The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-01-08

q desOlatc Old man, hc Wbhcu W h"O
himself from the world and die a have
been,' he wrote with touching pathos, at
Bath these four months to no purpose,
and am therefore to be removed to my
own house at Beaconsfeld tomorrow, to
be nearer tu habitation more perman.
ent; humbly and icarfully hoping that
my better part may find bstter man.
sion,' he expired on July 9th. His end
said DR.. Laurence, 'was suited to the sim
pie greatness of his mind which he dis
played through life. He appeared mel.
ther to wish nor dread, but patiently and
placidly to wait tie appointed hour Of his
dissolution He prohibited by his will
all post.humous honors, assigning as n
reason that he had had in his lifetime
too much Of noise and compliment
Fox, to his honor, proposed public fun.
eral, which would have been unanimous.
ly voted by the House Of Commons but
for the injunction Of the departed states.
man. He had requested to be buried in
the church Of Beaconsfeld, close to the
bodies OF his son and brother.
Ona calm summer afternoon, when
the slanting rays of the declining sun
were gliding the little spire Of Bcacons.
field church, and pouring a mild radiance
over the surrounding country, walking
procession moved slowly through the vii.
lagc. The remains of the great statesman
had been taken the evening before from
his scat to the town, for the convenience
of the attendants. Seventy members OF
the benefit society which he patronized,
clad in mourning led the way. The pail
was borne by some Of the illustrious men
of the day, in the list Of whom, however,
We discovered with pain the omission OF
the name of Fox. LaboreB from far and
wide crowded the churchyard and its ap.
proaches, and the grief Of the poor was
audibly expressed; and amidst the pro.
found sorrow Of all classes, the body Of
the greatest man of that, or perhaps Of
any age, was consigned to the tomb.
Burke had further expressed in hi.
will desire that no public monulncn,
should be erected to his memory, bu,
that only plain tablet and inscription
should mark the place Of his interment
1t was characteristic Of the nobility o
his mind, and Of the unaffected simplicity
Of his nature. We cannot, however, nd
NIT that the nation is Found in pcrpetu
ity to defer the expressed wishes Of any
public man OIL the question Of public
honors. Great political characters, a.
they are the guide-posts and land marks
Of the state while living, become, wher
lead, by Inheritance, clnphatically the
property Of the people; and they had Z
right to require that the reputation which
had been gained in their service, and the
lame which they have awarded, shall b,
perpetuated in u manner most in accord
ancc with their feel ngs and their in
stincts. The mind OF Burke is impersha
bly enshrined III his works; but we ask
and we shall not ask in vain, that our
selves and our posterity shall be permit
ted to scalf the features OF the great ora
tor as wrought in the pale marble, and to
worship ut the visible shrine Of such loft,
Intellects and almost unprecedented ex
celcncies. We know not whetner stat
ue is designed for Burke in the palace o
Westminster, but the Abbey is the propc
place for his earthly colonization. l
public honors have been too often award
cd and statues erected 10y partial friends
or by an indiscriminating Legislature t.
inferior men, giving false attcstation o
their characteristics ephemcral polite
ians, the faint lights of their day, now cx
tinguishcd forever, viewed through dc
ccptiyc medium, have had their proper
tons exaggerated and belicd,-if mel
marked by no originality Of genius, o
grandeur, or elevation Of fmind, have beet
exalted into national benefactos and en-
dowed with fictitious Immortality
what honors can be felt sufficient to mari
and perpetuate our admiration Of tha
great luminary that even yet warns tn
political atmosphere with the rays Of hi
departed glory, and whose light will nev
er become totally extinct but with that o
civilization and freedom.
The pecularity Of Burke's genius ha
been too ofren discussed to need any elu
cidation; and It is not our intention 4
enter here upon subject so thorough!
exhausted. Notwithstanding the vast su
pcriority Of his knowledge his laboriou
life, and eminent public services, he neve
attained, as is well known, seat in tn,
cabinet; and when his party acquired TO
a short time possession Of power, he wa
placed in asubordinatc Office in the gov
crnment. The unbending rectitude Of hi
mind and the loftiness OF his characte
untitled him for cooperating cordial,
with ordinary men. He was, doubtless
regarded rs 'impracticable;' term Of pc