Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-03-25
Yours &c.
DEATH OF JAMES w. MARSH.

DEATH OF IA MES w. MARSH.
We copy from Honolulu paper, the an
nouncement of the death of James W. Marsh,
ESQ, with sincere grief, joined to sense of
personal loss. which the public cannot share.
Mr.. Marsh was son of the distinguished
and lamented Prs. JAMES MARSH, of this
place, and graduate of the University of
Vermont, of the class of 1913. lie left the
University with high honors, and with
prospect of eminence and usefulness in life
proportionate to the rare gifts of mind, the
power ofacquiring and imparting knowledge.
the industry and truthfuness of character,
and the nohlc simplicity and earnestness of
spirit which distinguished him in an uncom-
mon degree. lie taught, after leaving Col
lego, for two or three years, in Virginia.
North Carolina and in this place, when
the approaches of the disease by
which both his parents died, and to which
he finally yielded, compelled him to seek
a less trying climate lie sailed for the
Sandwich Islands in the Fall Of 1852, and
soon after his arrival there received a Gov
eminent appointment as an assistant to the
Minister of Education. The genial climate
of the Islands restored his health and life
OF active outdoor cxertion, in sur
veying and looking after the School lands,
gave him both great increase of bodily
vigor and an acquaintance with the Real
| T. 4 II. L..
dents shared, and which, together with
his familiarity with the Hawaiian language,
which he mastered with his own uncommon
facility of acquisition, aided much his fu-
ture rapid advancement. Early in 1854. hay
ing resigned his several Government Offices
for the sake of entire freedom of action, he
established the first native newspaper printed
entirely in Hawaiian, ever published on the
Islands 1t was entitled Kai M Hon, and
was exceedingly influential from the start.
Its principal design, we believe to have been
to countcract the insidlous influence of the
French and English Governments, excrted
through their representatives on the Islands,
and to prepare the native mind for annexa-
ton to this country
Soon after Mr. Marsh was elected mem
Der of the Hawaiian Parliament, and became
prominent and leading member of that
body. lie was IL member 1--WE believe chair
man. of the Committee on Foreign Relations
through critical period in the history Of
those Islands, and chairman of an important
Select Committee appointed with reference to
the negotiations concerning annexation tc
the United States. In those negotiations
(Which were conducted to point where the
terms of annexation were decided upon and
the papers drawn up ready for signature
when the death of the King and other cause!
ended the business), he bore an influential
and prominent part. The Native paper
having served its purpose, was discontinued
in the course of the year, but not until the
enormous labor by night and day attending
its publication, together with his arduou
labors in the responsible public position HI
occupied, undermined his health. In 1856
Mr.. Marsh entered the profession of the law
in Honolulu, with an extensive practice, ant
continued in till successive hemorrhages from
the lungs recurringdurng the last year, pros
trated his strength. His friends here hav,
sadly looked for intelligence of his deceas'
by every mail for several months past. In {
letter received by us from him two months
before his death, he alludes to its certain anC
speedy coming with the calm trust Of tn,
christian and the fortitude of the true man, -
desiring life only that he might accomplish
more for God and his fellow men,-regard
ing it as the greatest blessing, as he expressed
it. - to be able on death-bed to recall grea
beneficial efforts of ones life, AMI to say
Father, this have done by thy grace, "
1t seems strangely sad that mind of sucl
activity and power should so be removes
from its sphere of usefulnes-and a life o
such promise so early brought to its close
but the case is one often parallelled in tn
mysterious orderings of Providence ;--"th
good die young" But though cut down 81
near the entrance of manhood, he died no
without beneficial effects" Of his life. fa
greater than his own modest estimate o
them. He exerted, wherever he was, the in.
Auence for good, Of pure, strong and earnes
soul. To the interesting native race of tn
Hawaiian group, he was a sincere friend
and while believing them doomed, as a peo
pie, to be supplanted ultimately by the more
vigorous Anglo-Saxon race which has SC
strong foothold on their soil, he always re
sisted the schemes of those who felt nothing
but contempt for the natives, and desired
their utter and speedy extinction and al
the Honolulu Advertiser states, he was ever
regarded by the natives as their counselor
and friend. His loss is deeply lamented by
them and by large circle of friends in the
Sandwich Islands and in this country,