Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-01-30
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

yesterday, in the Senate, to the memory of
the late Preston S Brooks, being the theme Of
the praise Of all who were so fortunate as to
hear it delivered, We herewith publish it. 1t
is certainly one Of the most strikingly pathetic
and Impressive obituaries we have ever read :
Mr.. HUNTER said rise to second, with all
my heart, the resolutions which the Senator
from South Carolina has offered as a token of
respect to his deceased colleague, whose char.
acter and high qualities he has portrayed with
so much of truth and feeling. As We gather
around the grave Of departed brother, not
only is friendship eager to present the tribute
of its affection, but even enmity, il it be the
enmisy OF generous mind, is ready to bury
with him its bitter recollections and animosi-
ties as an offering to the common brotherhood
Of humanity. Who Of Us does not feel that
when one has paid the last debt of nature he
has settled his accounts With man? And who
too, could stand by the last resting place of
iellow-being and deepen its gloom by casting
upon 1t the darker shadows Of his mortal
hate?
Here, sir, at the threshold, as it were, Of
those portals through which the spirit Of q
brother has just passed from time to eternity,
we bury the recOllections Of the past in our
CONCENTRATIONS Of the future, whose dark cur
tain hides from our eager scrutiny the way
which We ourselves so soon must tread 1t is
upon such an occasion as this, and in conten-
plation Of such a journey, that We would divest
ourselves of all those feelings which might
prove evil companions by the way Mr. Pres;-
dent, Preston s. Brooks has gone to his long
homo, where no human voice can reach him
more. Detraction has no shaft that can touch
him now; nor can even fattery's voice
"soothe the dull, cold ear Of death Life's
ftfUl fever's DER, its passions lie hUshed and
STILL in slumbars long and deep nor can the
storms of this world, or Its cares or its sorrows.
ever disturb them again. May a 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 hooks of
steel, go large circle Of affectionase friends
The love of his dependents, the devotion Of his
family, ard the warm attachnen Mt of his frit n6s
are evidences Of his high and generous quail
ties and of his genial and attractive nature.
He has served mis- country in war aud peace
and In all capacities he has won and retained
the confidence of his constituents.
But, Mr.. President, it is not my purpose to
deal in the language of mere idle eulogy.
Every human lite is history. The events OF
his hayo been told by another. Let that his-
tory speak for itself Still less do mean to
jntTude upon the sacred privacy Of domestic
grief. Alas. sir, what consolation could any
man offer to bereaved mother, who survives
to mourn a much-loved son, buried in an un-
timely grave; or to the wife upon whom the
unexpected message fell from the teegraphic
wires as q thunderbolt from heaven; or 10
their children, some Of whom may be old
enough to understand and appreciate their
loss Ue alone who dealt tho blow can heal
the wound.
Nor do l intend to pursue the dead with vain
10 60 ,Lok
startling when 1t strikes down the young, in
the hush and prime Of manhood, and in mid
career. We feel ss 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
life's year is robbed Of its spring. And yet,
sir, had that year rolled on, who can say how
weary might have been its summer, or how
much ssdder still its autumn and its close
As who knows that such might Lot have been
the case in which
The base- mind
Nourns less for what Time takes away,
Than what II leaves behind"
We may estimate, in part at least, what l.
lost by the death Of friend. but never can
tell what is saved to himself unless we can
read the records 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 find
relief in performing the last Offices of friend.
ship, and We may feel that to respect the dead
is To honor humanity itself.
We, too, may gather from the startling
event which has occurred in our midst come
lesson Of useful instruction to ourselves We
may be thus admonished Of the slender thread
By which We hold to life-so slender nat even
the winds of heaven may snap it should they
WHIT it too roughly. We may be moro i'm
pressed, too, with the necessity Of using to the
best account those golden opportunities which
are measured by the wasting sands of life
sands which cannot be many, and NAV be
very few, according to the rule of Him whose
purposes are unknown to US. l commend,
| then, that custom Of the Senate, honored alike
by time and experience, by which, upon such
occasions as this, it suspends its usual business
| to afford a season to its members in which they
may 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 lis
death may teach Us. Happy it will be for US
all should We return from such contemplat ons
with a kindlier spirit to each other ana a
deeper sense Of the duties which We owe to
the great brotherhood Of humanity, end "a
Him who rules the issues OF our destinies.
Nicaragua The mails received at noon
yesterday verified our brief editorial statemen,
of the day before, that Walkers career in
Nicaragua has in oil probability been brought
to an end ere this. The next arrival from
San juan del Sur may be expected to bring
back to this country probably to New Or
leans az n any Of the fllbu:ters who wero al
San joan del Norte as tie steamer that hal
gone from Aspinwall to aid their escape, car
accommodate Her GRAND is ono OF mercy
and all tho benevolent will wish her a safe
voyage. The capture CT the river boats b.
Spencer, and the subsequent capture of Ii,
lake boats by the allie, were the most soldierly
and brilliant. achievements occurring in tn,
whole course Of the war, and decided its fate
1t 10 utterly impossible, from tho details o.
the news, that Walker can hold out; lis mel
being in a state Of terrible desperation from
tie effects Of starvation. His evacuation o
L L. L. IL