The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-12

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 bright example
which addresses itself with peculiar force to the
young and rising generation for it tells then
that there is a path TO the highest degree of re-
nown-straight, onward, steady, without change
or deviation.
Mr.. Secretary, my friend from Louisiana (Nfr
DowNs) has detailed shortly the events in the
military career of General TAYLOR. His service
through his life was mostly on the frontier, and
| always . hard service--often in combat with the
tribes of Indians all along the frontier for MANY
thousands of miles. ii 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 they are formed The hard service
the stern discipline, deyolying upon all those
who have great extent of frontier to defend
and often with irregular troops of their own
being called on suddenly to enter into contests
with savages, to study the habits of savage life
and savage war, in order to foresce and over
come their stratagems--all these things tend TO
make hardy military character
| For very short time, sir, | had connexion
with the Executive Government of this country,
and at that time very perilous embarrassing
circumstances existed between the United States
and the Indians on the borders, and war was ac-
tually raging between the United States and
the Florida tribes; and very well remember
that those who took counsel together on that
occasion officially, and who were DESTROYS OF
placing the military command in the safest
hands, came 10 the conclusion that there was
no man in the service more fully uniting the
qualities Of military and great personal prudence
\ than A np nj no
appointed to the command
| Unfortunately his career at the head of this
Government was short For my part, in all
| that have seen of him, have found much to
respect and nothing to condemn. The circunl-
stances under which he conducted the Govern
lnent, for the few months he was at the head OF
II, have been such as perhaps not to give to him
very favorable, certainly not a long opportuni-
ty OF developing his principles and his policy,
and to carry them out; but | believe he has
left on the minds of the country strong i'm
presslon-first, of his absolute honesty and in
tegrity OF character; next, of his sound practi-
cal good sense; and, lastly, of the mildness
kindness and friendliness of his temper towards
all his countrymen.
Butke is gone! He is ours no more, except
in the force of his example. Sir, heard with
infinite delight the sentiments expressed by my
honorable friend from Louisiana (Mr. DOWNS
who has just resumed his seat, when he earnestly
prayed that this event might be used to soften
the animosities, to allay party ordinations and
denominations, and to restore fellowship and good
feeling among the various sections of the Union
MIR. Secretary, great as is our loss to day, if
these inestimable and inappreciable blessings
shall have been secured to us, even by the death
OF Zachary Taylor, they have not been purchased
ap hi,rI,, al
regions to which he has assembled, could see
these results flowing from his unexpected and
untimely end-if he could see that he had en-.
twined a soldiers laurel around a martyrs crown
he would say exultingly, Happy am l., that by
my death | have done more for that country
which loved and served, than did or could dc
by all the devotion and all the efforts that could
make in her behalf during the short span of my
earthly existence"
Mr.. Secretary, great as this calamity is, we
mourn, but not without hope. We have seer
one eminent man, and another eminent man, and
| at last man in the most eminent station, fall
| away from the midst of u.s. But doubt not
| there is Power above us exercising over us
that parental care that has marked our progress
! for so many years | have confidence still tina,
the place of the departed will be supplied; that
the kind, beneficent favor of Almighty God vii
still be with us, and that we shall be borne along
and borne upward and upward, on the wings O
His sustaining Providence May God grant thai
in the time that is before us, there may not b.
wanting to us as wise men, as good men for oul
counsellors, as he was whose funeral obsequies
we now propose to celebrate! up. . -
Mr.. CASS. Again and again, during the pres
ent session, has a warning voice come from the
tomb, saying to all of us, Be we also ready
Two of our colleagues have fallen in the midst OF
their labors, and we have followed them to the
narrow house where all must lie. In life we are
in death and this lesson which accompanies us
| from the cradle to the grave, is among those mer
ciful dispensations of Providence which teach u.
how transitory are the things around us, and how
soon they must be abandoned for an existenc,
with no hope but that which is held out by thu
Gospel of our Saviour And now another solemn
warning is heard and this time it will carr,
mourning to the hearts Of twenty millions of peo
pie. lmpressively has it been said and repeated
" A great man has fallen in Israel" In the pro-
violence Of God the Chief Magistrate Of the re-
public, to whom his fellow citizens had confded
the high executive duties of the country, has been
suddenly taken from us-ripe, indeed, in years
and honors, and but the other day in the full pos
session Of his health, and with the promise OF
years of faithful and patriotic services before him
The statesman, occupying as proud position as
this world offers to human hopes, has been struck
down in crisis which demanded all his frmness
| and wisdom. The conqueror upon many battle
field has fought his last fight and been vanquished
The soldier who had passed unframed through
many bloody fray has fallen before the shaft o.
| the great destroyer How truly are we told, tina
there is one event unto all The mighty and the
lowly descend to the tomb together, and together
are covered with the cold clod of the valley /; and
thus pass away the honors and the cares Of life
The moment is too solemn and impressive fol
labored addresses. Thoughts, not words, are the
tribute which it demands. History will do justice
to the deceased patriot. He will live in the mem.
DRY of his countrymen as he lived in their hearts
and affections. His active life was spent in their
service, and in those scenes Of peril, of exerton
and of exposure which it is the lot of the Ameri.
can soldier to encounter, and which he meets
without murmur, faithful to his duty, lead him
where it may in life or in death. His splendid
military exploits have placed him among the great
captains of the age, and will be an imperishablt
monument Of his own fame and of the glory of his
country. In the disparity Of force, they carry us
back for similar examples to the earlier ages Of the
world-to the combats which history has recorded
and where inequality yielded to the exertion Of
skill and valor. But l need not recur to them
are they not written in burning characters upon
the heart of every Americana