Weekly Trinity journal., 1859-10-08
rEAyERVIIIE CALIFORNIA, SATURDAY. OCTOBER s, 1859


gree, the marked characteristic of attaching
friends in ties of ailtctionate regard Thousands
who knew him in life firm friend, in death
reverence his memory, and mourn his untimely
loss while thousands who knew him not will
hear of him as one who loved his country, and
did his country service; and they, too, will
protect his HONOR His last words were--"
die protect my honor" His honor is in the
keeping Of his friends, of whom no man ever
possessed greater number We know his last
cherished wish will be ohcyed hosts of steadast
friends will protect his honor. One would sup
pose from the vindictivc party spirit with which
this man was pursued, that his enemies believed,
that
Who spills the foremost focmans life,
That party conquors in the strife
Let them not - lay that fattering junction to their
souls Though the man lies slain, the principle
for which he contcnded still lives they may kill
the man, the spirit they cannot kill The vital
principles for which he SO gloriously contended
will rally around it hosts upon hosts of good fol
lowers. that will spring up, like the fabled genii
of mythology, each armed and ready for the fight.
" They have killed me, because was opposed to
the extension of slavery aud II corrupt admins
tration, so he believed, BE it SO, or be it 9th
crwise, judge you
My fellow citizcns-I ask you to look at it :
Here comes the stricken body of an honorable
man, borne from the field OF contest the deadly
bullet that struck him low, still ranking in his
wound the Angel of Death shadows his wing
over him thick coming thoughts of the solemn
reality, press heavily upon him as he is borne
from that field of blood. man OF rcsolute WILL
in whom the strength of reason performs its func-
tions powerfully to the last one In whom the
sense of honor existed in too sensitive force
tells his friend, his bosom friend -" They have
killed me because | was opposed to the extension
of slavery and II corrupt administration" Aud
there then, right then, the omnisccnt eye OF
Deity, looking down into the inmost recesscs of
his wounded heart, and he, too, looking up, aud
seeing God face to face, could he, u truthful man,
utter aught save truth Does any reasonable
man suppose that he, himself, convcrsant as he
was with all the plans Of those who followed him
with vindictivc hate did not believe, and did not
know that his life was to pay the forfeit of his
bold opposition? lie saw, with the ntuitve Wis
ion Of prophet, all the past acts Of his oppo'
ncnts he knew, and felt, rs you know aud feel,
that he was a prosecuted, "a doomed man.
1t mattercd not whether the death dealing blow
came under the guisc Of honorable warfare, with
the prctcXt Of sensitive honor wounded, or
whether by the death dealing blow of the assass-
in David G. Broderick was II doomed man. lie
knew it we knew it ; and then. when the lite
blood was flowing, and nought but the miraculous
interposilon of Divine Providence could save
he utters forth the solemn convictions OF woun
dcd heart. lie looked beyond the immcdiat,
acts of the man whom he had met to extend sat
slaction, to those who thirsted for his blood, an,
he uttered his soul believing convictions.
! Let rs turn from the sad spectacle; drop tea
| over his grave for his manly courage, his many
virtues bis noble ambition. We mourn him ~
friend the nation will mourn him as peoples
loss. Wherein was his offence What crime had
this man committed? What guilty act rises ~
against him? Tell me, yc thirsters after blood
OF what had this man been guilty? Was it be
cause as patriot he contended against usurpa
ton Of power, aud aimed TO extend the benefit,
Of true Democracy, in the place of that which
has supphnted it? Was it because he saw the
territorial eXpanse Of our countrys glory spread
out before the world, inviting the labor and
promising the rewards of freedom, to the toiling
millions Of his c0untrymcn, and wished to extend
TO them the blessings Of the equitable principle
OF popular sovereignty? Was IL because he lrod
the same path Of glory which Jefferson and the
vcnerated fathers OF the republic marked out
/ Was it because he would have thrown open thi
wide continent, from ocean to ocean, as the abod
of lreemen, intelligence, virtue, prosperity anC
peace and had inscribed on his banner r-POpual
Sovereignty, the Union, Constitutional Liberty
forever? Was it for this they slew him? Then
let the deed be upon their own heads!
The deep interest felt among the people fol
this mans cause. and the transcendent impor
tance to our countrymcn therein involved, speak
trumpct-tongned to all, aud warns them to be
ware how they lay unhalowed hands
Upon the ark Of her magnificent and
awful cause
OF him we would say, in the words Of another
"With voice and mien of stern control
lie stood among the great and proud,
And words Of fire burst from his soul,
Like lightnings from the tempest cloud
His high and dealhless themes were crowned
with glory Of his genius born,
And gloom and ruin darkly frowncd
Where fell his bolts of wrath and scorn.
But he is gone the free, the bold -
The champion of his country right
His burning eye is dim and cold,
And mute his voice Of conscious mi ght.
Oh no. not mute--hs stirring call
Can startle tyrants on their thrones,
Aud on the heart OF Natures fall
More awful than his living tones
The impulse that bis spirit gave
TO human thoughts wild, stormy sea,
viii heave and thrill through every wave
OF that great deep eternally;
And the all circling atmosphere,
With which is blent his breath Of flame,
win sound, with cadence deep and clear,
In storm and calm, his voice and name.
Unnumbered pilgrims DER the wave,
In the far ages yet to be,
VIII come to knee beside his grave
And hail him prophet Of the free.
IT'S holier ground, that lowIy bed
In which his mouldering form is laid,
Than fields where liberty has bled
Beside her broken battle blade.
Who now, in dangers fearful hour,
When all around is wild and dark,
Shall guard with voice. and arm Of power,
Our freedoms consecrated ark
With stricken hearts, oh, God, TO thee
Beneath whose feet the stars are dust,
We bow, and ask that thou wilt be
Through every i'll our stay and trust"
You who mourn be comforted be of good
cheer. lie who is slain has gone from among us;
bat he has left Atliug legacy-the defence ol a
peoples rights against the venality OF party
and executive usurpations, for although dead, he
yet lveth lives in the affections, the sympathies,
the very hearts Of the people. "Oh death,
where Is thy sting? Oh grave, where is Thy
victory"