Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-07-04
OR A TION
IN Honor or the Memory Of Cen. Jacks on,
Delivered in Richmond, "a, June 2S'h, 1913,
~o,Cvy STEVENSON Eco

Delivered in Richmond Va, June 2o'h, 1919,
3, ANDREW STEVENSON, ESQ.
To consecra,e the memory OF illuslrious men
:, record their actions and celebrate their praise,
has been The laudable usage OF all ages and lhe
grateful duty of every people.
The rudest nations have thus dispensed Inc re-
wards and motives of virtue, whilst The arts anu
sciences OF polished society hive contributed
their mobiles, efforts 10 lhiS their best and highesl
application lit; .,;oos onnh.,;c,,.
10 demand the confluence and gratitude oil Tree
men. II is this, which not only muses. ihlo
Free Government its public spirit, but cherisnes
emulation and exalts patriotism. To great abiii-
ties il IS an incentive, and brings them inc &C
non: 10 the good and useful in whatever degree,
4 intimates and yields encouragement! Hence
thai strong desire, which is inseparable from Our
nature. to live after death; 10 embody our names
in the annals OF our country, and descend 10 pos
,erity with the admiration Of the wise ana Tue
blessings Of the yiruous. And II IS ms love VI
fame when subordinate 10 the general good OF
mankind, that is inseparable from those VINO are
truly great Snguarly impressive IN ihis re-
spect were some OF the customs OF inc Hos' h'sh-
" improved nations OF antiquity.
TIVE E,oupt,ans, besides celebrating The names
and actions of their great and good men, en-
halmed their bodies that they might long be Kept
before The public view as examples OF virtue,
and though dead, yet speaking. II lkere were,
,hen no other reasons tor honorng the dead, these
would be more than sufficient.
Put there is another obligation OF Still higher
moment Great virtues like great men, are The
offspring OF great occasions; and The doctrines OF
our holy religion teach, that eminently great
men are qualified for work, BY an overriding and
wise Providence-and that, in honorins them, we
honor Him
Influenced hy these sentiments and those usa-
ges, rendered holy BY The best feelings OF our ma
lure. we have assembled this day 10 perform one
Of the highest and most solemn duties which The
Gv;no owe 10 The dead And can there, under
Heaven. be more Interesting spectacle, or one
more deeply touching 10 the human heart, than
thai of whole nation of fTeeInen rising up as
one man. and with one mind, 10 do honor 10 the
memory Of an illuStrious and beloved lelloW-ci-
,izen. by public demonstrations OF sorrow ana So
lemn acts OF devotion TO Godl This crowded
and solemn assembly; these banners whlcn sur
round this sacred DESK. The gloom which has
nversnread our whole country, like visitation
of darkness, and struck pang into The bosom OF
every American patriot, proclaim an event-a
priei-of no ordinary character. They announce
10 ms. that the aged and venerable patriot OF the
Hermitage, has at last gone down TO lhe lomb IN
The ripeness OF age, crowned with the honors and
loaded with the benedictonS oil beloved coun-
,ry! They announce TO US The solemn ruin, that
America has lost its greatest benelactor ana
friend; Earth one OF its nobleSt spirits; ana lhe
World one of its greatest men
In coming 10 do honor 10 such man; one who
in The language of our own Jefferson, chad filled
The measure of his country's glory, lei US SHOW
Thai we know the difference between The ostenta-
rious pomp and mockery of grief, and that ardent
and spontaneous affection with which free and
grateful people can cherish and honor the memo
nv OF an ustrious patriot: Let US come 10 II
with those feelings Of gratitude and admiration
which belong 10 the character OF American Tree
men, and which are now poured out IN every
corner of our land Let us do it, moreover, IN
influenced by party or political ieelins; what
ever the spirit of party may be in The ardor OF our
political contests, here il should not enter Al
though, in lie, it spares neither elevation nor hui
mility. but goes forth regardless OF every thing
but lis own qualification hish-mindcd and liberal
men will not consent that il shall poison all Inc
charities OF social lite, much less invade The
sanctity the tomb!
