Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-09-28
CLOSING REMARKS
OF HON. JAMES mEAcHAm, AT THE Fu-
NERAL OF eovERSoR EATON, IN
ENosBURG, VT.

There is one other consolation
feel warranted in giving you, in its
amplest form, that everything in hu-
man power that could be done to re-
lIeye aud save aim was done, prompt
ly, and earnestly. The whole band
of his medical brethren, very learn
ed and skilled body, stood round hun
TO guard him from the threatening
destroyer or. Not one soul in that COM
munity bit would, from morning to
midnight,and from midnight to morn
ing, have stayed up the hand of tho
prophet who prayed for his deliver
ance. A special courier called from
a distant place, young friend and
pupil of his own professions Those
two men, with the fidelity Of BROTH
: ers, always rushed to each others
rescue in the hour Of danger. And
it is believed that by an intimate
knowledge of each others constitu-
tons they we're the means Of fire..
quenIly saving each others lives
lie thus had with him that skill he
mos, highly valued and trusted. An
only daughter, with the assiduity and
earnestness OF strong fiiial affections,
and faithful wife, who had been as
a guardian angel through ten long
years of suffering, struggled to assuage
his terrible agony, but through all
these the reslslless conqueror came,
and the wreck Of his power is in the
coffin before US. | have lately read
a temperance address he made to you
during the last winter. | need not
repeat the sentiments now fresh in
your minds. He recounts his histo-
ry from early childhood to mature life
spent in the smiling valley before US,
recalls the sympathy existing between
him and yourselves in his long prac-
lice. He then turns to your grave
yard, and reminds you that there he
has father, sister, wife, and a
child, and expresses the wish that his
dus, may repose with his companion
and kindred.
There is something almost mysle-
rious in the anxiety we have about
the place where our bodies shall de-
cay, when the spirit has departed;
and that we so universally wish them
TO rest with our family und friends.
Many one is willing that his corpse
should be examined to find the nature
of his mortal disease, still he wishes
the fragments of the dissectng room
shall not be buried in the "bural
place Of strangers" The savage
makes his stronges! appeal TO US when
he asks that he may guard the sepul-
chre of his fathers while living and
rest with them when dead. Tho
Swiss. like old BrazIai, is unwilling
to descend upon the soft and sunny
plain of the South, lest he may not
have his grave in the gorge or cliff Of
his mountain home. That recorded
feeling is as old as the history of our
race. Jacob said TO his son Joseph,
81 will live with my fathers, and thou
shalt carry me out Of Egypt and bury
me in their burying place." and his
charge to his twelve sons was, "bury
me with my fathers" That same
Joseph who might seem to have a.
dop,ed Egypt, the scene Of his trials
and lrlunphs, as his home, charged
Israel, carry up my bones from
hence: and 1t shows the sacredness
of the trust and The fidelity with which
II was executed, that nearly two hun
dred years after Israel buried the
bones Of Joseph in Shechem. This
desire, PervadIng all human nature,
was the desire Of our friend. Ia
compliance with that wish wet como
TO bear back and TO deliver unto your
hands his mortal remains, and ask
that you will give them repose with
the dust Of your fathers and your
selves and your children till The trump
of God shall awake. There will
comc after us no whisper to make
you ashamed that he was reared and
rests IN your midst. | can bear you
the $, mpathy Of his adopted town, Of
the faculty and students of the col
lege with which he was connected
who are mourners together with you
over his death. IL is known there, az
all over our own Stale, that there was
a peculiarly strong attachment be-
tween him and yourselves. Here no
began his professional career. You
first placed him in public life, he
was your representative for six years
your Lieut.. Governor for three
years your Governor two years /;
your State Superintendent five years,
aud member of your Constitutional
Council. lie was Professor 10 Mid
dlebury College for six years. He
was thus IN some public service one
hall his life, and connected with the
government of the State more than
one third of his life. As the tidings
Of his death spread among the people,
their general, if not unanimous YER
dict will be that he was one Of the
puresl and mobiles, men Vermont ever
had in her service. He had many
and great excellencies, other than I
have already named. lie was an hon
est man, that ''noblest work Of God"
You know the furnace where his
honesty was tried, and you know that
he came out OF that furnace, not only
with no fire, but not even the smell
Of fire on his garments. He was
man of great delicacy Of feeling and
showed this most etiectually by new
er wounding the feelings Of others.