The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-24
THE LATE COLONEL BAKER.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE LATE
SENATOR BAKER, COLONEL OF THE
CALIFORNIA BRIGADE

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE LATE
SENATOR BAKER, COLONEL OF THE
CALIFORNIA BRIGADE.
Our topographic dispatches Tuesday conveyed to
the public the melancholy information Of tho death Of
Colonel Baker, who noby fell in the defence Of the Union
cause while leading his gallant regiment against the
enemies Of his country. In tho brief biographical notice
with which we accompanied tho announcement Of the
death OF this patriotic hero Tuesday gave fcw Of
the leading incidents Of his military lfe To-day we are
able to go further into his history and TO supply The
public with all the details Of his career with which,
doubtless, they are DESTROYS Of being acquainted.
Few mon have had o more cventeul career, few mon
have done moro in 80 many different locations and pur
suits to win the people, We believe no started life a
olergymana Campbeite Baptist. The religious element
predomnaed in his character; his pety was deep and
his zeal great Wherever he preached the people ocked
70 near him. No house was large enough TO contain the
congregations. Five thousand-a crowd large was
miracuously fed in olden times--lisened TO him at
tme as no portrayed the joys of heaven tho misseres
Of he'll and startled them with calls Of repentance tho
only safety from death. By and by he turned short
about and gave his attention zeaousy 10 the profession
Oh the law Perhaps nc was not, and may mover havo
been great lawyer but he became great advocate and
overy villain before the courts sought safety through him
sinners at tho altar had before.
Colonel Baker was without doubt Que of the abicst
speakers in this country Ho dwelt with his fahor and
Whether nature originally stamped with greatness or
his mode Of lifo-his communing with his soul and
with NATURE when peopo were distant, awoke great
thoughts that found uterances in imprisoned sentences
and beautiful language, we know not, but when
he first addressed public audiences he thrilled
them, by electric Shocks and swept them by his elo
quencc as the storm or the Are viii sweep tho pra
thar, thatN ,,if
the bar in the Congress Of the nation, before wild
woods CAUCUS in speaking to citizens jurors statesmen
or soldiers, on the slope Of the Atlantic in the valley Of
the Mississippi at the head Of invading iegons in Mexico
before the miners and avcnturers of California upon
the banks Of the Columbia, f. J.. Baker has been of
tho finest orators In the land The statement that the
deceased colonel was native If Illinois
mistake, he having been born in England and left
orphan. While still child he tasted the bitterness of
poverty, and learned the art of hand weaving for sub
sstcDce. There are many manufacturers in Philadelphia
who knew him at that trying period Of his life and who still
remember his extraordinary fondness for books and learn
ing At seventeen he started with his brother foot
for the Great West They walked across the mountains
ovor the state of Ohio-stil almost wderness--and
descended the Wabash in u skiif to near its mouth.
Here they stopped while TO recruit their finances The
late Senator found his way into Illinois, where he studied
the law and was admitted to the bar at nineteen Sub
seqnenty he twice represented that Sateher only wing
member-in tho lower house Of Congress. in 1876 he
resigned in order to lead the Fourth Illinois regiment to
Mexico AT Cerro Gordo after the fall of General Shields
the senior colonel, he took command OF the brigae
and fought it through that hard fight with such dis
especial compliment from General Twiggs.
Returning homo at tho close Of the year, with Me
nant OF his war-worn veterans he recovered from tho
effects Of aseverc wound received the Rio Grandc
and was again elected to Congress from hitherto demo.
