Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1852-11-01
Dca,b of Daniel webster.

speaking of the death Of Daniel " eo''ef say
.More appropriate than any thing which we
could pen. we add the closing remarks OF 'h'
Sermon pronounced yesterday by one oil our
most eloquent Divines'-tbe melancholy news
having reached the city little before the nou'
of morning service in our churches The SER
mon was ON the subjectof Deati, and from ms
text of oOth psalm, 1--WE spend our years as a
tale that is told" After an impressive discourse
ON the solemn theme, the Preacher paused ana
then resumed as follows:'
"My friends, you all understand why nave
chosen for the subject Of this mornings medl-
tgtion the most solemn event that can address IT.
seIf In mortal men-DEATH-the hour. the
crisis of our departure from this life. This NOR
ming brought US tidings of such an event. II
occupies the whole public mind: We teel that II
is no ordinary event. From hlgh place IN th's
Government-from place still higher IN the
estimation Of his countrymen-irom the high
est place, | suppose, on this continent, IN INTEL
lectnal power, a great man has passed away
lie gone! he is gone! How difficult, hho al
most impossible, o realize III He wasso with us
and of us; he was so part of this nation and
of this nations life and history; that the very
world, this American world, feels shock IN this
disruption of his ties to il. He Is gone! DANIEL
WEBSTER is deadl That vast space which he
occupied is darkened; that great and majestic
presence has passed away!
"You mourn for him There are friends oil
his here whose hearts are stricken for his loss
Il is not a great man only that you have lost
hut n man YOU loved. His was not majestic
presence only, but to those who knew him WELL
a presence the most winning. No conversation
perhaps was ever more captivating than his IN
his hours of ease and unbendng fro" brood
ing thought and weighty care. think ne
yer saw the cloud ola brow SO dark at times
beam forth a sweeter smile.
"Am saying that he had no faults II he had,
let the pail of Death cover them today Bnt
of what mortal man shall that be said Yet
this say: that those who imagine that in the
majestic proportions of his nature, the heart
had no place have utterly misconceived him.
And this, too, say, thatin the moral judgments
which his political opponents were accustomed
to pass upon his daily life, no man, am thor
oughly convinced was ever more misrepre-
sented.
But is not my part TO pronounce his
euIogy. That belongs to others. This country
indeed, to which his life was devotod--this
country in its whole length and breadth, bears
his eulogy. The name Of DANIEL WEBSTER
will be known and celebrated as long az this
nation shall endure n
but be is gone All our thoughts of him
now yield to that thought-he is gone! The
voice is SILENT the eye is quenched; the brow
that awed the world is but cold, dead, sense
less clay. Oh Life! how art thou but as tale
that is toldl We say few words IN mem0ri
an; we take our last look or feel that the last
look is taken; we shed some natural tears and
all is over.
"Oh! in the infinite realm Of the unseen life
there is a place for all souls What au ats
them there is notdecded by what we say here
We bow before the infinite wisdom Of God
To his infinite care aud mercy we commit the
dead, who is gone, and we commend the hv.
ing, who mourn for him.
"Yes, we commit, we yield him upto God's
bchest 1t is all over; the last struggle is past
the struggle the strife, the anxiety, the pain
the turmoil OF life is over: the tale is told, ant
finished, and ended. 1t is told and done; ano
the seal OF death Is set upon it. Hencefortl
that great life, marked at every step, chroni
cIed IN journals; waited on by crowds; told &c
the whole country by telegraphic tongues Of
hame-thot great life shall be but history, q
biography, tale told in an evening tent In
the tents of life it shall ong be rected, but nc
word shall reach the ear Of that dead sleeper
by the ocean shore. Fifty will he rest there
Like the granite rock, like the heaving ocean,
was his mind! Let the rock guard his rest, let
the ocean sound his dirge!
"My res Nected hearers and friends have
said these few words on the sad occasion that
presses nponyour mndshs morning. could
not say less OF such an one, who 10 lost 10 us
OF such an one, who hasdwelt among you as a
nelghbor, friend, and a fellow.laborer in the
cares OF Government. 1t would not become me
to offer YOU admonition, counsel, or consolation.
our own minds will do this for Won better
than can. May God in his goodness grant
that the use of this visitation NAV be as great
as the event is signal and solemn
*The Rev. ORyILLE DEWEY.