The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-12-26
A Funeral Day In Congress.


h A Funeral Day In Congress.
II Wednesday, the 18th of December, was
solemn and impressive day in both houses
/; congress. The death of the illustriouS soldier
e statesman, Edward Dickinson Baker, was an
nounced by some OF the most eloquent Senator
I and Representatives. A single extract iron
each of these splendid obituaries will give t.
the readers of the Telegraph an idea of the spir
] lit that pervaded the whole series. In the Sen
ate, President Lincoln sat on the right of Vice
, President Hamlin, and Senator Nesmith begar
the ceremonies by offering the resolutions in I
brief, practical eulogy, from which we take
5 this paragraph:
SENATOR NEsMITH, OF OREGON
In thelglowing eloquence of his own words
as he stood by the grave of his friend Broderick
"the last words must be spoken, and the i'm.
Iperious mandate of death must be fulfilled Thus
Oh brave heat, we bear thee to thy rest. Thus
surrounded by tents of thousands, we leave
thee to the equal grave. As in life, no other
voice among us so rang its trumpet blast upon
the ear of freemen, 50 in death its echoes will
reverberate amidst our mountains and our val
leys until truth and valor cease to appeal to the
human heart"
MDOUGAL, OF CALIFORNIA,
1t is but brief time since the late Senator
was among US, maintaining our country's cause
with counsel clothed in eloquent words. When
III August last, his duties here as a Senator for
the time ceased, he devoted himself exclusively
to the duties of soldier Occupying subor-
dinate position, commanded where he was most
OF to command, he received his orders. He
saw and knew the nature of the enterprise he
was required to undertake, he saw and knew
that he was required to move underneath the
shadow of the wings of Azrael. He did not, he
would not, question: the requirement made of
him. His motto on that day was: "a good
heart and no hope" He knew, as was known
at Balaklava, that some one had blundered +; yet
he said Forward, my brigade, although some
one has Numbered"
| BROWNING, OF ILLINOIS
Senator Baker was not only lawyer, an ora
tor, statesman, and soldier, but he was also
a poet, and at all times, when deeply in earnest
both spoke and acted under high poetic inspira-
ton At one time, when / travelled upon the
same circuit with him and others who have
since been renowned in the history of Illinois,
it was no uncommon thing, after the abors of
the day in court were ended, and forensic bat
ties had been lost or won, for the lawyers to
forget the aspertIes which had been engender.
ed by the conflicts Of the bar in the innocent if
not profitable pastime of writing verses for the
amusement of each other and their friends; and
well remember with what greater facility
than others he could dash from his pen effu-
sisns sparkling all over with poetic gems !; and
If all that he has thus written could be collect
ed together, it would make no mean addition TO
the poetic literature of our country. Its beau
ty, grace, and viyacity would certainly redeem
it from oblivion.
CoWAN, OF PENNSYLVANIA.
Nor did he wander always along isothermal
lines but with the boldest Of his race he ex-
tended his rage nom the great lakes of North
America to the Caribbean sea. He had tried
causes nearly tar north as Chicago, and he
has helped to build railroad across the 18th
mus OF Darien. de had raised regiments in
Illinois and led them to battle in the gorges
and on the high plateaux of the Mexican Cor
dieras. No climatic differences seemed to de.
ter him, and he tfod the to id with the same
fearless freedom he did the temperate zone. No
matter to him whore his tent was pitched,
whe Their on the cool and saiubrious banks of
the upper Mississippi, or on the sitting and
pestilentisl banks OF the Chagres, it was all one
He had settled Ola he plain of Tacubay beside
the falling sea of Anahuac nearly as soon as
beside the snow clad mountains which over
him by the very novelty Of their dangers. Had
he lived i'll oldeu times, he had been viking.
a sea-rover, and had come down with Hengist
md HGrSa, skilled in the Sagas, and knowing
the RumeS by h art or he might, perhaps |
have come over vi Eric the Red, because any
thing that was noble, dangerous and difficult
had such charms for him that he sought il as
naturally as he would have sought food when
he was hungry This was his Saxon Norman
nature, and to crafty its cravings. he would
have been delighted to have gone to The Holy
Land with the Crusaders, or to have led com.
pany of free iancers in the wars OF Italy.
DIXON OF CONNECTICUT.
1t was the voice of duty and this alone, which
called him to the field, and in obeying that call,
he felt that he was offering his life. l think,
too, there was that in his bold and adveniur-
Gus spirit that gave mysterious charm to any
duty accompanied by danger Indeed, his ma
ture seemed scarcely capable Of quiet and re.
pose there was restlessness, an Impotence
in his constitution, which would not suffer him
to be all unparticpating spectator in any great
conhct-much less in one that involved the
existence OF the nation, For him, therefore,
to withhold his nand from the sword, i'll this
great controversy, would have been an impos-
si6ility under any circumstances. Hold he
known what death he was to die, his conrse
would have been the same, for he was evident
ly born of that blood, and imbued with that
spirit which mages men feel tina it is.
"Better to die beneath the shock,
Than molder, pecemeal, on the roek.'
SUMNER, OF MASSACHUSETTS
But the question is painfully asked, who was
the author OF this tragedy now filling the Senate
Chamber, as it has already filled the country,
with mourning? There is strong desire to
hold somebody responsible, where 80 many per
ished SO unproftably. But we need not appoint
committees or study testimony,in order to know
precisely who took this precious life. The great
criminal is easily detected The guns, the balls
and the men that fired them are of little import
ance 1t is the power behind them all, saying, |
" the State, it is |, which took away this pre-
cious life and this power is slavery. The rife
balls which slew our departed brother came
from slavery. Every drop of his generous blood
cries ON the ground against slavery. 10 hold
others responsible is to hold the humble agent
and dismiss the giant principal.
LATHAM, OF CALIFORNIA.
But two weeks prior to his DEATH he remarked
to me, as be had to others: " shall never
come out Of this struggle alive. The present.
ment of death is upon me Even then the dark
wings Of the coming messenger were over him,
and he walked courageousy forward beneath
their sad shadow
:, Among innumer able false, unmoved,
Unsbakea unseduced unterrifeG,
His Loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal,
Nor, number, nor example with him wrought
To swerve from truth or change his constant mind,
Though single"
The following are extracts from euIogies de
live red in the House:
SHELL, OF OREGON.
True, he had not the statesmanlke gravity
and ponderous utterance of Webster, nor the ora
torlcal elegance of Clay nor the stern and I'M
answerable logic of Calhoun; but he had
mind stored with the richest treasure of English
literature a fuency as inexhoustibe as well
Of living waters; vivid Imagination though
never violating the rules Of correct taste;
memory that had complete control over the
storehouse Of his knowledge, and delivery ap-
parentIy unstuded, and yet SO graceful, gave