The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-06-05
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From the Raleigh IN. CT Standard
Obituary of Uncle sam.
That good old soul we u o er hsll sss him more

The writer is opposed TO extended obitua-
ries, particniariy when they run into fulsome
eniogies but the individual whose demise it
is our painful duty to record, was so remark
able-had so many connections, and ac ted so
I'm mpor tant part on the stage of life, that de-
parture from Editors Tequsi ton of short
obituaries. seems proper. A high authority
has said, concerning the dead, say nothing
but what is good ~ better guide would be
TO say nothing but what is true. Had this lat
ter rule been observed, the reproach against
mankind ef--''as lying as an epitaph or obttu.
ary,' might have been avoided. We think
therefore, that the truth of history and the
good of Uncle Sans numerous connections,
require that his biographer should allude to
his faults, as well as his virtues but we shall
naught estenuate, nor aught set down in
malice.
As the interest of mankind In the Biography
of a distinguished individual extends beyond
the incidents of his birth. life and death, and
IL curious TO know something of his ancestry,
we remark, that the subject of our notice WAS
of English origin, his father being the cele-
brated John Bull, sometimes called Old Eng
land. But, alas for the certainty OF human
kno wiedge The legitimacy of Uncle Sam
has been questioned-some affirming that
England sustained to him not the relation of
paternity, but of fratsrntty. 1t is certain
that he was sometimes called "Brother Jona-
than" Be this iniputation as il may, he had
smart sprinkiing Of English blood in his
VEINS. I ncie sam, though Patriarch, (for
his family was as numerous as a na-
tion,l did not attain to patriarchal age,
for he was born in 1TST or, as some
think. on the 18th of July I7T6 The
truth is, he never had sound constitution.
There were inherent elements Of weakness
and conflict in it. The Doctors who met in
1881 TO assist at his birth, saw this, and pro-
posed various remedies to cepInteract the seeds
OF premature death. Some thought that he
would die of plethora others of inanitiop
j ne nrst recommended abstinence, a mild
Diet, and rigid adherence to prescribed regi-
men. One DR.. Patrick Henry predicted that
ne would be very greedy, absorbing and con-
sdIning the substance of the land. Uncle Sam
had very large family of children but it
must be confessed that he was neither A ludi-
clous nor an impartial father. As a patriarch
or mead OF a family, he used but little system.
sometimes he was too strict at others too
ien'ent-to some he was lavish, to others mig
gardly; IN short, too frequently he showed
himself a step-f tber, rather than n natural
tather-coDsequently his children did not live
happily together. Bickesings, iealousies. ri.
aa'Iies' ahaaccusitlons of partialities and in
Justice emhlttered the old mans declining
days His measures Tor healing this domes tic
| discord, were injudicious and intirm, resort
ing 10 compromises, concessions, promises,
brIoes ana threats-temporary expedients-all
of which produced only a delusive calm to
be succeeded by aggravated discord.
Uncle Sam was great land specuIator and
acquired immense farms in the West and
South, which he distributed with very little
regard 10 equity, adaptation or pursuit Many
OF his children resided in the South, and found
OUT, py actual experiment, that they could not
WORK lDelT itnOS lO advantage themselves .
they therefore purchased negroes and found
that they could work the lands TO the adyau.
tage of both. But Uncle Sam, under the die
tation OF his Northern children, resisted this
natural, profitable and benevolent system of
cultivation, excluded slaves from Il part of
the common land. attempted to drive them
away from another, and actually went so far
as TO say that he would not allow them to be
used on the old farms, which his Southern
children had got not from him. but by a fec
simple title from their grandfather, John
Bull. - =
These domestic troubles had their ioyica,
ehect upon the old gentleman's coustitu ton
which, with an imprudence not uucom,n on
with lnYIilds, he sometimes entrusted to
mere preienders 10 the healing art, to auacks
In fact, who exhibited the most yarious and
opposite remedies vet each one claimed for
his prescription the merit Of being n suecitc
One treated him for weakness of the Joints
another for congestion of the brain, and vet
another for collapse. One stuffed another
depleted him, un til the old mans constitution.
IKE Sir John Sucking ever -darned silk hose
was SO tinkered and patched up that but little
OF its original stamen remained. Uncle sam
passed through many grand climacterics none
OF which seemed 10 benefit him. The most i'm
portant OF these periodic changes was that of
1860, when he elected one Abraham Lincoln
creature of his NortherL children, to be
Overseer OF his lChOLe domain. This was q
great insult and great injury, for the said
Abraham Lincoln was great enemy of the
southern branch OF the family, ignorant OF
tut'L Ihotitut!Ohs, interests anu character
Ihe Southern members in vain protes ted
against this appointment; it was cons um-
mated on the 18th of April, A. ID 1s6l head
oVerseer Lincoln gave an order for 75 900
assistants 10 join him, for the purpose of
whipping his Southern brethren in to stric
submission to his ill-gotten authority This
prospect OF brethrsp shedding each others
blood was too msclHor Uncle Sam 10 bear, in
ms seniilty and imbecility, which had been
annually increasing. He died the pery dan
me 0tooay order tods tSSacd. Requiescat
III pace"
IL may be gratifying TO the surviving friends
OF Uncle Sam 10 learn that the most of his
southern children have appoin ted the Hon
JeH DAVIS oVerseer, and declare their in ten
tion, with his assis tance, to wrest the old
family mansion from its present vulgar occu-
pants thoroughly cleanse, yentilate, fumi
gate, and repair it, ferret out the rats, stop up
ther hOles, smoke out the bats, and thus
restore II to the beauty and purity which it
exhibited when it was occupied by GEORGE
WAsHINGFoS, the first and best OF Uncle Sam :
yerseers. Il t.RotrxpyaI.
Hillsooro', May II, 1861.