The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-10-10
LETTER FROM DR.. WILLIAM ELDER.

PHILADELPHIA, October 4, 1850.
DR.. BAILEY: 1t has been in my heart ever
since the death of James Fulton, Jr. to furnish
for the Era some notice of his life and character
which might express my own feelings and satisfy
those Of his friends who are your readers; but
could not bring formal memoir within the prop
er limits, and would not write mere obituary
eulogy of such man.
Though you knew each other WELL think you
were not personally intimate. Let me speak of
him in those respects in which enjoyed the OPP
portunities of a more thorough acquaintance with
him.
His residence was in little rural village, con-
sistng of a beautiful group of dwellings which
grew up with him around the neighboring man
sion houses Of his own and of his wfe's father
Other children of the two families, some inter-
married, some single, with two or three house
holds of warm friends, made the society of the
hamlet and post Office store, a good township
library, public hall, and meeting house, with
one or two establishments for ordinary domestic
manufactures, filled up the ground plan, and sup
| piled the accessories of industrial and social &C
tivity. Here James was born, here he lived, and
now his tody reposes in the midst Of the spot
which was his childhoods play ground 1t is a
very beautiful place, and was a very happy one
before his new-made grave saddened the scene.
There is an open grove of forest trees before
the door of his dwelling. We have met him there
so often, so nearly, so wildly that the memory of
the happy intercourse fingers there still, like a
| nall nah a. 4
friends, gathered from the whole country round,
stood in clusters under those familiar shade trees
They had come to part with him, but their hearts
first asked meeting. He was brought out in his
coffin and placed in their midst, that they might
see him once more and take their long, last, lin
gering look of the form and face 80 dear to them
The scene was full of solemn beauty. The air
was pure and sweet as the ouiiowing affections
of that great congregation, aud the clear sunlight,
softened by the shade of the trees, felt in tone
with the grief saddened reverence that our hearts
offered to the sleeper before And how still,
yet how conscious he looked Disease had left
trace of its violence, and his features retained
their wonted expression-the very play of those
warm affections which in death cannot die IL
WAS more cordial greeting than last farewell.
We had seen him so lately in full health in
almost unequalled physical strength with the life
laughing in every vein, and lightning along every
nerve that we could not make him DEAD. The
sense of bereavement must come and deepen into
reality as we miss him where we have always
met HMM his hospitable home, in the neighbor-
hood conventions, in the field and on the way
wherever his business, industry, and benevolent
activities, were accustomed to find or make their
opportunities
said il was hard to realize his death, because
he was so strong, his energies so sound and Wig
orous his impulses his intellectual industry, his
strength of frame, and fulness Of health, made
him model man among a million. Alas he
overtasked the robust life that struggled for ac-
ton and utterance within him and neither he
nor his friends were wise enough TO see and un-
derstandit How blind we are to familiar things
! And when experience seems to contradict princi-
pies, how we neglect them till they terribly as
sert their truth and power
James Fulton died at 81, because he had crowd
ed lfetime's labor into a mere moiety of his al
! lotted time IL was premature DEATH though so
much was done and well done for there remains
so much for such strong hands, and clear heads
end good, brave hearts to do and we stood as
tonished, helpless, and doubtful, when he was so
suddenly wrenched away from his work, for it
seemed like breach in the truth and harmony OF
things
James was born into the restraints of the worn
out orthodoxies, but he early discerned and brave
| ly obeyed the truth, and emancipated himself into
a noble manhood He lived and lsbored 80 wisely
and so WELL that he made it easier for the men
around him to see the truth and perform their
duty. Still, it seems hard TO spare him nor will
our faith far submit to physical fact rs quite to
surrender him-for one cannot believe that such
an accident as an untimely death can entirely di-
vorce him from all the interests and efforts which
were the main objects and ends OF his life in the
body. IL the spirit itself does not perish, how can
its loves die out Of il, and all its habiual impulses
and purposes eXpire1 The belief that the spirit
disembodied gets n higher and better adjustment
TO its work in the world, shoots ray OF light and
joy into the darkness Of sense that illustrates the
procedure of Providence to our reason, while 1t
reconciles II 10 the demands Of our affections.
get indignant at the purblind materialism which
denies the Unity of the Universe, and the unbro.
ken oneness Of "the whole family Of heaven
and earth, because il robs me Of my brother and
drives me out into the dark from the society OF
my kindred. IL the sympathies Of our own dead
c,nnot reach us, then the life in heaven is Grip
pied and MANNED more than that Of earth IL the
spirit OF a man disembodied cannot pierce through
the veil to ours, access Of the Divine is thousand
times more improbable and impossible, and earth
receives none OF the communicated life Of heaven
But thank the good Lord the beautiful is the
true and our dearest possessions are safest OF all
from the spolerl
James Fulton was Indifferent to no duty Of phi
lanthropy which in our age claims the devotion OF
the best lives among US, and he was negligent Of
no Obligation arising ont Of the ordinary relations
Of life. lie was dilgent In labor as he was fer.
vent In spirit, and when he fell at his post men
felt that thew had lost leader and lakorer mt