Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-05-24

LISTERS from him, In which he expressed the hope
that be would, ere thia have been among IA, shar-
Ing our deliberations, and engaged once more In
the discharge Of his public duties But, alas!
how deluave are all human hopes In the pride
OF bis manhood, and in the midst of his usetul-
ness, he has been cut down.
Sir. the voice that sounds the death Of my a.
mented friend speaks but our comEaon late. III
What a lesson 70 US all and yet how little
needed For brief space our pride and ambition
lead us 20 struggle for this worlds wealth ana
honor; and, when obtained, how suddenly does
death come and strip US Of il all And then now
soon are We forgotten No matter what may nave
been the career of any one--how Distinguished Ior
greatness, glory, or power-h0w high recorded 70
the lists Of fame, il Is at last bat as liant marx
on the sands Of the sea, which tue nrnt passing
If there Is ! human mind which can bear the
thoughts of death cOmplacently, there be one
which does not recon and shrink with instructive
horror from the contemplated Of iss dread mys-
teries it Is the Christian who has founded his hope
on the sacred promises and AtOning efficacy ofthe
great Redeemer. ttAsF 1900
IN early youth, Mr.. Miller attached himself 10
the church, and protested Christianity. From that
day he never faltered In his Aith but his life
distinguished for most exemplary piety. He not
only professed but practised his religion, and It
became the hope on which be leaned to pass
through the dark valley Of the shadow Of death
70 meet the king Of terrors undismayed- sg 81
He wasa kind, devoted husband, fond, indul
gent father Time alone can soothe the sorrOWs
Of the widow and his orphan children. Yet give
them all your sympathy. II win be consolation
20 them, in the hour Of their blighted hopes and
crushed affections TO receive your tributes 70 his
worth and goodness, and your testimonials Of re-
spect TO his name; as II win assuage their grief
when they shall see, in his own loved Missouri
n - a
memory viii be cherished In tile affections Of bis
countrymen In years to come. |
SPEECH or MR.. u. MARSHALL
Mr. Speaker, the sad intelligence communicated
to this House by the gentleman from Missouri, win
fall with mournfnl emphasis upon an extended cir
Gle of the relatives and friends Of the deceased in
the State Of Kentucky. He was known in that
State widely and most favorably. knew him In
timately. He was the playmate and schoolmate Of
my boyhoOd. EARLY in life he exhibited the quail
ties of character which subsequently made him a
conspicuous member Of society. He was gentle
youth; modest, yet firm, and equal to the necess-
ties OF every occasion; generous and frank yet
perfectly unobtrusive In his department; apt and
intellectual, yet retentlve Of memory, and clear in
his perceptions; but, above all distinguished for
the exactness Of his integrity. These qualities
made John @. Miller hvoHte, while at college,
with all who knew him. Our fortunes separated US
successful adventure on his part, during which bis
talents had induced the people Of Missouri 70 re-
pose In him various public trusts Of importance, i
met him again in this Hail. as q legislator and
member Of the Thirty-second Congress. We be-
longed to the same political party, and participa-
ted generally in the same political views Of the In
terest Of our country. Il was natural, then, that
we should renew the friendship of youth. III
From my observation of the assiduity with which
he applied himself to the discharge Of his public
engagements, and the completeness with which he
complied with all the duties demanded by his DO
sition, learned anew TO expect career by him
fun ofusefulness to his country, and the reward Of
bright fame for himself The morality OF his pri-
vate e-the delicacy Of bis sense Of personal hon
or-the integrity OF his conduct--the mild yet aa-
BILE demeanor which distinguished his intercourse
with a-the tolerance of difference from his opin-
ions, yet the frmness with which he advanced to
the mature conclusions Of his own iudgment--the
acuteness of his perception-the preciseness Of his
logic-the comprehensiveness Of his intellectual
view-gave MIR. Miller, very soon after his entrance
upon Congressional hfe position of eminent re-
spectabilty among the public men Of this country.
and promised to win for him commanding infu-
ence before the country. But, while so bright
future seemed TO open before him, his friends
saw with dismay that his health was falling. and
threatened to deprive his family and his country
of services which were probably necessary to the
one, and most desirable TO the pther Their me.
ancholy anticipations have at last been realized,
and the catastrophe announced to-day leaves us
now nothing to hope. Be It ours 10 pay the tri.
butte of our sorrow to his memory.
This occasion should not pass, Mr. Speaker, with
out conveying the lesson TO every one of US that
Is calculated most eloqnently to impart--that our
probation in this existence is transitory and liable
TO terminate as well at the noon of the manhood
as in the evening Of age. Our work may be inter.
rupted before 1t has developed the results we de-
sign to achieve; and, therefore, he IL wisest as
most patriotic who studies in all his public con.
duct to close the volume Of his life with the con-
seriousness that every page shall illustrate, as the
leading idea of the author, that the public good
was at once the aim Of his public service and its
recompense. This is the lesson taught by the life
of the deceased; may we study it and practice with
success upon its example H