Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-07-25

enjoy as a proud and united people. Let
Us, then, lay in the tomb of our departed
President all sectional feuds and divisions
and unite in that spirit Of good will and
brotherly love which united our fcre-fa-
,hers in the early days of the republic.
Let US renew before we leave his
grave our vows TO support the Union,
aud our determination to perpetua.e our
Constitution in all its primeval simplicity
and purity. There is room enough-eola
enough, and there are honors enough for
us all while we preserve the Union and
know how wisely~nd pr,den,ly to enjoy it.
rWebster.-Mr, Secretary at a time
when the great mass Of our fellow citi-
| zens enjoy remarkable health and happi-
ness throughout the whole country, it ha.
| pleased Divine Providence to visit the
two Houses of Congress, and especially
this House, with repeated occasions for
mourning and lamentation. Since the
commencement of the session we have
! follow ed two OF our own members to their
| last home, and we are now called upon,
| in conjunction with the other branch of
the Legislature, and in full sympathy with
the deep tone of affliction, which l am
sure is felt throughout all the country, to
take part in the last and due solemnities
| Of the funeral Of the late President of the
United States.
Truly, sir, was It said in the communi-
cation read to us, that "great man has
! fallen among Us"
| The late President Of the United States,
! originally soldier by profession. having
gone through long and splendid career
, o: military service, had, at the close of the
late war with Mexico, become so much en-
| deared to the people of the United States,
and had inspired them with 50 high de-
gree of regard and confidence, that with
ont solicitation or application, without
pursuing any devious paths of policy, or
turning either 10 the right or lei, from the
path OF duty-a great and powerful snd
generous people saw fit by popular vote
, and voice, TO confer upon him the highest
civil authority in the nation.
We cannot forget that, as in other in
stances, so in this, the public feeling was
won and carried away, in some degree,
by the eclat of military renown-so it has
been always, and so it always will be
because high respect for noble feats in
arms has been. and always will be, out
poured from the hearts of the members Of
popular government.
But it will be great mistrke to sup
pose that the late President Of the United
States owed his advancement to high civil
trust, or his great acceptabilhy with the
people, to military tslent or ability alone.
believe, sir. that associated with Tie
highest admiration for those qualities pos
sessed by him, there wa. spread through
ont the community high degree Of conf
dence and faith in his integrity and honor
and uprigh,ness as a man.
| believe he was especially regarded as
both firm and mild man IN the excr-
else Of authority. And l have observed,
more than once, in this and in other pop
ular governments, that the prevalent mo-
tive with the masses of mankind for con-
ferring high power on individuals, is a
confidence in their midness, paternal, pro-
| tec'ing, secure and safe character.
The people naturally feel safe where
they feel themselves to be under the con-
| troll and protection of sober councilmen of
impartial minds, and general paternal
superimcndence.
suppose, sir, that no case ever hap
pened in the very best days of the Roman
Republic where any man found himself
clothed with the highest authority IL the
! State, under circumstances more repel-
ling all suspicion of personal application.
al! suspicion of pursuing any crooked
path in politics, or all suspicion o. having
been ac,ua,ed by sinister view. and pur-
! poses, than in the case Of the worthy, and
eminent, and distinguished, and good man,
whose death we now deplore.
He has left to the people Of his country
legacy in this. He has left them a
bright example which addresses itself
with peculiar force to the young and ri
sing generation; Cor il tells them that there
is path to the highest degree Of renown,
straight onward, steady, without change,
| or deviation.
Mr. Secretary, my friend from Louisi-
ana Mr. Downs) has detailed, shortly,
the events in the military career Of Gen.
Taylor. His service through his life was
mostly on the frontiers. and always hard
service, often in combat with the tribes of
Indians, along the frontier for SO many
| thousands of miles.
1t has been justly remarked by one of
the most eloquent men, whose voice was
ever heard in these houses, that it is not
in Indian wars that heroes are celebrated,
but that it is there that they are formed.
The hard service--the stern discipline
devolving upon all those who have great
ex,en, oiiron,ier 20 defend, and often with
irregular troops, their own being called
on suddenly to enter into contest with
savages-to study the habits Of savage
life and savage war-in order to 'oresee
and overcome their stratagems. All these
things tend to make hardy military char
acter.
For a very short period | had con-
neciion with the Executive Government
of this country, and all that time very Se-
rious and embarrassing circumstances ex-
listed between the United States and the
| Indians on the borders, and war was ac-
tuallv raging between the United States
and Florida tribes, and l very well re-
member that those who took counsel to-