The Trinity times., 1855-01-20
MIR. Latham's speech.

In the House of Representatives, when tt
death of Hon. Presley Ewing, member
the House, was announced, MIR. Latham,
California, rose and said f
To the wish Of the Kentucky delegation
that should participate in this oblation I
our departed associate my own heart hs
given mournful acquiesccnce. But four shor
months ago, we took him by the hand &
parting, and wished him "God speed" lttl
dreaming of the journey he was going on, O
shat the chilly hand Of death was to com
between him and our welcome back. Secur
in the strange confidence with wbch mortal
ity mocks her worldly minded children, n
passing thought admonished us that his brigh
eye would so soon be dimmed - that hi
hearty jovia laugh would be heard no NOR
among US. Our line of Wis on reached no
half 80 far; but we measured distance onl
with our hopes. The death of Presley Ew
Ing comes nearer home TO individuals in thi
body, inasmuch as he endeared himself t
all mos. fraternslly; and whether we admire
his talents and consistent liberalitv on thi
floor, or recall around the social hearth Of
board his humorous originality and oddty
our voices assume of themselves the low tone
Of affectionate sorrow, and the smile which
had sprung to the lip fades sadly away. We
cannot but wonder and be amazed at God,
providence; but yet wonder why one so fitted
to cheer and make happy, should be so early
called away; at the very dawn of manly eN'
istence, whose morning sun was rising witt
more than common brightness, that prom sec
long summer day of usefulness and we'll
rewarded exertion, the twilight of the grave
came on; and they who loved him-th aget
parents, whose pride and stay he was--art
left to sit within the shadow of his eclipse
To them, and to the constituency he SO hon.
oraby represented, we can but offer our con.
dolence OF sincere sympathy and regret; and
while we confidently resign our own will to
that Of the Omniscient One, who glveth and
also tsketh away in His good time for His
own purposes, we can best express our feel
ings in the simple sentence, which should be
engraven or the stone that marks his grave
--''He had no enemies" '-rsa- f
To ourselves let US bring this striking les
son home, and in this hour--set apart not
only to honor, but to ocontcmplate-let US pom
der on the uncertainty Of our time, at most;
let us look onward at the work we have laid
out for our lives to do, aud upward TO that
Power whence cometh our strength and
length Of days to do it, Let US remember
that our sight is not the same as His who
made us; that when task seems done to us,
70 Him it is unfinished; and when most un-
finished to us, to Him it is already done; that
the thin thread of life, wherewith we are to
weave the web of our days work, is often
stayed in the hand at high noon, and knots
and bemishes, and places overshot, together
with the soiled spots and marks Of careful
fNil 1oit ku.- locs4l Al
time of the great showing; that deeds which
are to us trivial, have great influence, and in
one moment tread too fast upon the heels of
the other, burdened with its own weight of
aC ton so much as to DC unable to spare any
thing to rectify or alter. Yet, while we are
earnest, as these contemplations should make
us, we can gain still another lesson than that
of our mortality, from the one Of our number,
whose work has been 80 lately finished. We
may learn that by the cheerful and coucilato-
ry discharge of our duties, we encourage our
fellow laborers in theirs, so that We
-"Go not like the quarry slave at night,
Scourged to his dungeon; but sustained and
by sn unfalterlng trust, approach thy grave
l.iko one who wraps the drapery Of his couch
Alb VI him, ana lice down to pleasant dreams"
The prbIic life Of Mr.. Ewing is known to
us all as well as to those Of his own State
whom it most concerned. He was twice a
member of the Legislature of Kentucky;
twice elected 10 the Congress Of tho United
Ststes--thus moistrajing the belief of his
people in his integrity, aud their confidence
in his ability. Ills personal acquaintance
and deep vcneration for Henry Clay; his ad.
miration OF the ''great msn'sn devotion tc
his friends, and steady pursuit of his own
patriotic duty, which led him so much to en-
ulate and initiate him, needs scarcely TO bs
recalled 70 you. His talents were brilliant
his education classical, his social virtues en-
riched by travel and humor, were eninently
great, and withal, "God gave him generous
and noble heart" In many chosen circles
his loss s mourned as irreparable anC
though his life has fitted across our horizon
as bright ard sudden as shooting star, ii
track is marked in our memory by the sof
light Of affectionate recollection, that only
the midnight cloud Of dea,h has power to OBJ
scure.