Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-12-09
COMMUNICATION.

Messrs GALES 81 SEAroS In the third page Of the Ma
tonal Inegencer Of the of last October appeared
tice headed MARTIN DuaALDE" This piece read with
falling the words and would then have paid public
tribute the memory OF such martyr the vicisstudes Of
human life but who would have responded The excite
men of the has subsidized happy calm and leaves
the human heart free obey the panve impulse which,
cited by the great daily taught makes WISER better,
and more disposed TO love and honor the vruous dead
Your notice published have observed when great
interest prevailed all ohers) induces make it part
Of this paper and request its republication
sM.RTIS DuRALDE.-Respectirg this distinguished
citizen Of Louisiana, whose death lately announced,
Nota Bene, in his last letter to the Concora Laseneer,
furnishes the following interesting but painful particulars
"Among the deaths here, notice that scarcely
attracted passing remark ye. he man who twenty
years ago. stood the head Of soceyMARTIs Durable.
Born OF influential and afluent family in Aakapas
tensvey connected, augmentng his hereditary fortune by
successful investments, married to daughter OF the Hon.
HESnr CLAY, who has then at the zenith of his popularity
and power, Mr. Durable was all Sides coured consulted,
and caessed But overlook him city property
pidly down his wife died his friends diminished with
his fortune and the Of the Mexican war,
this man, rich, popular and nonored, found
himself Obliged for subsistence follow march with
few packages Of merchandise He recently embarked trad
ing schooner Tampico return home The deadly fever
Of that swept of every Of the but small boy,
and when the vessel after beating about IN the Gulf finally
made the bar OF the river with signal Of Distress the captain
found dead pallet and the unfortunate Durable by
bis side in the last agonies, and medicine water,
scarcely ration Of food board What illustration Of
the vanity and vcissitudes Of life !"
In the month Of October 1904 upwards Of years
past first entered the plains Of Louisiana, While riding
up the LEFT bank of the Tsche river A,takapss on most
splendid evening, my mind wrapt in admiration Of
those immense grassy plains, which, first and last view,
gives the soul ideas Of immensely only vaed by oceanic
prospect, the sinking admonished attention to where
Primitive then far prevailed that
every house open to the traveller villages
there the language Of the country French,
which was then a stranger
Thus employed in mind and body house Of rather supe-
ro appearance in view, from which, approached
two female figures issued. They out for an evening
walk, and when asked them whether or not they
spoke English. Ou Monsieur Of them replied, and
both smiled giving the in French then replied in
plain English, EYES, sir my father refuses lodging to
a stranger
Thus encouraged, rode up the gate, and such the
hospitality Of the country that before could ask the boom
approached take charge Of my horse venerable
out, and took by the hand agbed, and,
with welcome feel, led into the house. That
MARTIN DURALnE, S and the two beautiful young
women on the road were his daughters; Of whom
afterwards the second wife Of CHARLEs COR CLArsoRxE
Governor OF Louisiana and the other became Mrs. JoHs
CLar They were both married in their fathers house. and
on the day.
The son and brother whose melancholy fate every feeling
heart must depore MARTIN DURALDE, J then YOUTH
man born and nurured TO manhood in house from the
door Of which am bold to that traveller was ever
turned away whose parched lips hand was near
to administer one cooling draught in death man, in
brief, whose wife was the daughter Of HEsRr CLAY.
In life proiractcd beyond the common limit allotted 10
man, and in life exposed ordinary Of viciss
udes, no other has narrowed up such recoecons
cfowdng each other has the fate of DunaLDE. He
was my friend; sharers in that great event which
made the Of Louisiana classical. Well might painful
fancy induce to suppose ourselves the road 10 the old
mansion the Teche, while repeated the terrible lines Of
the Poet Moore;
"There shall have feast Of tears,
And many cup IN silence pour
Our guests the shades Of former years,
Our toass to lips that bloom no more.
There, while the myrtle's whitening boughs
Their Iifeless leaves around us shed,
Well brim the bowl to broken vows,
To friends long lost, the changed the dead"
MARTYR DuRArpx not the only who could say the
/" changed, the dead" WILLIAM DARBY.
WisursoTos, DKcEMBEn ], 1s4s.