The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-12-20
Hon. A. g. Riddles Eulogy Of the late
Col. E, d, Baker.

! Col. Baker was formally announced in both
branches of Congress. Eulogios were de-
lvered, in tho Senate, by Messrs. Nesmth,
Sumner, Cowan, Dixon, Browning and
Latham; and, in the House, by Messrs.
Shicl, Riddle, Dunlap, Phelps, Sergeant,
Colfux, Richardson and Kelley. MIR. Rid
dies oulogy, which was very appropriate
aud eloquent, we give in full;
Mir. SPEAKER; Tho nation mourns her
dead Not, as in the peace time, when one
of her kingly ones went from rounded and
perfect career. leaving oCr sky bright with
tho new stars his hand had Sc: in it. Then,
indeed, she mourncd, but it was with q
| proud and satisfied sorrow, as she garnered
! his ashes in her bosom, aud transferred his
! glory to her dmdem. moro radiant for tho
| tears sho dropped upon it, Now we feel as
! if strong and beautiful column had been
suddenly shattered in our midst, ere it was
/ finished, leaving "a temple tottering for its
support. As it we had suddenly stumbled
on Tho corso of the Senator; not composed
| III the dignity of calm death, with his robes
about him. but mangled, on rent field,
"ith the cloud oi battle on his brow and it's
Hash still n,ckCriug in his eye; with his
ratIlG-hlndu shverrd ia his hands. aud the
uatiOns ensign torn from its staff scnrched
aud crmsotrd. aud tramplud into the red
/ earth under him. This is tho picture that
starts fresh and CHASTITY before US. aud we
contemplate it with palld SURPRISE with
| the gush Ot first grC!, and with a iiorco in
/ dlgnaiion, for we know the hand that robbed
US ut this regal farm aud royal soul. Aud.
as VIZ contemplate it. other forms, married
by tho hand ut this war, cOmr in mourning
procession. and range themselves about
this grand figure There is tho shadowcd
taco ot Ellsworth, whose winged spirit burr
hlm u step beyond cold duty TO meet II
/ murder. Yet that spot is shrine. ana the
dark rdIfce hat holds il is clipped away
Tor momcutors and amulets Wo now
know tho meaning of that uatnoloss shadow
that doopcrol his bnyish beauty. Aud VIM
thr0p. radiant III young g"Iius, with his hilt
wrcathrd with the chncu of rings of pocsy
and romance, rushing ~ bIithely on Ia
death as a young Bridegroom to a couch OF
oxpectnut love. And Lyon, in the far. of
| Missouri, who hurled his four or FIVE req
nonts into the battlo embrace of 30 600
toos aud graspcd victory out of tho iron
tangs If tate, and Ielinquishod it only to
tho hund of death. They throng about us,
palo and shadOwy, from scores of folds OF
glory ard disaster.
| Hundreds of our broad -browod. open
eyed youths, without taint in their blood or
stain on their sOuls--pure as tho mothers
that bore them, and beautiful as tho sisters
in their homcs-havc gone down TO death
in hcrco conflicts where individuality is lost.
molted out in the fiery mass of molten yalor
that swelled and roared around thom-
where wOuhdS do not smart, and doath does
not sting. And manv-Oh, how many-iu
haIf-furnisled, dllapiduted hospitals and
open tents. halftop'led or wholly neglected
have passed away, unsoaced save by the
fever dreams of lar.of homes, bringing the
| images o! cool hands and loved forms that
they shall meot only in the silent land-and
these were not enough. A prOuder and
nobler sacrifce-the highest and poblost
the land could give--ho whom the Consti-
tuition written by our fathers made the peer
of the President, and whom tho Constitu.
ton written by tho finger of God made the
poar of the proudest, living or dead-was
demanded, and there in that fro .eirt field
nt the close Of that darkoned, Anturfed
day, under that pi,iess gray sky, amid do
foat, disaster and death, it was mado That
Offering was perfect.
The land hold no noblor victim. That
man-form was swaycd by tho brain of a
| statesman, and garnored the wisdom of n
sago. 1t was warmed by the heart of n
hero, and it held the arm of warrior. In
It glowod tho imagination of poot. and its
utteranccs were with tho tongue of an
orator: while over all regned soul almost
angelic in its elevation. The nation mourns
her doad. But, whom wa fool tho bitterness
of this great loss, ard contemplate the
measureless national calamity of which IL ia
II part; and when we look below to tho
springs and causes and the evil hands that
put them in motion, and that worked this
dro war, demands for an almost religious
vengeance sock for place and expression
even hero. Wo feel as ii wo should summon
hrther our inpatient legions, and, bidding
| them dip .her weapons in this sacred blood,
we should huri them on tho guilty land, to
| drive tho ploughsharo of utter destruction
through soil that reeks with tho feculence
and SLAYER of all crime That we should here
invoke that the rcd visaged arge of retribu-
| tive wrath be loOsened, and sent on tho
wings of fright and terror to hover over
the doomed land, and dstilI images of hor.
rnr among tho CHASTITY, shivering, guilty
wro.ches below. Pardon mo if such emo
| tions should ird utterance hero, whero
everything should bo softoned and elevated
TO the tend0r, grand sorrow of d great ia =.
ton. in the presence of a great grief. Mr.
Speaker, what frution is TO spring from
this wido, wild waste and desolation a.
What great, fitting conclusion is to leap or
grow from this crushing of the oaskets of so
many precious lives Are all these sacri.
fees to be made in vain or may we gather
from them inspiration, and courage, and
strength, and stature, to confront and grap-
| pe with the event that so overshadows and
! dwarfs US all or shall they. furnishing the
only light on the darkest page OF American
history. be transmitted for tho benefit of q
better generation, to whom that page shall
tell the story of our visitation and our op-
pOrtunity; of the means before us, and our
weakly turning from them That, instead
of our sprnging into the stature of gants.
and doing giants work, wo dwindlod, and
driveled, and were buried under burden
we could not carry !: This GROWING loss
shall be all a loss, if, like blinded man in
darkened rooms, wo waste our strength and
energy in buffeting shadows, and phan.oms.
and shams. that mock us as we smite; not
in vain, If. with tho ono great object, we 90
confidently forth into the field OF God 3
Providence. and. in the clear. white light.
read the inscription emblazoned on the front
of this huge treason. and apprehend the
lesson il teaches. Then, too wa shall find
ample means and a golden opportunity,
lika Aeyare. hrowe0 vet stayinp anoels ayyn;t