The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1858-03-18

goest,' and those sad ceremonies are only
useful to the living. Their Office is two.
fold; first, that of the good Samaritan. TO
pour oil into the bleeding hearts of the sur.
vi,ing relatives and friends and secondly,
to draw from the character of the deccased
some moral by which we may all profit.
:" |, that district of Georgia which I have
the honor TO represent here, and among
those nountai,s of which / have spoken.
there live 70 day an aged couple almost
fourscore winters have furrowed their facee
with wrinkles, and covered their heads with
frost. They are. sir. the father and mother
OF the deceased wife of the late Senator
from Texas; and however heavily the blow
OF his death NAV have fallen in other places.
no where has II descended with more crush
ing severity than upon the already aching
oosoms OF my venerable constituents. In.
deed, sir, the young heart, like the flesh of
youth, recovers rapidly from wounds inflcr.
ell upon II; but the affections of old people
become, like their physical organization. riig.
i'd and fixed and time, the great restores.
rarely and slowly, il at all, heals up wounds
inflicted upon them. The young saplinp
VII! bend Instantly to the sweep OF the tenn
pest rs il passes, bu: soon ne il Is gone.
erects itself again. The old tree, with trunk
almost decayed, and sap flowing but feebly
beneath its allbut-withered bark, relies
alone upon the vine which has grown around
1t for years As its only prop against the
storm. atsg
The relations borne by the late Sena.
tor from Texas to my old constituents, was
not unlike that of this vine to that tree
The last prop that hello them up has been
sundered aud soon they. too, must totter
and fall. And, sir. il is simply because
thought it might be grateful TO their feel.
ings, that their immediate representative
here should bear some open part in this sol
emn drama, that yielded to the suggestion
OF my most distinguished colleague. (Mr.
StephensO and agreed to speak for Georgia
To tue resolutions upon her table.
"Sii, l.well remember the conversation I
had with my old friend bu, few weeks be.
fore left home; the subject of which was
the dead OF his own family, and among
them, the death of his daughter-I believe
the last surviving child-lhs wife of the
distinguished son in law. Of whom he was
justly so proud. And see before me now,
the convulsed face and trembling lips of the
old man as he expressed to me the convic-
lion thai the death Of his daughter, the wife
OF the Senator, might possibly have precipi
tated his own.
Sir, will not speak Of the manner of
his death, lie, the charity which hopeth
all things cast the mantle Of love over his
dead body, and, pointing TO the noble, and
beautiful, aud self sacrificing virtue which
led him to follow the departed spirit of her
he loved, hide forever The vice to which un.
happily that love may have led.
But we should be unjust to ourselves.
Mr.. Speaker, if we allowed this occasion TO
pass without drawing from it some moral
BY which we may all profit. The late Sen.
aior from Texas was possessed Of wisdom in
high degree wisdom as distinguished
from genius; that wisdom which is made
up of sound judgment accurate and exten
sive observation. Of men and of things. and
an enlarged experience. He possessed cour.
age in the true sense OF that word-pbysi
cal aud moral cournge, displayed upon the
battlefield, and exemplifed in the Senate
Chamber. More than these. Mr.. Speaker,
and better than these, his heart was well
spring Of deep and pure affection, whose
current run increasingly towards the object
of his early attachment. her who had been
the companion of his manhood, and whom
he hoped to keep by his side as the solace
of his declining years.
!" Sir, an instinct Of our nature, heaven.
born, faint trace Of that image of purity
which God stamped upon the heart Of Ad.
am, leads US all irresistibly TO love those no.
bic qualities wherever we find them. They
are golden qualities but, alas ! sir. like ev-
erything else Of earth, even gold is ever
found mixed with baser metal. II requires,
Mr.. Speaker, the fire of the Great Reiiner.
the power Of the almighty Alchemist, to re.
move all the dross, and leave the precious
metal perfectly pure, Sir, without such ,pu.
rifcaiion from on high. wisdom however
exalted, courage, however true, even love il.
self, however pure aud constant, will lead us
often into error. and sometimes into vice
Lei as a.s:;ics .fso.ss Ibis :..rags s.sotal. end
lei Us all try, under Providence, 70 practice
il. To know Ito viii Of God, in Christ,
concerning us, Is the most exalted wisdom !;
TO do thai viii in The face Of every obstacle.
the iofiest heroism; TO suffer thar will un
der ia most affecting dispensa,ions, 10 un.
obtrusiye privacy, the noblest martyidom"
ssk -, q i--------<-<zp-s--------- So is',} "'t
NoBLE SssriMEsrs. - Condemn no. man
for pot thinking as you think. Lei every
one enjoy the full and free liberty Of tlIin,t.