Arkansas intelligencer., 1848-05-27
HaAJ. EsORLAND's EULOGY
ON ANNOUNCING THE DEATH OF SENATOR ASHLEY.

ASHLEY, as follows
Mr.. PRESIDENT: My official introduction into
this chamber has been marked with calamity, and
overcast with gloom. The first of its public du-
Ties that has developed upon me is of deep solem-
nifty, and its performances is undertaken with
feelings of oppressive sadness.
Just one week ago, venerable form-in the
funess of life, and the seeming vigor of perfect
heath--rose In his place, and. in voice we'll
known and respected here, announced my posi-
ton IN this assembly. That form will not rise
again in this presence; for it now lies feess and
cold as clod of the valley. That voice will be
heard no more within these walls: for it has
hushed in death. In return for the kind courte-
sy of presenting me, as his colleague, to this COM
pany of honorable senators, pay but the poor
and painful tribute of making known his fina!
separation. The last act of his public life was
my in.roduct:on the first of mine must be his
obituary.
CHESTER ASHLEY, a senator from the State of
Arkansas, is no more. He breathed his last. at
his lodgings In this city, on Saturday last, the
29th of April, at Is minutes before o'clock, in
the afternoon. On Sunday of last week. he fell
citated himself upon the perfection Of his health.
Soon after breakfast. the next morning. he COM
planned of slight indispositon; but so slight as
hardly to command second thought. At the
usual hour he proceeded to his place in this cham
Der. When the Journal had been read, he did
me the favor 20 present my credentials, as his
colleague. A few minutes after. his indisposton
increased; he had the sensation Of chill ness and.
leaving The Capitol. returned to his lodgings
That evening found him deeply iaundiced and
in the deIirum of fever. This latter symptom
had usually marked even his slightest indisposi-
tion-as is very common with individuals of large
brain and sanguin temperament His family.
however, thought him not seriously ill-certalnly
not in danger. But on Thursday morning he
had grown evidently worse, and a distinguished
physician of the city was called to see him
His condition found to be such. even then, as
to afford liuie hope of his recovery. Another
eminent practitioner was consulted. and the same
opinion given. On Friday morning was invit-
ed to make third party in the professional con-
sultation. But there no ground for hope
An intense and extensive inflammation had seized
upon the bowels, and, in my opinion, upon the
liver also; and was of that type, occasionally en-
countered, which. setting at naugbt the highest
science and tho best directed efforts of human
skill, run. almost from the very outset steadily
and rapidly into fatal termination. had seen
similar cases before; and am particularly remind
ed by it of that of the late Senator Fulton. who
was, alike in station. in disease, and DEATH the
predecessor of him whose loss we now depore.
Col. A ASHLEY was n native of Now EuTiuud.-
the lst day of June 1890; and. consequently, at
the time of his death, was in the ssh year of
MS age. When an infant only three months. he
was carried by his parents who removed TO the
town of Hudson, in New York. He grew up,
engaged in the practice OF the law. and resided
there about 81 years; then migrated to Illinois,
where he remained about two years. and subse-
quenty visiting the territory. of what is now the
State of Arkansas, in 1919. determined to make
his residence at Little Rock then a more landing
on the southern bank. some three hundred miles
above the mouth of the Arkansas river. Soon
afterwards he married in Missouri. and removed,
with his young family, to his home in the wilder
ness.
A that period, a settlement in what was tru'v
'the far west was no trivial undertaking. 1t
required high degree of enterprise 10 encounter
the prlvationS, hardships, and perils of frontier
lfe--now so much talked about, but then actually
endured. An uncommon share of mental fore
cast would alone suffice TO ascertain a point in
so wide range. which must become the centre
OF important operations, from which settlement
and civilization must radiate, and then throw
back an accumulated interest. A frmness; fixed
ness, singleness Of purpose, true to its object as
the needle to the pole, was alone capable of abid-
ing the full Development of the little cloud of i'm.
provement, then no bigger thaAa mans hand,
Wnlcn was, Wlthln quarter OF n century, TO COW
er with its golden drapery the whole horizon
Yet many New England bov--many a strip
ping, from anywhere this side the mountains, inn
PEELED by the irrepressbe spirit Of progress, guild
ed by judgment SO clear in its perceptions and
rapid IN It's combinations, TO seem intuitive.
and sustained by will potent as the lever of
Archimedes. has exhibited all the high qualities
have mentioned and that, too, in the construction
OF lmperishable monumens-not monuments like
the towering Pyramids of Egypt, barren of utility
as the wastes of the sand they overlook-nor like
the huge walls of the Roman Coliseum, within
which human beings were wont to be degraded to
the cruel level of wild beasts; but of monuments
of a purcr order, of loftier structure, of more
comprehensive roportons--dedicated to the high
er sentiments of human heart, and adapted to the
true wants of human socety-monuments made
up the wilderness reclaimed and converted into
cultivated fields; of the towns, with their bristng
spires, which crowd thoroughfares; of the
teeming commerce of finland seas;' and
above all, of the millions of freemen who sleep
securely under their own roof-trees,iand stand in
conscious sovereignty upon the fertlesol of their
own broad acres. In word-the noble aggre-
gate of these monuments is before the world, in
tho peerless prosperity of ''the great ywest."s
have selected the New England boy. the cis mon
taine stripping, is thetype Of a class. And of
that class il would be dffc ult TO find chat46c
acterlsic representative thanthei individual Of va
- al M&XM