cratic district Of Illinois There, in 1850, no PRONOUNCED
that splendid euiogy his old commanding officer, Gene
raj Taylor, which, in the opinion OF many, has neycr
been surpassed in beauty as literary munement, either
in or ont of Congress Towards the close OF the
year his tino in Congress having expired Colonel Baker
finding his professional business in Illinois seriously in
terupted by four years absence IN Mexico and at
Washington. and finding 1t necessary to take some
active measures for the comfort Of his growing
family, elected contract with the newly organ
lied Panama Raliroad Company, in pursuance Of which
with whom he rendered most important aid to
that great enterprise In surveying AMI cutting out the
track through those Deep dark morasses freq ,epty
passing tho whole day in Shiny swamps, teeming with
insects and reptiles his health gave way and
sensolcss and apparently dying from severe attack Of
Panama fever he carried board vessel and re-
moved to New York Ito escaped with his life but
shattered In constitution, and ten years older in ap-
pcaraEcc
In 1852, having measuraby recovered Colonel Baker
removed with his family to San Francisco whore he
practised law with distinction and success and as
forensic and POLITICAL orator. without rival in that
young state, whose Bar cu.icd as it Isl from all the
States Of tho Union, Is so rich in ability.
II Colonel Baker had storped when he returned from
Mexico should all have said he was remarkable man
to distinguish himself in many and such diverse
pursus--with the sword Of the spirit and the sword
welded by the arm of lesh in tho pulpit and in the
forum tho stamp and the halls of legislation. But he
did not stop; he went to California with his family in
as he had been in Illinois perhaps more successful
as a public speaker. We have heard Caiforniass
represent the effects Of his speaking in San Francis
co, where ten Thousand people assembled to hear
him at ONCE and from the days that Demos
themes harangued the Greeks no orator has been
more successful than no in the Golden State II
made no difference what the OCCASION the call was for
Baker Were they to coEsccratc cemetery he was the
orator; they to bury in that cemetery martyr
freedom he pronounced the funeral oratcn In politics
he ed the Of the republican forces he stunned the
State AID would have been elected to Congress- if some
hundreds Of than his party commanded could
have done IT, In law hewas retained to do the most i'm
portant pleading as Choatc was in his mo in Massachu
scts.
When Mr. Baker saw there immediate prospect
of rcscung California frcm the democrats and gratifying
his darling ambtica-the attainment Of seat Ia tho
senate place where he could indicate tho motives
and continue the labors of Broderick whose firm and
warm friend he was-he accepei an invitation to Ore
gon, the chief Of the republican party there. Hs
stuuped that State, he rOatcd his enemies he defeated
joe Lane and all his adherens carrying coalition L.
gisaturc which he had failed to do in California and
thereby securing his own election.
When the principles of tho Southern secession pary
manifested themselves in open opposition and hostility
to the rational government, Colonel Baker Of thu
first mon who rallied to the support Of the administration
and the country, and the noble words Of patriotism which
fell from him at the grand popular meeting at Union
square must stl be remembered by the tens Of thou
sands who assembled that memorable day
to bear testimony to tho devotion Of the peo-
pc to the Union and the government of
active in the field than the deceased
Coming To this city, where many Of his old California
arosirg the patriotic impulse. He from the outset
the magnitude of the contest before us he saw that it
going to be chds pay, and he warned tho coun-
try that 1t must not and could its under
taking until the national emblem had en- carried
in triumph from the Potomac to the Rio G-ande
few OF the thrilling words Of that days ora
ton, in presence of the tattercd flag of Sumter
waving from the hands of Washington, will at once
recall the whole Of those thoughts of the noble Senator
"that spoke and words that burned" ssOur country
said ha, sis greatness glory truth constitutional liberty
and above all, freedom forever. have said that the
hour Of reconciliation is past II may return but not
tomorrow, next week 1t will return when that tat
tered flag (ponting to the flag of Sumter) is avengei it
will when rebeous traitors taught obedience
and submission; it will return when rcbeios confede
racy taught that the North though forbsaring is not
fearful it will return when again the ensign of the repub
Tic streams every rcbelous fort and every rebel
ops State then OF old. tho ensign of the power and
dignity, and majesty, and the peace of the republic
Young men Of New York; MOI Young men of the United
Stacs you told that this is not TO be war Of ag-
grcssion. In sense true; in another not We have
commenced aggression upon in all the broad land
In their rebaious ncst-in their traitorous campno
truthful man-can say that he has been
ever disturbed though IL be for single mo-