Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-11-01
George Wilkes on the Death
Of Senator Baker.

cult sought the advantage of his treat
ment. By common consent he was ac-
knowledged to be the most eloquent
speaker in California; but proof was in
reserve, in circumstance boyond the
mere limits Of forensic eloquence, to Gre
ate for him the claim Of being, perhaps,
the most accomplished orator in the
world. Broderick, that noble young
tribune, who had defended California
from the doom Of slavery, and stood the
stern batwark4against the domineeEing
hordes@of Southern ''chivalry," had
been taken in the tolls Of band of pis-
tol sharps, and slain.
"They have killed ne because was
opposed to the extension of slavery and
Il corrupt Administration, was the last
declaration Of that dying Senator; and
as the words fell from his lips, they be-
came fire in the heart of the weeping Or
ator who helped to close his eyes.
The empire city Of tho Western Ocean
was stepped in gloom at the contempla-
tion Of the monstrous deed. All trade
was stopped; no sound of hustle was
heard along the street; and, by comm on
consent, without pageant or parade, or
any sound but the low, measured, IN uf-
fed throb of the church bells, the de-
jected people, walking as if they almost
held their breaths, gathered in the mai n
square, and formed themselves, like so
many shadows, round the bier. At the
foot Of the coffin stood the priest; at its
head, and SO he could gaze freely on tn G
face Of his dead friend, stood the pale
figure Of the orator. Both of them, the
living and the dead, were self made mon;
and the son Of the stone-cutter, lying in
mute grandeur, with a record floating
round that coffin which bowed the head
Of the surrounding thousands down in
mute respect, might have been proud OF
the tribute which the viewers appren-
tice was about to lay upon his BREAST
For minutes after the vast audience ha d
settled itself to hear his words, the ora
tor did not speak He did not look in
the colin-nay, neither to the right nor
the left; but the gaze Of his fixed eve
was turned within his mind, and the still
tears coursed rapidly down his cheek
Then, when the silence was the most in
tense, his trcmUlOus voice rose like wall,
ana with an uninterrupted stream of
lofty, burning and pathetic words, he SO
penetrated and possessed the hearts of
the sorrowing multitude, that there was
not one cheek less moist than his own.
For an hour he held them as with a
spell; ard when he finished, by bending
over the calm face of the noble corpse.
and stretching his arms forward in an
impressive gesture, exclaimed, in quiy-
ering accents, Good friend! brave heart,
gallant leader! hail and farewell!" the
audience broke forth in a general re-
sponse Of sobs. Never, perhaps, was ell
oquence more thrilling; never, certainly,
was it better adapted to the temper CT its
listeners. The merit of the eulogy di-
Ilded public enconiums with the virtues
OF the deceased, and the orator became
invested with the dead Senator's politi-
cal fortunes. The territorial field in
California being, however, not open to
immediate occupation, Col. Baker trans
ferred himself to Oregon, and there, the
glow of his last effort soon carried him
to the highest honors Of that State.
lie Was elected Senator for the full
term Of six years in 1860, and at the time
of his death had enjoyed his lofty hon
ors only for two sessions. How ae i'm.
proved the privilege of his place by
great arguments in favor Of the Con
Stitution, and by withering denuncia
tions Of the advocates Of treason, has
been matter Of universal and applaud
Ing cognZance. He was, in fact, the
master debater of the war term of Con-
gress, and that he had the courage to
give his oratory force, the shrinking
Benjamin, who withered at his words,
and the blapched Breck inridge, whom
he ''cast from the Tarpeian rock" can
we'll attest.
But even these honors, and the ac-
hnowledged prominence which he had
won III his last powerful position, was
not enough for his active and daring
spirit while the country was in arms
lie left the Senate to raise regiment,
and when that was ready he led them to
the field. He fell, as we have stated,
with the "light of battle" on his fea-
lures; his death being AS eloquent as his
life, and contributing by its noble man
Ter, large compensation for his loss.
The event, however, has penetrated the
nation with the deepest sorrow, and, at
the same time, it has lain new obIiga-
ton Oh our settlement with treason.
Upon the writer OF this article, per-
haps, the tidings of his loss fell with q
more startling effect than upon any per-
son else. It was our good fortune TO
know Col. Baker well, and we had the
honor to entertain him as our guest at
dinner, on an afternoon in the month
Of August last. On that occasion, when
we expressed Gin view Of the recent dis
aster at Manassas) natural concern as
to the department Of his troops, he said
,"Wilkes hare some 22ecnltny' Rott0ns a
to The part I am % la!ay IN this e.ctraorli-
nu}y 1oag; and / tco"t go" 10 dcdr N mira
ttot aChat / nor say to .yoU Is not the re
silt Of Gny idle timcy o. ragVc impTtss;oN
1t is doubJM III sAaN eucs ogaia tah'e nsJ
seat in the !Ssautcr' 70 tie kgoA Of sur.
prise ,cLjeh I hraed upom Ain at this &c
pressioa lie rep!ied, - an certain [ shat
not Ii0a thyouyh this aear, and i my trooI:
&houii s3o,o any aoamt Of reso1ation, / shall
fall IN the fist Junle. l ccaNrt GGorcI
after ny carer IL 4Nertco, end IS G Sen
,.tor Of the United States, to tHr,s my t4c
/ from The eneny" There Was no gloon
or depression in his manner, bat it wa'
characterized by a temperate earnestnea
which made d deep impression on IL,
mind.
10! before Cctober has shed its leaves
his sword lies upon his pulseless breas;
and his toga has become the ccrement
Of the grave.
s.Eunl ED;nnAl Lnnra L.nrtI na u, II