at a goot
old aye at a banquet, surrounded with flow
ers aud perfumes, amidst tes,al songs, OF
his Birthday Happy, | may add, in thu
spiri, of the old Latin maxim, not more
in The glory of his life than in The periot
Of his death. know not but that IN TIT
departure of him, on whom the nation
thoughts have been fixed, the same nigh
be repeated with equal force. lcould en-
terrain no anxious forebodings for my
| country, so far as character is concerned
under such direction. l would express
no fears, which we might not feel for any
human Strength. Butal the best, it nigh
be happiest for himself, as we know i
was wises,, that he was permitted to de
part before promises could even be in dan
ger of being broken, or trials feebly horne
could detract from the lustre of--i'ts re
nown. Could we see all its issues, we
might behold him departing in chariot
of light; dropping, too, like HIM OF old
as he assembled. mantle, rich IN bless
ings. on those who should come after hin
aud on the country of his fondeSt prayers
Could our hearts too but be opened Il
every sanciifying influence, how muc'
larger service than his life might we SET
his death conlerring! The solemn voice
of God, whose protecting care was evei
over our Fathers, and those whom he
raised up for their defence, has spoken
with awakening tones IN the deaths, OF
the Jubilee day Of the nation, oil three OF
those who had been successfully chosen
to preside over this people. Sull anoth
er, whom the people had honoled, hat
suddenly closed his eyes almost a, the We
ry hour when he had assumed the robe
Is there no language of warning in these
striking occurrences. no words oil wisdom
speaking from his death! Are there nj
monitions of the emptiness of human Gle
vation! Ofthe common lot that await:
us all! Is there no encouragement to cul
! ,iva,e the spirit and life, which he, whom
we mourn, las left us as his brightest lie
gacy!
Yes, brethren. all these .monitions ar
saving. All the memory of the man. i
good. His life was an honor to his coun
toy and humanity. He lived like Chris
,ian patriot and he died like one.-lh
best good Of his country at his hear. i
his last throbbings. The nation has be
come mourner, for it had repesed conf
dence in his integrity, aud its anticipates
of him have been disappointed. A, gloo
my and sad reverse has passed like a sna
! den cloud in the stately mansionr and
I the Halls of the Capitol, and among III
/ family circle. where, bu, month ago, h
4 Il. oil