Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-11-14
MISCELLANEOUS.
HIGH $ LEGARE.

HUGH 5. LEGARE,
LATE ATT rRNEY-GEsERAl OF TIE u STATES
To the Editor of the Southern Literary Messenger
| ob,-ry. with sincere satisfaction, IN the last nun
her of the Messenger that you invite i"t us co'u'"
6,npa no,,ce of the character OF the distinguished
80 .bose recent loss under circumstances alike
ann sing aud afr ctIng, the nation has been caieu "
deplore 1t rs homage mos, appropriately que rom
the parotc literature of the country TO the memory o.
one who always jealous worshipper at It's shrine'
has done so much assert IT'S dignity ana ILLUSTRATE i's
,.efness in connection with the highest pursuits OF
social and active life. The theme demands Pen'
which has other DUAL caons than those which an ar
dent and devoted friendship alone can supply, 10 DO
Justice 10 it IN all the breadth and elevation OF ITS mo
raj dignity and grandeur. But there are some ehec'
TONS growing out of the recent death OF II o LIE,
oare and the National mourning which has followed
t. that even an unutored hand, under the instructive
Guidance of the heart, may be excused tor attempting
to present
The FIRST observation which occurs TO the NINA IN
contemplating this amented event, IS one which, out
of the very depth of the public aicton has OCCASION
Cd brings forth solid encouragement TO every sincere
and honest patriot and full of instructive lessons TO
the generous and aspiring youth OF the country All
must have remarked and many not without surprise,
the loud and universal acclaim OF mingled sorrow ana
praise which followed the tomb one, whose habits ana
tases through lite, cherished the privacy OF studous
retrement-who, far from counting, Stunned the pup
lie gaze, except when an mperous sense oil nuty
broueh ut him before it-who never cultivated popula-
Nv,
Gus actions-and whu from his nmost heart, desp'sed,
as in his lofty and burning eloquence, ne @as ever
wont to brand the unworthy arts ot the deinagogue'
The man thus homored and lamenled IN his death va
neither the favorte, the nur>lng at party he had,
indeed gravely offended the spirit OF party on more
than one OCCASION by the independence and the con.
scientous integrity with which he pursued the convc
lions of his Judgment where he believed me IN
terests of his country at stake As Consequence OF
An. srhty principle, well of his retiring
and unobtrusive personal habits his career, while NV
ing, had been attended, IN degree corresponding
to his rare endowments with all those external eVlden
ces of public consideration which his TRENDS who, IN
the unreserved freedom Of private intercourse, had been
able sound the depths of his genius and resources,
we'll knew he merited Such, however, IS The winning
power of virtue and talents when separated from
the ordinary accessories of party popularity, that ne
was daily though silently growing IN the sober esteem
and confidence Of the country; and when at length,
the hand ut .th arrested MN IN the nHbe path OF his
usefulness IN, national appreciation OF MN, ~nich mao
BEEN lying comparatively dnrma" though all Inc
Ship warming the hearts of generous aud enliEat'
ened people, suddenly burst firth IN one general sym
phony Of anen'ati"n and exalted praise
Let all who engage IN the service OF their country,
with elevated vipws and conscious powers OF useful
ness take courage from this example S'oner or later,
IN. reward of public appreciation and gratitude VIII m
fahbly crown every career, which rests s solid and
imp-rsnanle titles m "the pursuit OF noble END oV no.
bic means Let fpver,sh anxiety, for spurious
and h,ptng notorety lead the asprant tor public es-
tenn 10 put his specious arts, superficial attain
ments accommodating supplentss, as availbe sub
sttues for that labor'ous and vigorous framing and
application of the tacues, moral aud intellectual, oy
which only genuine and enduring popularity can be
Let h,m equip h,msrlf for the stern conflicts OF
public duty from armory of koo~ ledge and virtue,
where only weapons of the true temper for such
fare b. fund, and MT go forth to battle, IN the
mIrn,c accontrrments OF the toy SHOP Let MN not
indulge an undue solictude TO obtain popularity Let
his am rather be to deserve II. Let HIM EXHIBIT IN
superior knowledge and acqui'ements-'n the d'gent
and untrng cultivation of all the capacities OF high
public usefulness-in noble and elevated principles
Of acton the authentic credentials of his
serve his country; end his country will, IN time, call
for and homo, him. she does not, the loss will be
hers, not his
The example addresses itself, with equal emphasis,
gifted youth of the country, who have not yet
entered on the arena Of active exeron, but who are
looking forward, with generous aspirations, from the
silence ard discipline of their academic retreats, TO
the part they hereafter To upon the busy stage
Of lite The Responding sentmentalhy Of the poetic
muse rather the dangerous sophstry of that ,mproba
siren desida the natural Incidence of man, not
frequently invoked To discourage manly and srenu-
Gus ambition by portray,ng, funeral coors, the ulu
mate vanity and fru,tlessness of all human pursuits
We are sometimes asked the misappird language of
unreason,ng elegy, why "scorn delights and 1--we abo
rous days. in the pursu,, of fame-seeing that,
'the fair ruerdon when we hope to find,
Cours he bind Fury with abhorred shears,
Aud sIits the thin spun life y
But the only fame, which true ambition is capable
OF cov-ung which 'ihe abhorred shears OF the
blnd Fury have power to destroy. Ii survives the
stroke of Fate and iourshes beyond the grave II rs
that aan,hine plant, which The same immortal poet
tells u.s. "lves and spreads elo TO Heaven, and is but
it's anticipated Judgment the deeds of men Ii is
that fame which alone Legarc sought, and which he
achieved-with what glorious and envlable success let
the according praises and regrets OF whole nation
testify What other fame is worthy TO engage, for a
moment, the concern of being, whose life earth,
when longest, is limited 10 a span TO live in the
hearts and memory of our countrymen, when we our
selves shall have passed from among them is the
other hand object in harmony with the highest
pirations of the human SOUL and fitted to elicit the
nobest faculties Of nature. In the distinguished
and now haowed example before US, let the enl'ghi'
ened and patriotic young men OF America read, for
their encoura cement, amid the daily and nightly tolls OF
their probationary discipline, the pledge of their own
high destnes, it, by the means, they shall devote
themselves TO the same noble ends
The extraordinary powers and varied attalnments oil
the late Attorney General the product OF early
and ncessant culture, and of untring industry and
labor. How else could such rare excellence, IN so many
different departments of human talent and knowledge
have been acquired for he was pT,Has inter parss IN
ala finished scholar, consummate orator, profound
lawyer, able and accomplished statesman : No fe-
city OF genus, however great no ecundity OF nature
however ieeming could account for such intellectual
riches, without the creative energies OF constant end
unwearIed diligence; for it is truth as applicable Ia
the philosophy of mind to the science of pol,cs
economy, that labor the true and only of Ell
Their mental or material wealth No pary vanity o.
natural endowments ever prevented Mr. Legare frou
bearing earnest and instructive testimony IN his dis
course as he exemphfed s,r,knsly in his practice
the truth and value Of this grand areanu of all
superiority and success.
Having enjoyed in early youth, the advantages Of
finished education in the best schools Of his ow coun
try and of Europe, he continued through all the avoca
tions and active empIoymens of his future life, the
same habits Of dligent and enthusiastic study, by
which he established, from the FIRST, marked pre-