Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-09-24

friendly feelings have overrated my humble effort,
nnd therefore submit il with diffidence TO the pub
lie eye. remain, sirs. yours, very truly,
JEREMIAH MORTON.
To Messrs. John A. Porter, p. Mallory, w. T.
Mitchell, Geo. Cooke, Thomas Coleman.
fredericksburg, September 2. 1912.
Dear Sirs Under cover is Eulosy upon the
late Governor Barbour, delivered ut the instance OF
the people Of Orange. in pubic meeting assembled.
| know the general pressure upon your columns
vet after ten months Of Congressional speeches, the
enclosed may lie acceptable to your readers, more
Us variety than from any intrinsic merit.
You will discover 1t is expected TO be printed in
the Richmond Wing and the papers Of this place.
IL j, too much labor to have more than one copy
made out and have concluded 10 send it directly
to you, so that it may appear IN those papers IN
reasonable time. II will bc necessary If you insert
AZ ut all You should do II soon.
If the wishes of old subscriber will enforce
the desire of other friends Of Governor Barbour,
will add my that you insert it, and so soon as
you possibly can.
Yours, very respectfully.
JEREMIAH MORTON.
To Nessrs GALES & SEAros, Washington.
Fellow. Citizens: We have assembled this day TO ,
commemorate the life and public services OF JAMES
BARRouR-"to render honor to whom honor is |
due" In supposing sympathize in your feelings, |
your sentiments, your gratitude, you do me but |
justice; but in selecting me as the organ OF them |
your friendship has too heavily taxed my humble |
abilities. In the discharge Of the high and respon
sibe duty, am only sustained by the fulness and
interest Of my subject, and, hater myself the
partial kindness Of my auditors.
Vice and wicked ness decked out in the trappings
Of power and patronage, are never without adula
tors-sycophantic smiles attend CT every step; yet,
when consigned TO the grave, and their power and
patronage en,ombed with their remains, then "none
so poor as do them reverence )" but, when great
man falls, patriot and statesman, whose deeds
and services interviewer nth the history of his
country, the blessings OF thousands attend him, and
his memory and fame are embamed in every gene
rous bosom. The commemora,ion OF the life and
public services OF the iustrous dead is sanctioned
10y reason and custom: when the tyrant and ops
pressor falls the curses OF posterty attend him-"he
descends to the vile dust from whence he sprung,
unwept, unhonored, and unsung."- The general
execration of mankind is q warning 10 the living :
the just but Indignant judgement OF posieriiy ad
monlshes unbrid ed ambition OF the dark seal which
after ages will stamp upon character, but the life,
the services, the fine CT a Franklin and q Wash.
ington, will warm the heart and nerve the arm of
youthful ambition SO long 20 lghtnin. 2 cam and
freemen live.
The free and spontaneou, hear,-of.rings of
friends, n lshbors and freemen, to the departed
patriot and orator, acceptable incense from the
altar Of patriotism. The Offering which you this
day make, is justice 10 the dead and justice 10 you
The emotions Of gratitude in the bosom OF fseemen
IRE ennobllng 10 them and honorable TO the Object.
James Barbour was born IN the county of Orange,
on The 10Th day OF June, in the year OF our Lord
I775, OF honorable and respectable parentage: his
inheritance was poverty and talents, and an unfair
nished name. But laudable ambition and the
stimusnt Of necessity, the instrument, OF genius
in raising q monument 10 her fame. These epe
rated powerfully upon his youth, and gave muscle
and siaew TO the character Of his manhood.
Ii you cast your eye down the current Of time,
and permit it to rest uron the bright names Of p,ets
orators statesmen and heroes If you cast i over
own land, and bchold the illus rious living, how
few will you find who were Graded in the up Of
wealth and nifuence2 MOI Genius does not -four
ish in the hotbed Of indulgence and luxury-the
depth and 10 rs dob he a 9R ,S 4 20 f
the Sau! OF the forest.
Your iustrious coUntTyman, whose loss we this
day mourn, and whose services we seek 10 CONNIE.
moraie, was not OF that disting uished band of "a.
irots who pledged life, fortune, and sacred honor
Tor the maintenance OF American freedom. Our
ia'hers oil that day lived in that spot of time which
devolved upon them duties and responsibilities for
the faithful and manly discharge OF which greater
imGr was TO he made upon the happiness Of
America and the world than had ever been vouch-
saied to men; and surely responsibilities
moe boldly and fully answered to pos,crity.
