Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-06

I'D enthusiasm. There was no visible ia luI e
of his bodily or mental powers He gained
his cause and left the courtroom with the
flush of triumph still mantling his cheek. We
allfelt RELIEVED that he had gone through this
severe ordeal. But. OH how changed was his
aspect on the morrow, and how our hearts
sank within us. He came late-he could
scarcely mount the stairway, his breathing
was audible over the room, his cheeks were
pale and want seemed as If the light had
departed We all felt as if dark cloud had
covered our hope. He fingered with us
few days and then departed for the South. We
fain hoped that sunny cline N ght sootbe
his frame and renew his powers; cheering
letters came at intervals from him tanning
this feeble expectation. When he returned
in the Spring it seemed doubtful, for time.
what would be the result. He struggled
bravely for life. but the die was cast. He
sank slowly and surely-the Angel of Death
waited for him until yesterday. But now, all
is orer-the bow is broken-the music is
bushed, and his strife for life done. ] cannot,
if | would. trust myself to speak of the
crushed hopes and wounded hearts of his
family. Those only can estimate the grief
who have lost such son, husband and father.
John A. McEwen was eminently child of
the people, and missionary in the cause Of
their advancement and progress. From his
first entrance into manhood until his close as
Mayor of our city. all his powers were
devoted to the building up aud cherishing
public schools, sustaining other charitable
institutions, lecturing. speaking. and think
ing for the masses. He had no element of a
Demagogue, fattering, coZening, and betray-
ing those who trusted him; on the contrary
he was remarkably candid, upright and
truthful to n fault. The last great speech of
his life was devoted to portraving the differ
ON haft n nd mt rn-
pist. He understood the distinction, and
well did his life exemplify the position he had
chosen.
He believed in the continued progress of
mankind, and ardently struck his blows for
the cause. He died with his mind fixed on
the opinion of Millennium on earth, and
his glazed eyes intently gazing on the glori-
Gus future.
1t is difficult to magnify the influence of
Mr.. McEwen on his immediate contemporaries
and the rising generation. At the Bar, on
the Hastings. in the lecture room, and in
social life, his high bearing. his untaintcd
mortality, his buoyancy of spirits and his
candid nature diffuscd happiness and glad
ness wherever he went, his pathway amongst
men, like a vessel on the ocean at night. left
n train of light behind. We members of the
Bar can well remember how his wit and joy
BUSINESS often soothed the asperities of our
contests and smOuldcred all the embers Of
heart burnings and jealousy. We can never
forget the kindliness of his disposit ton or the
trumpet tones of his eloquence as they rung
out again and again in the walls of our old
court room.
He is gone. struck down in the meridian of
life, and in all the aspects which | have pre-
sented it, it is a sad and mournful dispensa-
ton. But not so, probably, to him; he never
lived to prove the hollOwness Of friendship,
the sounding brass of patriotism, the utter
neglect by the masses of those who spend
their lives in their service. He passed away
with warm faith in the purity Of the majority
of the people, with full belief that his efforts
would he understood and appreciated Ivy
those for whom he labOred. His battle is
fought and his contest done; he has been taken
from the evil to come.
1t will make little difference to any of us
whether our hour of death strikes soon or
late, so that our ,rork as finished. We stand
always on the brink. and the plunge into
death is terrible; but if we could look back
and see our world as it looks from the past.
perhaps few of us would recrOss the tide and
again renew the contest of life.
This is not the time nor the place for an
accurate discrimination Of the qualities of
Mr.. McEwen, or a full history of his life. /
trust the occasion will come when some
master-spirit will give us this picture. We
can only now deplnTe his death and pay the
last sad tribute to his remains
As expressive of the sense Of this meeting,
Mr.. Chairman, l beg leave to Offer the fol-
lowing:
The people of Nashville were shocked yes
terday morning with the information that
their brilliant and accomplished fellOw-citizen
JOIN A MCEwEN, was in the agony of death.
Although many of us were aware that his
health was feeble, and his chances for recOve-
ry very doubtful, no person was prepared for
his sudden death. 1t seemed almost impOs-
sible that one so gifted. so active and so full
of life as he was but a short time since, could
thus droop and perish in so short a period;
but he is gone and all that we can do is to
offer our tribute of esteem for his memory
and endeavOr to initiate his virtues. Mr.. Nc
Even was eminently a child of the people,
and throughout life missionary for their in
terest and Improvement: his kind heart rev.
eled in philanthropy, and his brilliant intel
lect was constantly employed in obeying its
dictates. He commenced his manhood with
TutOrship in the University OF Nashville, and
when he passed to the Bar, and thence to
the MayOrship of the City, his attention was
still directed to the public schools and other
elecmosynary institutions of our city; his high
spirits. his chivalric feelings his warm enthu-
siasm lent strength and power to his efforts
that will be long remembered 10y those who
were familiar with him. II is impossible in
the brief space allotted to us now to give even
q passing review of his services to this COM
or to examine the peculiar qualities
of his mind: he Was too strongly endowed
with the qualities that charm and adorn social
existence, and his departure is too affecting
for us to form fair estimate OF what he was.
When time has softened and lightened our
grief we then can weigh his merits and more
correctly estimate our loss. As Mr. McEwen
belonged to no particular class of society.
and his life was exhausted in struggle for
the progress and advancement of mankind, 1t
is eminently proper that he should be buried
and lamcuted by the whole people. There
fore
Resolred, That we deeply deplore the death
of John A. McEwen, and that we warmly
sympathse with the SORROW of his afflicted
family and relations.
Resoluod, That the public authorities of the
city he requested to tender his family pub
lie funeral for the deceased, and that we all
join i'll this demonstration.
THOMAS WASHINGTON moved the adoption
of the preamble and resolutions, which motion
was unanimously carried.
Gov n s. BROWN said:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN Silence would perhaps be
the most suitable tribute on my part on this
Bat | cannot refrain from an at
tempt To express. how deeply l regret the
death of Johr A. McEwen. IL my feelings
would permit me, would delight 10 enlarge
on his many noble qualities, both of head and
heart. As all present know, he was "A man of
abiiities-a thorough scholar.
an eminent lawyer-and Of highly cultivated
taste. His course, though brief. has been re-
markable. Commencing life without resources
he won a distinction by his own indomitable
exertions, which few are able to obtain. |
know of no man of his age, who is his super
ior. To the young men of his profession, he
was brilliant example of what may he ac
by untiring eXertions and good
conduct. And hold him up to-day before
them "a n model for their imitation.
But have not risen To express myself as
his admirer. Ny Office is that of friendship.
He was my friend, and | have ever been his
and may truly say, that had for him sim
cere affection. No one present feels his loss
more keenly than do. But my consolation
in this sad hour is. not in his brilliant qualities