The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-07-28
SUDDEN DEATHS.

death; even some of the old liturgies have
| a special petition for deliverance from it as
an evil. In certain cases, it may be when
the young man in the prime of manhood is
cut down like flower from the midst of all
life's hopes and schemes; when the strong
man is stricken down from beside his bride
| at the altar, or the mother is snatched away
from the cradle of her babe, perchance
violently torn from earth by the lightning's
stroke or some catastrophe-then,i indeed,
there may be something even peculiarly
heart-rending in the very suddenness of the
stroke. But where death, without even
moments warming. comes naturally, as it
came to the late Secretary of State, at the
close of long course of life, industriously,
earnestly and well spent in the service of
his country and of mankind, there is often
something peculiarly fitting and even
beautiful in the very suddenness of the
stroke. In such cases, it becomes the very
perfection of death for the man whose work
is done. The pain absolutely nothing,
| death is without this sting. The bite OF
mosquito or the prick of a pin would leave
its trace upon the countenance, where this
leaves none. 1t would seem, therefore, the
most perfectly natural of all deaths, for
there is no disproportionate wear and tear
of one organ, but simply ceasing to live.
The weary wheels of life stand still, not
from disorganization, but simply from want
of any further motive power.
The causes of this class of sudden deaths
are of course various, sometimes quite mys-
terious. In the case of Secretary Marcy,
it was supposed to be the heart, perhaps it
is more commonly the brain. These two
between them are the chief centres of the
most suddenly fatal diseases. Perhaps the
case of nervous or simple apoplexy is the
most remarkable of all these. 1t gives no
mark of its approach, and it leaves abso-
lutely no trace of DISCRIMINATION or distur-
bance in any part of the physical frame
work. Not muscle or nervous centre
may retain the slightest trace of the pres
ence or the absence of any agent noxious
or necessary to life, otherwise than is usual.
1t is simple failure of vitality, aud the
anatomist feels, at the conclusion of his
work, that could the mechanism of nature
only have been kept in motion during few
seconds of respite, and the vital spark have
returned to its duty, it would have found no
part of the material frame work in the
slightest degree injured or even panied.
These attacks usually occur in old age,
when the work of life is done, and the great
work of rightly parting with the earth alone
remains. Thus, for instance, Mr.. Marcy
was in the 71st year of his age. He had
served his country in war, served as Sec
| rotary of War, and succeeded Daniel Web
ster as Secretary of State, and had grace
| fully laid aside all these duties. At such a
period, since death must come, there are
many advantages in quiet departure like
the one alluded to. Softly, suddenly and
Alone" was the earnest petition of one we'll
known in regard to his death. In such
cases the pain of parting is spared-that
most terrible of pains to many we'll con-
| stituted mind. Rousseau wished to gaze
on the setting sun for the last time. And
there must be something in consciously
looking at the earth, the sky, old scenes
and old friend for the last time. of which
we can never conceive fully but once in life,
and that once give back no record, unless
It be by that last anxious glance around.
But what that feeling must be of slipping
off from the shores of time, and treading
out into the deep waters of death, the foot
steps losing their hold upon earth and be-
ing swept away out into the great ocean of
unknown future; what the sense of all that
is, who shall tell =? Many brave and good
man who fears not death breads dying.
| In regard to the more immediate cause
of these sudden deaths, the too severe ex-
elements or exertions of public life must
tend to produce them. There is wear
and tear, not only of the intellectual svs-
TEN, but of the heart with all its hopes,
fears and anxleties, upon which the cares
of craftsmanship must tell daily. Nor is it
| commonly considered that the reaction
from such cares and duties may often prove
as injurious as the over pressure of them.
| 1t has often been remarked how fatal the
4th of July has been to our great men. 1t
is even now fresh in the the momory of all
that General Taylor could and did better
withstand the camp life of Mexican cam
paign than 4th of July at the White House.
There is, there must be, to every patriot, q
certain excitement about that day that in
nice cases of disease brings the work of
years to crisis, and thus carries many a
noble spirit to its long home.
PROPAGATION OF FISH.
| The legislatures of Massachusetts,, Con-