The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-03-06
From me Richmond Enquirer, March ..
mr. Speaker Boyd

Look upon the porlrature OF Linn Boyd !-strong
frank fearless honest and sincere To the constant and
vgan inquirer OF Nature she never lies and as the eye
so is the whole face the index OF his soul Gentle in his
strength, modest in his irankness, unobrusye in his hon
esty concating yet firm in his sincerity, Linn Boyd, the
Speaker OF the House OF Representatives stands forth
prominently as one of the best models OF American
republican, and OF whom II may be well said;
"a spirit never
Did steer humanity"
Mr. Boyd now occupies the highest position in this
country next 10 that OF the presidency Just below the
President in the power, influence, and honor OF the sta
ton be is like the President, chosen by electoral col
lege delegated directly by the people and deriving his
official position, thus medaiey, from this sovereign
OF popular authority he is the chief representative
of that mighty power OF the Masses which, under consl
tutonal restrictions, maintaining freedom, extending
civilization and dfusing democratic tendencies. under
moral and legislative restraints He fair exponent OF
that popular creed delivered by Mr.. Jefferson which
claims humanity enough TO embrace the human race and
of that honest and necessary conservatism which defends
the rights OF the people and the sovereignty OF the States
And in these times OF trial, when the Union be pre-
served when the conservative elements OF the democratic
party must be called into full play and energy 10 guide us
safely through all extremes that may skirt our Hanks
when its great aim and purposes TO be pursued in the
spirit OF lofty PATRIOTISM and the constitution OF the
country and the glory OF the people be pepeualed and M
creased that people, eonending against every element
brought to oppose them, have by overwhelming cleo
ton, filled the popular branch OF Congress with demo-
cratic representatives. and these to guide them through
surrounding DANGERS have elected Linn Boyd, OF Ken
lucky, their Speaker.
II is now his solemn duty to preside over diyerseit
may DC usCOTudnl by all requisite
vantages and qualifications which long public service
give 10 man with his natural endowments OF clear
good sense sterling integrity and plain downright pa
otsm he is well fitted for the station and the duty and
in advance pledge his honesty of purpose, his Impair
TALLY OF conduct, his love OF order, and his fidelity to
the laws and the constitution for the adonment OF that
station and the discharge OF that duty He is democrat
thoroughly mbued with the spirit and the principles OF his
party imboded in its soundes and nobes examples
yet his political opponents may well say Of him. and they
will say II, when there Is no motive TO sWerye:
He ia n general h0uesf thought.
Ard common good TO ALL made one Of them
His life was gentle and the elements
And say TO all the world, THIS is a man = I"
James Boyd, the grandfather, Vrginian by birth.
moved to the State of South Carolina, where he
active and vigant friend of his country. and deter
mined asserer OF its Independence Constant and I'M
yielding in the support OF the war OF the revolution ne
and his family suffered severely for their weltred par
otism. Twice their habitation burnt 10 the ground
by the tories twice their hearth made desolate and
as he and his family went forth without shelter and
good cause of their country; The grandfather and his
three soldiers OF that One son (Samue)
was shot dagonaly through the eye and the temple |;
another OF the tender age OF sixteen years. bore arms
by the side of that father and brothers in the war OF free
dom. OF that we will now speak.
Abraham Boyd-the father-was native Of Virginia
In quite early life he accompanied his a,her-James
Boyd-to South Carolina, where, as we have stated. at
the unrpe age OF sixteen, he entered the service Of his
country in the revolutionary war, in company with his
father and brothers He stood upon the ashes of his
humble homestead, and the work of vengeance thus
wreaked upon all he loved for their fidelity 10 sacred
cause he his mother without food, Iaiment,
shelter and this the act OF men opposed to the freedom
and independence OF the country he loved and Tor which
he was deyoiing his service and I needs be- ready to
hm-passing through this fiery ordeal-lke Jackson's
with whom he subsequently became associated and init
1e ana he 81 he
uonary war; and about the year l7ss, Andrew Jackson
and Abraham Boyd crossed the mountains into Tennes-
see, with fortunes but their clear heads and strong
hearts, and friends but the good God above and the
great country around them, which they had aided to
from despotism They both located at Nashville and
though subsequently separated, and occupying different
spheres. they through life without interruption,
dent and devoted friends. Various instances and
doies OF their mutual friendship might be related, did our
| limits permit.
The Boyds were closely related by blood to the great
bard Of Scotland, Robert Burns, who representa-
tive man, imbodying in his undyng songs the hopes.
wishes feelings and aspirations OF the laboring and
titled peasaniry and yeomanry OF the world Like Rob-
EFT Burns, Abraham Boyd was without education, and
rounded bis early life, and proved himself man. The
blood OF Burns would vindicate ITSELF and the history Of
the elder Boyds, as that OF the son, shows that
| The rank is but the guinea's stamp;
The mans the gotod Tor a that"
AT an early period the elder Boyd settled at Nashville,
in the State OF Tennessee, where his Linn Boyd,
(named from his mother was born on the 2ad OF No
yember. in the year 1900 Poor and qniriended, the
Tngg) county, in the Stale of Kentucky and settled on
the east bank of the Cumberland river, where he lived
until the Tune oil MS lew years WDen
long life of exertion and usefulness, he descended 10
the tomb, amid the regrets and with the regards OK an en-
tire community The elder Boyd learned to spell, read,
and write after he had grown to mans estate, and
evidence OF the moral purpose and nfexlbe pursuit Of
knowledge which characterized him, should be stated
| for the example and Indictment OF others, his time for
learning his arithmetic frequently the pause in the
labors OF the field, when horse and man both weary
and willing rest, and his slate tcas the dust OF the mould
board Of has plough.
Let our farmers and their sons, our mechanics in their
workshops, and our poor and meritorous young men
everywhere, look this picture, contemplate IT WELL
and in the OF father and the foot
prints by following which they too may succeed The
father, with his unfailing industry of body and mind,
proceeded by laborous step after another, maintain
ing his family in the style OF frontier settler, and stead
lily advancing until he established the reputation OF we'll
read historian man OF unerng judgment, nfexibe pri
and public integrity, and, such, able and eff
Gent member for many OF the legislature OF Ken
lucky There the Of the genius and the
ergy OF Burns united to the PRACTICAL wisdom and sagaci
OF an American froniersman. II is life where demo-
cratic simplicity and republican integrity have insured
success-man's noblest trumph-the success which fol-
lows merit
The hand OF hard necessity on young Boyd but
he never iaered failed in the discharge OF the abors
duties assigned him In the heat OF the day he steadily
and constantly pursued the abos Of the forest the field
and the mill the night and the inclement days oil winter
found him pouring the few books and the limited
routine of instruction furnished by the occasional schools
OF that day This all that the wealth, may be the
wholesome adversely OF circumstance could do for the
early education OF Linn Boyd but in this, every
situation and trial of life, true man and an honest
devotion and characteristic energy with which his father
N tols