The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-09-15
Local Matters.

THE LATE Ex-GovERNoR McDowELL.-A dis-
course was delivered by the Rev Dr. Junkin yes
terday morning, in the street Presbyterian
church. suggested by the recent death Of ex- Gov
ernor Mcdowell, 81 Virginia. He chose for his
text: Help, Lord, for the godly man censeth,
for the faithful fall from among the children Of
en."-Psalm xii, VI.
He first showed that good and faithful man is
blessing to society and to his race; and, secondly,
that the loss of good and faithful man is public
calamity; and then drew bright and attractive
picture Of what Christian patriot is, maintaining
that goodness is true greatness, and that "Chrs-
tian is the highest style Of man, all other things
being equal" He doubted not that ''the prayers
of Washington did as much for his country as the
sword of Washington" Yes, ga Christian patriot
is blessing to his kind, an ornament to our
nature, triumph of grace majestic column
erected amidst the ruins of the fall, 10 remind
US of what man and what he should be-" The
death OF such person ia, indeed, national Gu
lamity, and over such loss this church, the AN
ciont and honored Commonwealth which gave
James Mcdowell birth, and the country, are called
to mourn. A faithful man has fallen "from among
the children Of men," The dignihed gentleman,
the ripe scholar, the commanding orator, the chris
tian, statesman. he Of unbending integrity and
lofty patriotism, ia more He was born in Vir
ginia, nearly hfty-six years ago, and the blood
which flowed in his veins was from that Of the in
telligent, good. Bible reading Scotch Irish, who,
fleeing from persecution at home, sought an asy-
lum in this land; race which engaged promi-
nently in the war of the Revolution, to maintain
the great principles which that contest involved.
The reverend gentleman briefly alluded to the
early history of the deceased; and observed that
being modest Christian, he would ever have pre-
A.
resorted to the sorry tricks of mere politicians. No
life of pleasure or of power could ever sway him
from the true dignity of his character. He always
as an orator, spoke from the depths of his SOUL
which too powerful to have full sway. His
great effort in the House of Representatives during
the first session of the last Congress, inscribed his
name among the statesmen who saved the country
and blessed mankind. Seldom has greater
pliment been paid to any one than that which was
expressed towards him when, on that occasion,
having spoken during the one hour allotted by the
rule, there wasa general and anxious cry from his
fellow members, who hung upon his eloquent lips,
to F." Go on-go on !" When the history Of the re-
cent fearful crisis in nations history shall be
clearly and fully given, it will probably be found
that his magnificent effort one of the instru
ments which allayed the causes of sectional ami
mostly, and preserved to our glorious Union.
DIR. Junkin said that Governor Mcdowell laid at
the foot of the cross; and that it in 1881, on
the of his election to the Legislature, when the
minds Of most men would have been absorbed with
the political canvass that he first publicly evinccd
deep concern and interest in the great salvation.
This was during revival of religion in Lexington,
under Dr. Baxter In all the OF his subsequent
life his light shone. He lived and died Christian.
He was Presbyterian.
We do not pretend to give even synopsis of the
discourse, but merely aude thus disconnectedly to
few of the prominent points upon which the rev.
erend gentleman 80 fcelingIy and eoquently en-.
larged.