The Empire County argus., 1854-02-04
SPEECH
Ut the Hon, M. S. LATHAM on the death of Vice
President KING.

| "tdHi prompt me TO unluc my stranger voice with
yours in this mournful requiem for the departed.
And if apology be needed, that thus early claim
your attention. let it be enough to say that from the
lips now cold and fixed, and the voice now hushed
in death, came first the encouraging words of coun-
sci and incentive the gentle tones of sympathy and
feeling, that have placed me- to-day, among you. |
could leave to the gentlemen who have preceded me-
and to the quiet meditation of my own heart the
retrospect OF his rreproachable life and the rehear-
sal OF the noble principles that he so long and firmly
advocated, were it not that every mountain and
valley, every plain and ravine of California, are
scattered thick the adopted homes of Alabamians
who, while the memories of their childhood are
fresh or the graves of their fathers green can
fail, with you, to remember the life of the statesman
with exulaton, or forget to mourn the death of the
good man with sympathetic expression. How nat
ural, then, that | should turn your attention to
few pages in the history of a man, who has filled
every place, but one, to which the ambition of an
American citizen may aspire and has filled all with
distinguished credit to himself and honor to the
country
WILLIAM RUFUS KING was q noble specimen of
the American statesman and gentleman The in
innate friend of John c. Calhoun, and the coutem-
porary of Webster, Clay, Cass and Benton he main
tained proud position in the Senate of tho United
States by his strong practical good sense, his expe
rlence and wisdom legislator, the acknowledged
rectitude of his intentions, and that uniform urban
ity of manner which marked, not so much the man
OF conventional breeding as the true gentleman at
heart He was no sophist to himself, and hence it
was that he was truthful and sincere to all the
world. His course in the Senate was considerate
and dignifed. He never yielded to the impulse of
the mOment but made his tongue wait upon his
judgment. He never knew what it was to speak,
act, or legislate by ndirection. He was frank and
loyal to his colleagues, he was devoted to his
own State, and sincerely attached to the Union.-
Is it wonder, then, that the Senate listened to ev-
cry word that fell from his lips that his voice was
potential whenever it pleaded the cause of his coun
try
1t is said that during primary meeting held by
one OF the factions into which the first French Ma
tional convention divided, one of the men who
afterwards played most conspicuous part in histO
ry spoke but few words, and these without en-
phasis Yet such was the conviction that he pro-
duced, that his views were instantly adopted. He
possessed the genius of character; he believed what
he said, and produced conviction in others 1t is
this peculiar genius of character which gave force
and direction to MIR Kings speeches in the Senate
of the United States, and produced that Difference
to his avowed opinions and principles which none of
his colleagues shared in more eminent degree
In all that belonged to him individually, Mr.. King
was the very type of an American gentleman.-|
Free from artifce and disguise, his every thought
and instinct was chivalrc. Not to adventitious
circumstances, not to the chances of birth fortune
not to the society into which he was thrown, was
he indebted either for the distinction to which he
rose in public life, for the grace which adorned
his private character. He never borrowed thoughts
or sentiments from others. His mind and heart
were of American growth while his eminent vir-
tues served to illustrate the American character.
AS Americans we recognize no standard Of great
ness which is not based on moral excellence, such
as prominently distinguished the early founderso
our institutions and laws and in this respect few
OF the great men whose names have passed into our
! Sfnr hnnc nf a.
great exemplars than he, whose irreparable loss we
now mourn in common with the whole country
During his long and eventful life, of which very
large portion was spent in the public service there
is not an act which can be referred to but to his
honor-nor suspicion that could mar the purity
and lustre of his escutcheon. Mr.. King became
Senator in 1919 when the State of Alabama was ad-
mitted into the Union, and enjoyed the honor of
representing her, with but one intermission ever
since. He was a member of that body when he
was nominated for the Vice Presidency and its pre-
siding officer. The respect of his colleagues had al
ready assigned him the place to which he sub
sequently called by the almost unani voice of
the people. He was from principle and conviction
States Rights man but he did not love the Union
less because he loved Alabama more.
While he was serving his own State with fidelity
and honor, he was not remiss in his duties to the
whole American Confederacy. Like his illustrious
prototype John c. Calhoun, he battled for the rights
OF MS Otate IN order TO secure that harmony be-
tween Federal and State power, which is of the es
sence OF the Union, and without which it is impos-
sible to preserve system of selfgovernment. In
the memorable session of l849-50, MIR. King voted
for nearly all the compromise measures as an act of
devotion to the National Union without surrender
ing single cardinal point of the political faith
which had guided him through life and had secured
to him the affection and attachment of the citizens
OF his own State. The most important event in his
political history, when he represented the Uni
ted States in the Court of France during most in
teresting and exciting period 1t was well known
that the Governments of England and France, sew
orally and jointly, opposed the annexation of Texas
to the American Union, and that similar instructions
had been given by these Governments to their re-
spective Ministers in Washington and Texas
These instructions were, no doubt, intended to be
used with diplomatic effect; neither party seeming
at the time willing to proceed to extremities Mr.
King true to his American character and to the gen.
erous instincts of his nature did not plunge into the
labyrinth of European diplomacy He had nothing
to disguise nothing to withhold, nothing to ask for
that was not just and with the aightforwardness
and dignity which ought always to characterize an
American Minister abroad, at once demanded ofthe
King himself frank avowal of his intentions.
Louis Philippe might have been prepared to evade
the artful approaches of q Talleyrand or Richie
lieu but he had means of refusing to
plain question, honestly proposed by foreign min
ister whose official rank did not add the weight of
feather to the volume of his private character
Mr.. King received the desired reply to the course
the French Government meant to adopt should Tex