Let us no, suffer the weekday pal,riness OF
life to protane The sacredneSS of this occasion, or
chill lis solemnites Let il not be said, that we
refused to lay upon the altar OF our country, and
on the graves OF lis heroes ana PatIiolS, oui parry
chickering's and strites.
Who is there thai will withhold from the Pa
lriot the gratitude due from the Patriots heart
What free and proud VirSinian-whal generous
American is here, who, like The Cartlaeenian OF
old, is prepared, not only 10 bring his enmitIes
and his children to the altar of his country, 5ut
10 the very graves OF its benefactors, AMI there
swear The oath Of undyinS hate? None!-
trust, none.
Charity TO ourselves, gratitude TO The illusrl-
Gus dead and love Of counlry-lhese, these, are
The feelings which belong TO this occasion.
And YOU, Toe, my fair and beloved counirywo-
men. whose first honor is in the genileness Of
your nature, will YOU not unite your sympaihies
and tears over the grave CT that man, who above
all others, was the most devoted friend and adj
mirer might | no. say romantic, that woman
ever hada
Who so prompt 10 defend and protect her
rights, or guard her from injury and insult?
Who ever cherished or exalted more The purity
OF the domestic and social virtues, so infinitely
more important 10 human happiness than all
olhers2 Whose valor was il that protected our
mothers, and wives, and daughters from the
savage tomahawk, and licentious soldiery, and
one of our finest cities, with its "Beauy and
Booty" from ruthless invaders
Whose, but Andrew Jackson'sl
And will you not act with the firmness which
becomes the wives and daughters OF Freemen,
and by your example invigoraie the spirit OF pa
IrlOtlSm Ill your iHcH rum lUC spun
which pervades this assembly, anticipate your
answer.
Come, then, and mingle your sympathies with
those of your country, aud pour out your tears
over the grave Of this great and good man.
And here in this temple, dedicated 10 the living
God-herc, over The ashes OF an illusrions and
beloved Patriot, invoke the Spirit OF Peace and
Patriotism 10 shed around its holy calm, refresh.
Ing alike to the feelings and the intellect
In conserving 10 become your organ on this &C.
casion, / am not only sensible oil The difficulty
and deicacy OF the undertaking, but feel thai
your 100 partial choice has devolved on me the
performance OF duty, 10 which powers much
higher than any possess would alone be equal
For, if il be true that next TO the performance Of
great actions, is the difficulty of representing
Them, who shall attempt to deiineate Justly the
character OF man that was the type of every
thing chvarouS in valor, generous in honor, and
pure in patriotism, or, in what language, tell the
story Of that eventiul life, whose every action
was worthy OF praise2
To coni-rt the Just need OF Euogy on char
acter 50 remarkabe-io entwine the blended
glori.s Of The Hero and Statesman, and with
them 10 mnse the mder radiance OF Religion
and Morality, would SEEM indeed, TO require little
less than an inspiration, not only OF the feelings
and sentiments which pervade the hearts OF mil
llOUS vi rIcetHt tuibueUuut WHtT tuuHtiN ,
but of those opinions which his great virtues aud
character have 50 strongly and deeply Impressed
upon the world:
Oflegislators, in whose labors and honurS he
was associated by all that was useful and digni-
fled:
OF armies, 10 whom he was endeared by every
obligation Of gratitude and glory:
OF a people, by whom he was regarded as their
protector and beneiactor
OF ministers of our holy Religion, by whom
he was beloved and admired:
OF enemies in war, by whom he was alike
dreaded and revered:
And Of the wise, and just, and generous of all
nations, OF whom he was an ornament and eX-
ample.
This is indeed high duty. and would 10
God, il could have passed into other hands, more
worthy and competent 10 do il justice But you
have determined otherwise, and in yielding 10 your
wishes as readily do feel that am bul perform