The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-15

HON. TRISTAN burgess, OF RHODE isLANp.
The telegraph from Providence, L. as we have alrea
dy stated, announced the death, Thursday morning.
18th ns of Hon. Tristan Burgess of that city in the
eighty fourth year of his age This venerable statesman
during his long occupied conspicuous rank asa
lawyer and statesman and for many years filed an in
porant space in the annals of Rhode Island and in the
politics and legislation Of the United States Mr. Burgess
of the OF New England who from OBJ
security to high rank in the legal profession and to hon
orable distinction public His life abounds in
those incidents which mark the progress, fine intellect
and ambitious spirit; and which powerfully illustrate
the character Of republican institutions. 1t tells in
respect the tale which has been told of other states
men-how they have risen by their exertions to high
stations of honor and of fame.
Tristan Burgess was what is called I" an old colony
man, He born in the town Of Rochester, in the
county of Plymouth, in the commonwealth Of Massachu
setts the Goth of February, 1770 He was son OF
John Burgess who entered the revolutionary army
lieutenant in l775 intending to continue in the service
until the end of the war; but illness from which ne
never recovered prevented him. During the war, how
ever he rendered great assistance to his country by
raising men, and collecting clothing for the army By
these means his house became kind Of rendezvous,
which brought his Tristan into an intimacy with
some Of the brave men Of those times The elder Mr.
Burgess died in November 1884, leaving three sons and
Eve daughters Tristan being the youngest Of the sons
The earliest event in the history of his country in the
memory of the subject of this notice, the alarm of the
battle Of Lexington The next was the return
Of his father from the army, Sick and but
just alive Thus young Burgess began to live when Anne
rcan Independence the theme Of general interest
The story of national oppression repeated in his ear
in childhood and the songs Of his cradle the songs
liberty His father with his three sons cultivated
farm of sterile land and in the intervals Of agricultural
pursuits employed their time in the mechs nca occupa
patton of coopers The father could accomplish but little
work; the whole family, however, constantly en-
ployed in some kind of labor.
Education in those times was extremely limited even
in New England. Schools few and Tristan Burgess
attended one until he about fifteen years of
age His elder sister taught him to read and his father
impaired to him little instruction in writing and arh
metc Between the age Of fifteen and twenty he only
attended school twelve weeks He had read, however,
every book that he could buy, beg, borrow After
he capable of writing, many Of his leisure
hours spent in composition. He also
fond of peruhng the works of Pope, Dryden,
and Addison Letter writing much practsed amon5
his associates and the letters written by him from he
age of sixteen to that Of twenty one would have 6lled
volume To this early application to this species of
position, may be traced in his style Of
writing in after life.
Burgess like vast proportion Of other young New Eng
tive fields for extensive theatre for enterprise He
at first contemplated temporary seafaring life to enable
him attain the means and knowledge to fit him to enter
of the liberal professions Disappointed in his at
ttmpts to become a mariner his thoughts were next
directed to the study Of medicine. He read, when
others slept various medical works Of celebrity and
prepared, he thought, to ride with country
doctor. AT this period he was twenty one years of
age. He had served out his apprenticeship
cooper, and had, rs far as his limited means would
permit the promised aid of his father. He advised
by physician to study Greek and Latin before
ing regular Of medicine Accordingly he resolved
TO enter at Wrentham, Massachusetts, where
he commenced Of study but bilious fever and
pleursy brought him the brink Of the grave Having
lost six months in time his eager desire to become
physician and to acquire wealth had vanished but he
resolved with the blessing Of Providence, that cost
many years it might, he would obtain collegiate edu
cation After the death Of his father Tristan sold his
share Of the farm he had left his family his eldest
brother The proceeds, with rigid economy, and by in
ructng schc Of thrte four months in the year. fitted
him for college and enabled him complete the whole
term.
In regard to oratory, Burgess, while teaching school
himself at marlborough Massachusetts, received vau
able instructions from = blacksmith. This man
often visited the family where he boarded, ard
spent whole evenings in telling anecdotes, in
manner ndescribablc. he Was large but very
graceful man, with remarkable gesticulaton When
standing by his forge with collar open shirt sleeves
rolled up and filled with the conception Of the person
and the events he intended TO communicate the move
men Of every finger there emotion gesture was
part OF the story, and in unison with all there wac
most expressive and unrvaed dignity Of manner.
In the autumn Of 1898 Burgess entered Brown Universe
ty at Providence, L. and graduated at that insttu
ton in 1885, The subject OF his grafton on that occa
sion was 1.-THE Cause OF Man, At that day this address
was considered as q remarkable production The para
| graph commencng-'Guided by reason, man has ira
yelled through the abstruse regions of the phosoph
world" and that succeeding it-"By imagination, man
seems to towards creative power considered
by admirers Of the forid style OF writing as beau
tifuly constructed. They have been selected as ex-
ercses for defamation in many schools and colleges
and may be found in Of the old school books Of
oratory The style Of the Grafton was so smooth and
flowing, and the in which it delivered
interesting that il gained for Burgess great applause It
not however, very pleasant to him to have alluded
to- quoted when he became advanced in fe and after
he took his seat in Congress The Southern members Of
the House Of Representatives delighted to bore him on
subject which the member from Rhode Island was
somewhat sensitive We recollect that the year
1882, brilliant little volume published the South
called " Memoirs Of Nulaer" The object of the work
Carolina and to rdcue the Yankees and other Northern
men. Among other matters, the hero nullfer relates
that be had made visit, accompanied by Demon
or familiar sp to the internal regions There among
other not personages, he found Tristan Burgess who
in the iands Of several devil urnspits roasting be-
fore fire. Continuing however to escape from his
mentors, Burgess assembled rock and comm-nced ha-
rangue to the internal audience "Gaided by reasonn
(he ssd) man has travelled hreugh the abstruse re-
gions OF the philosophc world Al the terrible sound
Of The voice Of the Rhode Islander he nuder reatss)
the devils and those under their care instantly ned in
every direction the Of the internal regions
deserted and tho nuhaer and his deyish friend oek the
opportunity to return TO the earth, which they did
through certain cave in Kentucky.
The Of Burge. at college marked by
tinusd appreciation and desire to excel in every depart
ment. In the beles letres studies he was . fine
scholar At that early period he was distinguished for
his attachments in oratory. Whenever he spoke his