, 1861-10-25
Death Of Colonel BAkeF, the Eloquent
Senator and Bravo Soldier.

HHcIeo IN Lne country eince Ine opening OF
D. Baker, Colonel Of the LIST Regiment of CaI-
ifornia Volunteers, and Senator Of the United
States. Col Baker participated in The battle
which took place near Eawards's Ferry, in
Virginia. on the afternoon Of Monday last,
and fell at the head of bis troops while wav:
irg his sword, and cheering OF his man. By
bis death, the country is deprived of one Of
its most eloquent advocates in the superior
chamber Of our national Legislature, and one
Of its most patriotic and fearless champions
in the field.
The dead Senator was of English BIRTH, but
he came to this country when five years Of
age, and by the choice Of his father Was SET
tied in Philadelphia, that Quaker neighbor-
hood being SPECIALLY congeuia1, as the old
gentleman Eas Of the Society Of Friends"
Possessed of an ardent imagination, he nstur-
ally took deep Interest in reading, and being
stimulated by the al1uren1ents Of ROMANCE,
bis taste enlarged, until it embraced the whole
rarge Of sober as well as Of III 1siva literature.
But none, however, EaW Ia that patient,
6tateEman wtose youth was worthy Of = LIT.
Mcdesty is good maxim for the manner Of q
youth, but genius always knows itself; and
Edward Baker, whoEe mind had dwelt upon
the matre1s Of tie West, feeling within HIM
Eelf that confidence which innate strength in
spires, determined to seek its broad and 10
EitiDg platform for his future. Youth needs
but little preparation when it sets out to seek
its fortune; and hope at all times requires
but little backing.
make the journey, communicated his resoIu-
tion to his brother, and the two hand loom
]oufneym8n, with packs upon their shout
de1s, strong Etada in their hAnda, and stout,
hopeful hearts within their bosoms, set their
saceE towards the Aileghanies. Ga foot, they
crossed ard go they trudged along, through
broad, intervening States, until they found
themselves i'll th-t portion Of the then far
West which was known as Illinois. Here the
ycunE nen paused and cast their lot, Edward
st1tctlng Strirgleld as the special place Of
residence. There, in little while, he VAS en-
abled to turn TO account the legal reading
! Which he hzd begun in Philadelphia; and
shaving happy gift Of language to help ii into
| use, he soon was enabled to make living st
| she inv. By last degrees he rose, and Fipen-
| ing with exercise, it Was not 1ong before he
Vas smoIs the Dost popular advocates at the
| bsr.
Through his prosperity be Was now enabled
| tc look beyond the narrow circle Of the pri-
vase eptes and e1iess, in which the mere attor-
ney Is Isquired to abuse bis mind; and the
broad field of politics invited him to the dis
crssioD Of more lofty topics. He embraced
the doctrines of the Wing party, and trans
| feartd bis elCquence to the forum with such
effect that be soon won his way to Congress.
he occupied his seat ia the House Of Repre-.
eeHtnAfee "AA ul9u1Cy adu cfeu1t, a1d Was
ta=l bsing recognized as enc Of the leaders :of
| that body, when the temptations Of the Mezi.
| can campaign appealed to his ardent and an.
| tEuslastlc mind, and induced him to abandon
civil life, and seek an employment In the
t way Of war. He vent to Illinois, raised a
1eg'ment nnd took it to the Bio Grande.
pause in the campaign enabled him to
re1oIn temporarily to Washington, in order
that be might express himself upon the policy
Of the var AID cast his votes; but that done,
he went back to his command, and followed
its fortunes on the line from Vera Cruz. all
-ths actions OF the contested road to Mexico
recognized his yalor; ard When Shields fell
at the fead Of his brigade at Caro- Gordo, it
va Bakers distinguished fortune to rise to
the command, and to lead the New York regi-
| nente through the bloody struggles Of that
day. Well do we mind the lofty look with
which the Eoble Senator, fifteen years more of
t snoW being on his head, told the peopla cf
| this city, Of ttat cir umstance, in April last,
| when, altogether, we pledged ourselves a:
gSlcn square, to avenge the parric{da1 bloW
Returning to Illinois in triumph, Colonel
Btktr was egain elected to represent lis dis
tIlct in the halls Of Congress; aud he served
there nhtil 1850, bnt at the end of his term, be
| yielded to tcme views Of business, and went
ont for awhile to Panama. The fever, how
c1pited il his health, a new contagion touched
his mind. This WAS the memorable epidemic
| which directed universal attention to the Pa.