James Barbour, although not an actor in those
scenes, was rocked in that Revolution. The year
that gave him birth was consecrated tn freedoms
cause by the blood Of Lexington and Bunker Hill.
lie was one Of that constellation of great men who
appeared IN the immediate generation succeeding
our Revolutionary fathers. His was the privilege
OF imbibng the principles and truths of that Revo-
LUTON, from personal intercourse with and the pri
vate friendship Of the great actors in that glorious
DIANA.
His education was limited by limited means
When a boy he rode deputy sheriff in your coun-
ty, and some Of you are old enough to remember,
at that early nge, the promise of HIS youth He
t0ied for his support, at the Same time prosecuted
his studies, and at the early age Of nineteen. began
the practice OF the law, and soon became on o;na-
meni to that profession in the courts which he at.
tended. Ills talents and eoquenoe commanded
large share Of public patronage; his reputation as
Jury lawyer became wide and extended; ond, oil.
trough TOO young myself 10 have witnessed his 70,
rensic displays. have of.en heard expressed for
them by my seniors, the fulness OF adm.raiion.-
lie did not continue at the bar long enough and
" th sufficiently undivided attention, indisp,nsa-
bly, necessary to reach the FIRST honors in the
highest walks Of the legal profession, bu: the de
monslrations he made Of talent and power would
have shielded him from tie charge OF presumption
IN aspiring with hopeful confidence, had his ambi-
ton thus directed, TO have stood upon the sans
platform with the first legal men OF his generation.
So soon as consiiutonally eligible, at the age of
one and twenty he was elected by the county Of
O.ange TO the Virginia Legislature. The period a,
which he entered public life was Of thrilling in
tcrest 10 the world The fire from the altar of A. |
mefican Liberty had kin1lsd fame in oppressed
France which consumed thrones, princpali,ies and /
powers, and threatened all Europe with gene
oil conf igraiion nation Of 25,OOO,OOO, who had
suddenly burst the bonds forged by the tyranny
Of centuries, had not moderation enough to wof.
ship at tho true altar Of freedom; but she hurried
from one despo,ism TO another more terrific and np
palhng Than any recorded IN the annals Of history:
property, life, liberty, were the sports and p;ay.
things OF tyranis to-day, who became themselyes
the victims OF Tomorrow. France was one great
slaughler-house-kngs, mobiles, priests, and peopie
were sacrifices offered up in the name Of libofty |
and the edge Of the guilIotino was ever vet with hu.
man blood. Every thing honOred and sscred A. |
mong civilized nations was held in dsfislon and
scorn' The Sabbath, which was proclaimed in the |
hghtnings and thunders Of Sinlrs mount as bov
20 God, was legslated from existence. They who
demolished kingdoms Of earth, mpiously soueh; 10 /
dethrone the King Of kings, and Lord OF lords ~
lnhdol and athcisuc France was one mighty mass /
OF moral pulrIdliy. She astOnishod the world not
less by the rottennoss Of morals and the impioug-
ness OF her theology, than by prodgiss Of yalor |
ana The proves Of her arms. While anarchy was /
Ieigning within oil Europe was pressing without
bot the paroxysms Of a mighty nation kept her al /
biy,-ndded victory 10 victory and conquest 10 con
quest The silence Of the pyramids was broken |
by the thunder Of her arms, whilst the roar Of her
cannon reverberated through tbs valleys Of the /
Rhine England herself struggled flr expteree |
whie Europe pale with dsmaY. The eorth |
quake throes Of her Revolution were felt across |
the Atlantic. America stood sghasi, whilst the !
ISLES OF tho oeoan rembled as the aspen.
10 con emplatihg that period Of the world We fet
the oree ant beauty Of the Psalmsrs excl matior
The Lord y king; the earth may be GLAD thereof /
yea, the multludes OF the isles may glad therfof6
Her emissafes and prop1gandists penetrated every
nation ard disturbed the repOse Of rs people The
Jaeobn clubs OF France had ufIiired societies IN
America. She appealed from the declsions az 90,