The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-07-02


character; and the monument erected to bis
memory at the spot selected by him Will be-
visited by the votaries OF genius and Liberty
with that reverence which is inspired at the
tomb of Washington. Upon that monument
let his epitaph be engraved.
Mr. President, have avaed myself OF Doctor
Johnson's paraphrase of the epitaph on Thomas
Hammer, with few alterations and additions
to express ia borrowed verse my admiration for
the life and character of Mr.. Clay, and with
this heart-tribute To the memory OF my Illus
trious colleague | conclude my remarks:
Born when Freedom her stripes and stars un-
furled,
When Revolution shook the startled world
Heroes and sages taught his brilliant mind
10 know and love the rights OF all mankind.
" La LIES first bloom his public tolls began,
AT once commenced the Senator and man
In business dext'rous, weighty in debate,
Near fifty years he abored for the State.
In every speech persuasive wisdom flowed
In every act refulgent virtue glowsd
Suspended faction ceased from rage and strife,
10 hear his sloquence and praise his life.
Reslstlesa merit fixed the members choice,
Who hailed him Speaker with united voice"
His talents ripening with advancing years
His wisdom growing with his public cares
A chosen envoy, wars dark horrors cease,
And tides of carnage turn to streams of peace.
Conflicting principles, internal strife,
Tariff and slavery, disunon rife,
All are compromised by his great hand,
And beams of Joy illuminate the land.
Patriot, Christian, Husband, Father, Friend,
Thy work of life achieved a glorious end
offer the following resolutions;
Resolved, That committee of six be ap
pointed by the President of the Senate, to take
order for experimenting the funeral of Henry
Clay, late member of this body; which will
take place tomorrow at twelve o'clock, ui., and
that the Senate will attend the same.
Res0lped, That the members Of the Senate,
from sincere desire of showing every mark of
respect to the memory of the deceased, will go
into mourning for one month by the usual mode
OF wearing Grape OH tho left arm.
Resolued, As a further mark of respect enter
tanned by the Senate for the memory Of Henry
Clay, and his long and distinguished services to
his country, that his remains, in pursuance of
the known wishes of his family, be removed to
the place of seputure selected by himself at
Lexington, in Kentucky, in charge of the Ser
yeant-at-Arms, and attended bya committee of
six senators, to be appointed by the President
Of the Senate who shall have full power to
carry this resolution into effect.
Mr.. CASS. Mr. President, again has an i'm
pressive warning come to teach us, that in the
midst of life, we are in death. The ordinary
labors of this Hall are suspended, and its con
tentions hushed, before the power of Him who
says to the storm of human passion, IA He said
of old to the waves of Galilee, PEACE, BE- STILL
The lessons of his Providence, severe az they
may be, often become mercifu dispensations,
like that which is now spreading sorrow through
the land, and which is reminding us that we have
higher duties TO fulfill, and graver responsible
ties to encounter, than those that meet us here,
when we lay our hands upon His Holy Word,
and invoke His holy name, promising to be faith
fnl to that Constitution, which He gave us in
his mercy, and will withdraw only in the hour
of our blindness and disobedence, and of His
own wrath
Another great man has fallen in our land, ripe
indeed in years and in honors, but never dearer
to the American people than when called from
the theatre of his services and renown to that
final bar where the lofty and the lowly must all
meet at last.
do not rise, upon this msurnfu occasion, to
indulge in the language of panegyric. My re.
gard for the memory of the dead, and for the
obligations of the living, would equally rebuke
such course. The severity of truth is at once
our proper duty and our best consolation Born
during the revolutionary struggle, our deceased
associate was one Of the few remaining public
men who connect the present generation with
the actors in the trying scenes of that eventful
period, and whose names and deeds will soon
be known only in the history of their country.
He was another illustration, and noble one,
too, of the glorious equality of our institutions,
which freely offer all their rewards to all who
justly seek them; for he was the architect of
his own fortune, having made his way in life by
self exerton, and he was an early adventurer in
the great forests of the West, then world of
primitive vegetation, but now the abode of in
teigence and religion, of prosperity and civil
cation. But he possessed that intellectual SUI
perority which overcomes surrounding obsta-
cles, and which local seclusion cannot long
withhold from general knowledge and apprecia-
ton.
Ii is almost half century since he passed
through Chillicothe, then the seat of govern.
ment of Ohio, where | was member of the e-
gis'ature, on his way to take bis place in this
very body, which is now listening to this re-
minscence, and TO feeble tribute of regard
from one who then saw him for the first time,
but who can never forget the impression he pro-
duced by the charms of his conversations the
frankness of his manner, and the high qualities
with which he was endowed. Since then he
belonged to his country, and has taken part
and prominent part, both in peace and war, in
all the great questions affecting her interest and
her honor; and though it has been my fortune
often to differ from him, yet believe he was as
pure patriot as ever participated in the coun
ellis of n nation, anxious for the public good
and seeking to promote it, during all the vicissi-
tudes of long and eventfuI life. Thathe exer-
cised powerful influence, within the sphere of
his action, through the whole country indeed
we all feel and know; and we know, too, the
eminent endowments which gave him this dis.
tincton. Frank and fearless in the expression
of his opinion, and in the performance of his
duties, with rare powers of eloquence, which
never failed to rvet the attention of his audito-
ry, and which always commanded admiration,
even when they did not carry conviction
prompt in decision, and firm in action, and with
vigorous intellect, trained in the contests of
stirring life, and strengthened by enlarged expe-
rience and observation joined withal to an ar
dent love fcountry, and to great purity of pur-
pose-these were the elements of his power and
success, and we dwell upon them with mourn
full qualification now, when we shall soon follow