c!fc shcIe land yielding to the fascination,
Tie soldier who Lai become unsettled by
STEPS to the new El Dorado Of the West.
| His fame had gone before him, aad he was
spared any efforts to popula1ize himself in this
new field Of ef. IT. &c took at once superior
position at The bar cf San Francisco, aud q
large proportion of the heavy cases OF the
circuit sought the advantage Of his treatment
BIZ common consent he was acknowledged to
be the most eloquent speaker in California
but proof was In reserve, in circumstance
beyond the mere limits OF forensic eloquence
to create for him the claim Of being, perhaps
the most accomplished orator in the world
Broetrick, that noble young tribune, who hat
defended California from the doom OF Slavery
ard htcod the stern bulwark against the dom
ineering. hordes Of Southern Chiya1rY," hst
been taken in the tolls Of band of pistp
sbarpe1s, and slain.
"They have killed me because was op
posed to the extension Of Slavery and cor
rupt Administration" was the last declaration
Of the dying Senator; and as the words fsl
frcm his Ii, s, they became fire In the heart 0
the weeping orator who helped to close hi
eyes.
The umpire Of the Western Ocean va
steepGd in gloom at the contemplation Of th
moast1ous deep. All trade was stopped; II
Sound OF hustle Tas heard along the street
sud, BY common consent, without pageant
nj flied throD Of the church be,ls, the dejecte
} people, walking as if they held their breathE
gathered in. the main e4ua1e, aud foIme
l themselves, Ike 80 many ahadowe, round til
: bier. At the foot Of tho coffin stood th
priest; at its head, and SO he could gaze treel
r on the face OF his dead friend, stood the pal
fi4ure Of the orator. Both of them, the liyin
> and the dead, we're self made men and th
son Of the stone-cutrer, lying In mute graz
cenr, with record floating round that cofH
vii NJ, f~yr4 %11r1 11os1u nF$ 1s-
Thousands dcWn In mute respect, might hay
q been proud Of the tribute which the weaver
= apprentlce Vas about to lay upon his breas
4 For minutes after The vast audience had sc
/ tied itself to hear his Words, the orator di
): not speak. He did not look In the co1in-na:
4 his fixed eye wss turned within his mind, al
l. the still tears ccursed rapidly down his cheel
= Ther, Hhen the silence was the NEST iutens
Z MS treRnlous voice rose Ike val, az
n with en- uninterrupted stream of loft
= burning and pathetic words he so penetrate
and possessed the hearts OF the sorrowiE
e multitude, that there was not one cheek le
r moiEtened than his own. For an hour he he
d them as with spe1l; and when he finishe
n by bending over the calm face Of the mob
d corse, and stretching his arms forward vii
5, an impressive gesture, exclaimed, In qaive
.. ing accents, Good friend brave heartl gt
. liant leader! hail and farewell ~ the audien
q broke forth in general response Of cot
n Never, perhaps, was eloquence more thrillin
g. never, certainly, WAS It better adapted to ii
~ tkmper Of Its listeners. The merit Of th4 euI
" - divided public encomiums with the virtu
d Of the deceased, md the orator became inye<
n ed with the dead Senstor'6 political fortune
n The Senatorial field in California beng, ho
a ever, not open to immediate occupation, Ct
q Baker transferred himself to Oregon, al
r there, the glow of his last effort soon carzi'
ia him to the highest honors Of that State
"a wns elected Senator for the full term OF 1
to yea1s In 1860, and 1t the time Of his death b
~ enjoyed its lofty honors only for tTo sessio1
n How he improved the privilege Of his place
IN great arguments in favor Of the Constitute
f. sid by Withering denuncIations Of the ad,
ia Gates Of treason, has been matter Of univ
of Eal and applauding cogn1zanee. he W8s,
54 fact, the master debater Of the WET term
N. Congress-, and that he had the courage to q
his oratory force, and shrinking Bepjam
,er who withtred at bis words, and the blanct
raj Breckenridge, whom he least from the Tar
ian rock" can we'll attest
But even these honors, and the ackno
edged prominence which he had won IN
last powerful position, WAS not enough
: his active and daring spirit while the coun
to wss in a1ms. He left the Senate to rails
ct | regiment, and when that was ready, he LEI
- H. H. f.1-, ,:<1>t ~