Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-02-29

of mourning durius that iinc.
Mr.. Mcdowell. oi Virginia, rose and address
ed tho House a. follows:
Such Tor halt a century, Mr.. Speaker, has been
the eminent position Of Mr.. Adams in The eyes OF
his coun,rymen; his participation in the highest
honors which it was theirs TO give; his intimate
association with controlling even,s in lheir nation.
al annals, and with The formation OF hat public
opinion which brought them about; such ia. vc-
~neralicn and almost universal homage entertain.
cd for his intellect and virtues; and such, in
all respects, his great relations 10 his entire
Union and 10 the daily lhoush, OF its growing
millions, that on This sad occasion The language
OF all lis parts will be that of fermentation and of
tribute. Ii is moi Tor Massachusetts 10 mourn
alone over a solitary and exclusive bereavement
II is not Tor her to !eel alone a solitary and ex.
elusive sorrow. No, sir; 10! Her sister Com.
monwcallhs gather 10 her side in his hour ut her
a%llic,iun, and, in!eHwining their arms with hers,
they bend together over The bier Of rcr %iilus,li.
Gus son-leeling as she feels, and weeping rs
she wceps over a sage, d patriot and 4 statesman
gone. IL was in these great characteristics olin-
dividual and OF public man that his country rcvc-
renced that son when living, and such, with n
painful sense OF her common loss. will she tepiorc
him now that he is dead.
Born IL our revolutionary LAY, and brought np
in early and cherished intimacy with The fathers
and founders Of the Repeblic, III was a living
bond OF connection between The prcsen. and The
past-lhe venerable representative OF The memo
ries OF another age, and The Jealous, walchiul,
and powerful one OF The expectations, interests,
and progressive knowledge OF his own.
There be sat with his intense eye upon every
thing that passed. The picturesque and rare old
man. unapproachable by all others, in tie unity
OF his character and in The thousandi"ld anx-
ietics which centred upon him. no human be-
ing ever entered this hall without, Turning habi,u.
ally, and with heartfelt Difference, first 10 him ;
and few ever lell il without pausins as they wcnl
10 pour out their blessings npnn that spirit ol con.
s~ccraiion 10 the country which brought and which
kept him here.
Standing upon the extreme boundary of human
lite, and d,sdaining ali the relaxations and csemp-
tons Of age, his outer framework only was cium-
bling away. The glorious engine within sill
worked on unhurl, uninjuIed, amid all rhr diIapi
dalions around II, and worked on with is Wonled
and its iron power, until The blow was sent from
above which crushed il into fragments before US.
And however appalling That blow, and however
profoundly il smote upon our own feelings as we
beheld its rx,ineuishing effect upon his, where else
could il have fallen so ftly upon him. Where
else could he have been relieved from The yoke of
his labors so well as in the field where he bore
them7 Where else would he himself have been
so willing 10 have Welded up his lille rs npun the
post OF duty, and by The side Of lha! very altar 10
which he had de7o'ed ii? Where but in The Ca.
pilol Of his country, 10 which all The throbbings
and hopes OF hi hear, had teen given, would The
dying patriot be so willing thar those hopes and
throbbirgs should cease7 A~ndiwhere, but from
this mansion-house of liberty on earth, could this
dying Christian more filly go 10 his marsinn-house
OF eternal liberty on hichi
But kindlirs 10 the Imagination, ana sco'h-
ing even Ia the feelings As is he death 81 Mr..
Adams, with all The accessories and also.
Citations OF this spot around him, how infinite
ly deeper is the interest which is given 10 il by
The conviction that he was willing AMI ready
10 NEE, it! He was happily spared by The pre-
s~eryation of his rich ~tacnliies 10 The last, from
becoming a melancholy spectacle oi doiasd and
dwelling old age. Hc was sill more happily
spared by the just, and wise, and truthful use o.:
those faculties. from becoming the melancholy
and revolving spectacle 0! ineycrrnt and wicked
old age. None knew better or iclt more deeply
than ne that
"'Tis no, The whole of life 10 live.
Nor all 81 death 10 die -
and hence for long years his lite has been a con-
.inuous and beautiful illustration al The srca,
truth, thai, whilst The lear of man is the consum-
nation Of ali folly, The fear 81 Got is Inc hccin-
UlIS ~. al "lrtlDlN. 10 Su'H al one, 'cI'iIpD-
sure" amid The pe!ils Of death, and when INC
last Of earth has come" is a supporting power,
frequently and diviaely given; AMI, il it has not
been permitted to him, as 10 a prophet Of old, 20
be spared the bitterness oil death and 10 20 10 The
heaven that he looked Tor and thai he loved in n
chariot Of fire, yet tC the eye oil human iailh his
access 10 The same abode has been as speedy and
as safe. lnsieaj ut wearing away urdsrihc waste
Of disease, and passing through al! ;hc Wees and
weaknesses which lisso;yiny nature generally
undefsocs, a blow Of briel bn; mortal agony
strikes him al once into The tomb, AM thus his
spirit, instantly freed, goes right up 10 the parent
fountain llom which il came. The messenger
calls, The soul is in heaven.
Al this moment OF fresh affection, whilst stand
ing in the very presence OF death, it is not meet 10
90 into any special review oil the lahors OF opin.
ions Of The departed. Whatever may Re lhoG eht
Of those politically, posieriiy viii never deny 10
him The possession oil great talents, aciualed by
great virtues, and directed with boldncss, honesty,
and earnest purpose, for an uaequa'lrd length al
lime, 10 whatever, in his judgment, was best for
he Interests, honor, and perpeIui'y Of his counry.
This is the lesson taught by his lie. that which
is Taught by his death calls upon us all, with So
Tenn appealing cry, "Be yc, oh! b. ready, for
you know nnl The hour when the Son 81 man
comelh!"