Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-02-11
s1mK1Ns, DURIsOE & CO., Proprietors.

still in slrmbers long and deep, nor can the
storms of this world, or its cares, or its sorrows
ever disturb them again. May q kindly spirit
watch over and preserve the quiet OF his deep
repose for his must have been q kindly spirit
to have drawn to him, as with links OF steel, so
large circle Of affectionate friends. His love
of his dependents, the devotion of'his family,
and the warm attachment of his friends, are ev-
licences of his high and generous qualities and
of his genial and attractive nature. lie has
served his country in war and IN peace, and IN
all capacities he has won and retained the con-
fdence of his constituents.
But, Mr. President it is not my purpose to
deal in the language of mere idle culogy. Every
human life is history. The events OF his have
been told by another. Let that history speak for
itself. Still less DO mean to intrude upon the
sacred privacy of domestic grief. Alas, sir, what
consolation could any man ctter to bereaTeu
mother, who survives to mourn mucl-loved
son. buried in an untimely grave? or to tine
wife, upon whom the unexpected message fell
from the telegraph wires as thunderbolt from
Heaven? or to those children, some OF whom
may be old enough to understand and appreci-
ate their loss? He alone who dealt the blow
can heal the wound.
Nor do intend to pursue the dead with vain
regrets 1t is true that deaths blow is most
startling when it strikes down the young
in the flush and prime of manhood and in mid
career. We feel as if the book of life had been
closed whilst half its tale was yet untold The
order of nature appears to be reversed when those
who, in its usual course, ought to have led the
way, follow him to the tomb 1t has been said
that in the death of the young lifcs year is rob-
bed Of its spring. And yet. sir, had that year
rolled on who can say how weary might have
been its summer, or how much sadder still Its
autumn and its close? Who knows that such
might not have been the case in Which
''The wiser mind
NIourns less for what Time takes away
Than what il leaves behind? ~
We may estimate. in part at least, what is
lost by the death of friend; but none can tell
what is saved to himself unless lie can read the
secrets of human destiny, whose book Is sealed
and put away from our view.
But. whilst will not presume to question
the purposes of Providence, the heart may lind
relief in performing the last offices OF friendship
and we may feel that to respect the dead Is to
honor humanity itself We, too, may gather
from the thrilling event which has occurred IN
our midst some lesson Of useful instruction to
ourselves. We may be thus admonshed OF the
slender thread by which we hold to lIfe-so
slender that even the winds of heaven may
snap it should they visit it too roughly. We
may he more impressed, too, with the necessity
OF turning to the best account those, golden op-
portunities which are measured blythe wasting
sands of lfe-sanGs which cannot be many, and
NAV be very few, according to the will OF Him
whose purposcs are unknown touI. l commend,
then. that custom Of the Senate, honored alike
by time and experience, by which, upon such
occasions rs this, it suspends its usual business
to afford season to its members i'll which they
NAV turn aside from their daily pursuits, their
worldly schemes and Vaccinations. to pause by
the grave of brother and take to heart the
sad lesson of mortality which his Ceath may
teach us. Happier it will he for us all should
we return from such CONCENTRATIONS with
kindlrcr spirit to each other and deeper sense
of tine duties which we owe 10 the great BROTH
erhool of humanity, and to Him who rules the
issues of cur destiny.
Mr.. TooMES, Of Georgia, said: Mr.. President,
in this alliicting diSpensation of Divine ProvI-
dence we arc reminded "what shadows are, and
what shadows we pursue" Death has come in
our midst and claimed victim. The victim
WAS not selected from those who, after long
career of usefulness and honor, alter drinking
lfe's cup to the dregs, in the course OF kindly
nature, are ripened for the grave: here death
in the midst of it's griefs is not without its con-
solatlons Nor was he selected from those who
had been warned by disease, pain, and long sui
fering, and shattered constitutions, OF the APP
roach of the great enemy OF mankind: here,
too. he is often disarlne'l, and inAicts no pang
upon the dying, except in the tempered SORROWS
of surviving friends. Nor yet from those WHO,
having passed life's meridian with firm and un-
f,ltering step, and undiminlshed faculties, are
still treading the downward road to the grave.
But it has gathered manhood in its early rigor,
almost lingering in the lap of youth. Here he
is truly the King of Terror$, strewing his path
way with MORNINGS which will not be COM
forted, with blasted hopes, with broken hearts,
1t is not for me to enter the hallowed pre-
cincts of domestic grief, not even at this mo-
ment, devoted to the memory and friend OF the
dead. 1t is not in the endearng relations Of
domestic life over which our friend cast JOY
and gladness, that feel privileged to enter. In
him many of us have lost friend, the country
u patriot statesman-a patriot having high he
reditary claims upon the gratitude of that
country, doubly fortified by his own too brief
vet faithful service to her, both in her lcglSa-
tive halls and OH her battle fields 1t is as the
true man, the patriot statesman, that | would
contemplate him. As man, hepoSsessed those
high qualities of head and heart which surely
win and keep confidence, esteem and friendship.
Truth, sincerity, kindness, courage and courtesy,
were stamped upon his moral nature. Though
quick to resent an insult, Le was generous, kind,
and even gentle in his nature; and II gave him
more pleasure to repair wrong done by Mn-
SELF tilau to right one inflicted on him by anot-
er lie was distinguished by vigor and spright-
Illness ofntellect, which was cultivated, strength
encd and adorned, by large educational attain
ments.
At an early are he entered the legal protes-
sion, where his promising success was soon III
tcrru pted by call from his countryt to the battle
fields of Mexico. 4 captain in the Palmetto
regiment, it is sufficient for his fame to say that
he shared in the pcris and honors OF that dis
tnguishcd corps. Having returned from AeXl-
CO, he resumed the pursuits OF private life, but
w,.s soon called by the people OF the NinetyslS
District to represent them IN the Congress OF the
United States. 1t was the home OF himself anu
of his ancestors, and the fathers OF those who
called him into their service had served shoulder
to shoulder with those ancestors III our Reroln'
tiunary struggle, and had given one of them the
same evidence of their confidence and regard
To this district, with its many other historic
claims to distinction besides the other true pa
triots and statesmen whom it had given to the
public councils both living and dead, the country
is indebted for those distinguished statesmen
and patriots, Harper, Calhoun, and McDuiiie
now no Yore, but who are already enrolled