New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-12
TITLE LATE COLONEL BAKER.
guIogies in the Senate ard House
Of Representatives.
DELIVERED YESTERDAY.
RrLoGY on MR. DIXON, IN THE sENATE.

RuIOGY OF MIR. DIXON, IN THE SENATE
Mr. President: When death, In any OF its ordi-
nary forms, enters this Chamber, and terminates the
l,bors the responsibilities, and the anXies OF tne
position here occupied, he occasion is necessarily
one OF the highest interest % US as mem ers Of bs
body, and scarcely les 70 tue entire naii0D How
much of added interest is impaired by the peculiar
circumstances that surround the sad event which we
ere tins day called TO deplore Senator IN tie
prime and glory Of manhood, enjoying the homage
60 lavshiy and cheeIfuly paid by mankind 10 genius
endowed with an eluquence truly woudeIlul IN its
scope is fullness and It's resisess power aid adc
ing 10 this full measure of political power that still
roore brilliant and more coveted object Of ambition
an roble ninds-miiitTy gor'--is suddenly arrested
+, bis career The voice 10 when men througed 10
listen with such eager attention is silent. The flow Of
chat torrent OF ideas expressed IN mat oourdle cop-
usness of language and illustrated by that exhaust
less exuberance OF fancy, which has often excited
our wonder not less than admiration has ceased
forever, with the Ire which our departed friend Of
fered on the field OF battle as his willing sacrifice IN
che cause Of bis country. life like bis, so honored,
20 occupied, TO rewarded by all that men most de-
sire earth, and closed, in such cause as that
which his martyr blood as Goubly conseoTated,
surely is worthy not ouly Of giving pause to the
daily Offices of The Senate, but of arresng the at
tentiOn ana ting the profound sorrow OF mourn
ing patton. The peculiar circumstances OF the death
Of Gen. Baker bavs been already related After he
assumed a command in the amy, there was, as many
of his friends perceived, Unwoned sadness III his
had looked upon civil war as an event certain 10
happen ubless aver Ell by some extraordinary means
Of negotiation. lie hid declared himself willing
so sacrifice somewhat of bis own extreme
views TO avert the impending calamity,
which be 80 clearly foresaw. But when the last
hope OF q peaceful olulion Of onr troubles had been
destroyed by the acts OF rebels in arms against the
Government, he WAS not satisfied With merely CIV
Sng his vote Senator aud hls voice as an orator
20 The cause Of the Cous QtloD. His sense OF 0u'y
demanded Of bin titan tbis Yet, 2s have al
resoy atmsted there was ler elved more thsn nsu-
ally sadde cd expression in eye, and an almost zen
der melancholy 10 the t0nest bis voice when might
have satisfied any observer that 10 selsD motive, no
vulgar ambition, bad prompted him 10 The sacrihce he
was making. l not therefore, surprised When.
in the LIST conversation had with biD, discovered
with how deep sfiiit OF patriotic devotion be mad
entered the military service. The death which has
40 glorously ended bis earthly labors not uuex
peeted; and in recalling us words the occa ion
20 which sllute, can hardly suppose II was urde-
sired. He felt and deplored more deeply, Ierhape,
chan most Of us, the condition of the country; and
there was alsO possibly, q pieseutiment, IN his
highly Imaginative mind, Of his approaching end.
" so, there was 10 dread no shrinking from any
post OF duty, however peri'ous. But We remem-
Der how, here, near the SPOT where now stand, in
language more emphatic aud more expressive than
any can recall or command be dsavOwed
having been actuated by any desre for Mill
tary glory in taking mp arms for the defense
OF the Constitution and the Union. IL wac
the voice OF 0ubt, alOUe, Vulch chlitu
90 the field aud n obeyiug that call he Ist that he
was Offering his Ire. thu, K, I" there was that in
his bold and adventurous sIiiI tlat gave mystic
Yious charm TO any 0uty acconra1ed by danger.
His nature seemed ely capable Of quiet and
repOse. There was a resilossness, an lmpaueDce In
his constitution, wbicn would not suffer him 10 be an
unpartiCpa iug special IN any great contlct-mnch
sess in one that involved the seuce OF the nation
For him, therefore, 10 Withhold bis hand from the
sword ia tbiN great controversy would have beeh
an impossibigy under any circumstances. Had be
known what dealb be was to die, his cOurfe would
have been the same, tor he was evidently born OF
sba. blood which makes men fe'l that 1t Is
Better to di, beneath the shock
Than moldcT peeeusa, Oh the rock"
Although became somewhat Familiarity acquainted
with Gen. Baker nearly sixteen years ago, know
little of his early ment,l habits If b. course Of
discipline and sudy. Yet u was Impossible 10 lis en-
to lis ordinary cOuversaiion, or TO BIS elaborate
efforts in the Sens'e or, more esIeciay, 10 those
unsurpassed specimens Of elOquenee Which, without
q moment preparation, be threw off, burning and
sparkling, in the oeat snd glow OF eXtemBorsneous
DEBATE, yet profasely illustrated ny ausons TO all
the varied helos 81 literature and science, without
being assured that lis intellect, naturally OF r
high order, had been cultivated, strengthened,
aud enlarged by close atd cUeiul study, and eD-
Tiched and adorned by an intimate acquaintance
with the literature Of all ages. As All orator, be
vas remarkable for assured self-posse-soD which
gave him, at ali times aud under eli circumstances,
the complete control of is men ii powers. TO this
he added q command Of the Eug1sn language so full
aud complete perhaps 10 tempt IN sometimes
Into profusion Of utlerance too ornate aud copous
to satisfy the stIctest canOns Of Criticism. Yet who
that listened TO him III popular em5lits, who that
listened 10 his speeeLes III tie Senate, who that lis.
SeBe0 10 his occasion addresses, especially 10 that
one on the shores of the Pacific the dead body
OF bis freno, the laGented BrOderick the surpass
ing eoquence Of which reemed resOund IN Fad, fu-
nerea tones far as the Atlantic co ISL coul have
been willing that If those glowing, expressive,
perhaps redundant words bad been omitted
The bill talents Of Gen. Baker, lis unsurpassed
powers orator. lis felf-pOsed reliance upon Biz
own capacities, bis aud his patriotism, wond
have been insufficient In themselves, without the
higher moral qualities which think be Possessed,
70 win for him that lirge thaTe OF the admiration Of
bis eountrynen which lie enjoyed. lie wac have
reason 70 believe, not only great but good man.
He ackno wiedged bis accountability 10 his Maker,
and walked through lie Ia the lght on that law Of
God which irTadlotgs the lQiii VI every man who
seeks TO know and perform bis d1ty. OF the Pc
Arliar tenets of his reli.ious aith uniformed,
but bis life, judging f:om its outward naiesai oDs
here was that OF a Christian statesman. What
sloies surrounded its close grateful country viii
bot soon forget Il needed only 10 have been
bresthed ont IN the arms OF viotOry, 70 have been
she end that be would have chosen; but though than
n zht have added 10 the JOY with which be wei
coined death, nothing il bis end wanting TO It's
glory. What nober eptaJh could Re bave otfired-
what nobler epiGaph could aoy of those patriotic
heroes desire, who now, in oounJ hosts, ready
20 sbaTs bic late the ied Of 6Atse, than tine: HE
DIED FOR HIS COUNTRY.
EULOGY OF MR.. BROWNING, IN THE
SENATE.
Mr. pRRsIDyHT: On 10 kiuu nv seat In the Senate