Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-10-15
From the London Times Of Sept 18th
Character of the Duke of WelEiMg-
ten.

If aught can lessen this day the grief of Eng
land upon the death of her greatest son, it is the
recollection that the life which has Just closed
leaves no duty incomplete and no honor unbe
slowed. The Duke Of Wellington had exhaus-
ted nature and exhausted glory. His career was
one uncouded longest day, filed from dawn to
nightfall with renowned actions, animated by un-
failing energy in the public service, guided by
answering principles of conduct and Of states
manship. lie rose by rapid series Of achieve
ments, which none had surpassed, to a position
which no other man in this nation ever enjoyed
Tie place occupied by the Duke Of Wellington
in the councils of the country and in the life Of
England can no more be filled. There is none
left in the Army or the Senate TO act and speak
with like authority There is none with whom
the yalor and the worth Of this nation were so
incorporate Yet when we consider the fullness
of his wears and the abundance Of lis incessant
services, We may learn to say with the Roman
orator, Salts diu oirjsSe dictto," since, being
mortal, nothing could be added either to our
veneration or to his fame. Nature herself had
seemed for time to expand her incxorable limits,
and the iufrm!tics Of age TO laya lighter bur-
den on that honored head. Generations OF men
had passed away between the first exploits Of his
arms and the last counscls Of his age until, by Il
lot uncxamplcd in history, the man who had
played the most conspicuous part III the annals OF
more than half century became the last suryi
vor of his contemporaries, and calries with him
to the grave all living memory OF his own achieve
ments To what a century, to what q country,
to what achievements was that life successfully
dedicated? ? For its prodigious duration-torthe
multiplicity of contemporary changes and events,
far outnumberng the course of its days and
ycals-for the invarable and unbrokcn stream of
success which attended it from its commence
ment to its close, from the first flash of trum-
phant valor in Indian war to that senatorial wis
dom on which the Sovereign and the nation
hung for counsel to its latest hours-for the un-
bending iirmness of character which bore alike
all labor and all prosperity and for unaltcrable
attachment 10 the same objects. the same princl-
ples the same duties, undisturbed by the pas
sions of youth and unrclaxed by the honors and
cnjoymeuts Of peace and Of agc-thc life Of the
Duke of Wellington stands alone in history. In
him. at least, postcrity will trace character Sill
peror to the highest and most abundant gifts of
fortune. If the word heroism" can be not un-
fairly applied to him, it is because he remained
greater than his own prosperity, and rose above
the temptations by which other men Of equal
genius, but less selfgovcrnmcnt, have fallen be-
low their destinics. His life has nothing to gain
from the language of pancgyric, which, would
compare his military exploits or his civil states
manship with the prowess Of an Alexander or a
Caesar, or with the astonishing career of him
who SAW his empire overthrown by the British
General at Waterloo They were the offspring
of passion and of genius, flung from the volcanic
depths of revolutions and of civil war to sweep
with mcteoric splendor across the earth, and to
collapse in darkness before half the work of life
was done. Their violence their ambition, theil
romantic existence their rcvcrScs, and their crimes
will forever flscinate the interest Of mankind
and constitute the secret Of their fame, if not o.
their greatness To such attractions the life and
character of the Duke Of Wellington present nc
analogy. If he rose to scarce inferior renown, il
was by none of the passions Or the arts wlicl
they indulged or employed. Unvan1uishcd il
the field, his sword was never drawn for terrific
rial conquest, but for the independence of Eu
rome and the salvation of his country. Raisc(
by the universal gratitude Of Europe and Of thi
nation to the highest point of rank and powe
which subject Of the British monarchy coulc
attain, he wore these diguities and he used tina
influence within the strictest limits of subject
duty. No law was ever twisted to his will, NJ
right was ever sacrificed by one hairs breadth 70
4 his ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. There lived not 4 man, Ell