The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-11
EULOGY PRONOUNCED BY JUDGE NIGH
OLSON, OF TENNESSEE.

In he Senate of the Uiliei States, March 9, 1859, on The
announcement Of ME death Of Hon. Adroh y. BroWR,
Postmaster General.
Mr.. NICHOLSON. Mr.. President, the sad intelligence
communicated TO us by the President suggests the
p~ropriety of some action on the part of the Senate ex-
pressive of our deep sense of the public loss sustained by
the death of the late Postmaster General. / rise for the
purpose Of proposing resolutions which / am sure will be
regarded by the Senate as entirely appropriate ON so al
ficting an occasion.
If deemed IL proper TO follow the dictates of feeling |
should be induced, from a long and intimate acquaint-
ance with the deceased, to indulge in a train of extended
remark upon his public services and private life. Having
known him we'll in all the public relations which he has
held TO the country for more than twenty years, and
having been closely associated with him in the walks of
private life, / feel that ! can fully appreciate the value of
his services as n public man, and the many generous and
noble qualities OF his nature, which won for him a warm
place in the hearts of all who knew him in social life.
l might indulge, also, in remarks upon the peculiar good
fortune which distinguished his domestic relations, but |
deem it more appropriate here only to crave the indul-
gonce of the Senate for Il few moments before sub
hitting the resolutions, whilst l make a brief refer
ence to his public services. In these will be found his
highest eulogy-thc evidence that he loved his country
ardently and served it faithfully and efficiently.
Aaron Yenable Brown was u native of the State of Vir-
ginia. He was born in the county of Brunswick on the
18th of August, 1895. He was a graduate of the Uni
versity of North Carolina in 1874. From that period TO
his death he was a citizen of the State of Tennessee. He
read law in the Office of the late Judge Tremble, of that
State, and after he was admitted to the bar he prosecuted
his profession successfully, ana fOr u number OF years was
the partner of the late james X. Polk. Mr.. Brown at.
tanned TO high eminence as a lawyer, particularly us an
advocate in criminal cases. He continued actively de-
voted to his profession until the year 1889, having in the
meantime beel repeatedly n member of the Tennessee
legislature. La that body he always occupied a promi-
nent position as a man of ability and fidelity to the in
terests of the State. He was conspicuously connected
with the movements in the Tennessee legislature, which
resulted in bringing Gen. jackson before the country as q
candidate for the presidency. He enjoyed the full con
idcnce Of Gen. Jackson during his entire life.
In 1889 Mr.. Brown was elected n member of the House
of Representatives. in Congress, and continued in that
position for three successive terms. Its matter of pub
lie history, that during the six years from 1889 to 1874,
the two halls of Congress were occupied by many of the
ablest statesmen that our country has ever produced.
The debates of this period were characterized by unusual
ability rs well as great excitement. Mr.. Brown bore a
full share in the discussions of all the great questions of
the time, and occupied a prominent place in the list Of
the congressman who were his cotemporaries. He retired
from Congress in 1916, and in the same year was elected
governor of the State Of Tennessee, which position he
held for two years. From this period, until he was in
yited into the cabinet Of President Buchanan, Gov. Brown
devoted himself with great energy and success to his pi-
vatc pursuits, only turning aside to engage as q yolun-
teer in the several warmly-contested political campaigns
which have marked the history of his State.
The death of SO prominent a man is q great public loss
at any time, but under the circumstances of embarrass-
ment now existing in the Post Office Department the
death of Gov. Brown is peculiarly calamitous. He had
assumed its duties with hesiancy, but having accepted
the trust, he had dedicated to It's service all his energies
He looked upon our postal system AS capable Of great de-
velopment and expansion, and he labored with the con
slant hope and conviction that at the close of his admin
istration of the department he would present it in a con-
dition of prosperity that would secure for his labors the
commentator OF his country. lie was fully apprized of
the heavy responsibilities which We're involved in the eff
fort to give full development to a system SO complicated
and extensive In Its machinery but his heart was devo-
ted TO the work, and he labored for its accomplishment
with a ~singleness OF purpose which induced him to sacTi-
flee all regard for his personal comfort or his private in
terests. If his life had been spared, the existing embar-
easements in the department would have been met with
the same resolute and persevering eporgy which had
characterized all the undertakings OF his life. His thor
ough knowledge of the affairs of the department would
have been Invaluable in enabling him TO develop and rem
der available the resources necessary to meet and subdue
the great emergency. But great as is the public loss re-
sulting from his death, il becomes us to submit to the
affection without complaint, regarding it as one of those
providental ~visitations on which it is not our province to
sit in judgment.