Daily national Democrat., 1860-03-17
Speech of Mr.. Hickman, of Penn. On
the Death of BrOderick.
: Mr.. Speaker

t VI "' uea'h Is enrolled in the Capitol
And speak the truth in eulogy. conIJ
not 90 otherwie, without wrongi1o the ob,n
"cter OF the lllustrious dead, who was L,r5
man TO the truth. Born of the bnmlJa
DaVld =. 6roderick died peer of the nrond
esV ana the best His commanding Hfs cboI
Iengeu respect, and its surrender sanctlfed il
DeadIhe still lives, and will live. Absenl
. to'n those VINO knew him best, and valuec
ii'l most he VIII continue to be present will
tnein' In every conflict for principle-ir
every struggle Tor the discharge of patriot,
DUTY he will whisper to the doubling onf
noiu up the right arm of the resoute.
IN stily thought, and IN the wildering fobt
"a Ci0uu oy day, plllar'd flame bv night
Iood;pt "a po!ns to.. US onward-onward to the goal
LEAD on legions with his vast control.
lmplahtlng truth, the idol of his soul''
once we last met here, Wonder chamber NJ
your capitol has lost a sage's intellect. hero,
heart' devotee of country David c. Brod
etlcK mas ceased to walk the earth, and sleep,
ms III: last sleep in the Golden City of the West
Mi8n'y states, extending from the Pacific tc
Tue iafthest East were startled, and almost
| paralyzed at the recital of the sad story. anf
their sturdy yeomanry-their skilled in Graf
-thelr sons breathed their vow in tears. anf
registered it in faith and determination
Their banners are already in their hands
let the nation read them. They bear the last
words OF dying seer; they NAV vet bt
trumpeted at the mouths of cannon on feld,
of war
Hereaft ter-in the vast Observation-Disclosures
will speak his name when tracing their fa.
Tiers creed and here, homage. imnulsive q
not ceremonial, shall be presented to him. n,
oihcers OF the State and army rendered IL be
fore the corse of the Great Constantine.
Forty years ago, while the center portion,
OF this building were rising from the ashes o
wicked conflagration, within sight of thi.
! spot child was born to a lowlv artisan
How little did the fatner imagine that the
columns upon which he then wrought would
support dome beneath which that son
should sit as Senator from a State not then
known to the Codfederacy; and bearing
within Its bosom treasures more valuable
than the Golfers of the world And vet in
the volume of Omniscence it was written
out how David G. Broderick, the child OF
toll, should live and die-what noble asnira.
lions, what self sacrificing devotion, what
unconqueraGle will would achieve-how he
would suffer immolation at the call of his
conscience, and his example should bee, me
an inspiration to millions of men, from whose
ranks he rose like giant from slumberl He
was God instrument for mighty purposes.
and He gave him lore, and comprebension
and power. lie was a philanthropist a
philosopher, a chief Those who thought
him less never knew him, and must fail to
comprehend the cause and extent of that
feeling which his death has produced. 1t
will be better understood hereafter. When
the heavens c,othe themselves in mourning
they hold the hot thunderbolt as well as the
gentle rain. None are toe wise to learn.
Mistakes may be made by defying the one
whilst petitioning for the other.
esteem it my highest honor to have en-
joyed the affection and confidence of the de-
parted statesman, and clustering meme ries.
as well as a request made and pledge given,
when the lion wasin the pride of his strength,
and snuffed the danger in the distance, de-
manded that should speak of him as knew
him. My estimate of Mr. Broderick's charac
ter is not made up from the wild excitement
of party conflict, or the deeper feeling of
parliamentary contests. 1t is drawn from a
more truthful sUurce-from the calm and
meditation of the midnight hour. Undis-
ciplined by early education, and making no
pretence to learning, he was thoroughly ac-
quainted with the history of his race, and
hod carefully and critically read the best
models in English literature Mankind was
his study. lie had quick perception of
ruling motives, and his charity was great
Without a tie of blood to bind him in selfish
ness to the world, the glory of his country,
and the happiness Of her people, gave direc-
tion to all his thoughts, and moulded all his
plans. Singularly modest in his bearing, and
dffident in the expression of his opinions, he
was entirely selfreiant, and possessed a
courage devoid of fear. His conservation to
the interests of the farmer, the mechanic and
laborer, was complete Their loss is ire
parable, and | would bid them know it.
With the impassoned utterance of con-
poet, l would turn their grief
to action:
"Arouse from your lethargy, children of toll,
Ye sons Of the anvil the loom, and the soil
Come forth as the winds, in their struggling might,
And wrestle till death with the foreman of Right.
Twas thus with your leader, the gifted and true,
His life was a sacrifice given for you;
Every pulse of his heart, every nerve of his frame,
Was to dignity labor and give it to fame"
] need not say | loved him-yea, with
more than a brothers love. shall never
forget him; no, neither in calm nor storm
would embody his spirit, if [ could, in an
pressed might look forward in unfailing
hope.
But, alas in anguish repeat it, Broder-
ick-there was but one-has ceased to walk
the earth. | may not allude even to the cir.
cumstances of the hero's fall, and have no
disposition to do So l believe, l feel
know-that is enough of consolation. God
called; he answered, and took his cause with
him. In the hands of just Omnipotence l
leave him and it. He has left his mantle,
too large for ordinary mortals-who that still
breathes, is.daring. enough to place it on his
shoulders?
lie was just and generous He was gifted and
noble. He was pure and patriotic. lie raised
poverty to rank. proving the legitimacy OF
its blood and his fame will be as enduring as
the records of public virtue.