Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-22
THE LATE EX.PREsIDENT TK.
PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS.

rise TO ole. my tribute oil respect W sne meoiJ VI
the deceased
nassed into the possession Of history has an order OF It's
own in that great sanctuary. It's scjourn Is over.
Nothing can dim its us.re as passes down the uoe
Of time.
II n said air. there ia something in the story Of the
humblest life which, Il rightly told, will AFFORD food lot
proftsble study With how much OF interest," then, 90
We turn to the contemplation OF the lives OF tnoSe Nho
have been martyrs Of their kind who have LETT examples
for the imitation OF postey; Of those whose voices
have been the most persuasive and convincing In coun
Gil and whose shout like that of the king, has been
most potent in mlrshalling the hosts.
Amongst the public men Of our day, John Tyler mas
been one Of the most marked and distinguished. Win
him disappears the last save one Who noE sits IN TINS
chamber those great who adorned the Senate OF
the United States when first entered upon public HE
with him We shall bury the last Of the line, the Illus
trious line Of Southern Presidents whose names nave
connected with the highest hoaors OF the unon from
which we have just parted. Docs not this deepen toe
sense Of our separation one by one pass away
not only the material links but the ties OF personal AS
ISOLATION which bound Us to those whom We have lately
left
No man. Mr. President, has more fully completed the
circle Of honors which were opened to the aspirations
If our nublic men than John Tyler Scarcely had be
attained his msority when he was sent 10 the House oil
Delegates 10 Virginia After Q service OF few years
there he was successfully elected member oil the Ex
ccuve Council, member Of the Hous' of Representa-
lives OF the United States Governor OF the State oil 'ir
rnia Senator Of the United States Vice President OF
The United Staes from which, by the death Of General
Harrison and through the operation OF the Oonstuuon
ne was elevated to the Chief Magistracy OF the land
Nor sir did his end even there when secession
began and presaged ths storm which is now sweeping
over the land he was sent the Convention OF Nlr
ina and by that body the Pesoe Congress- over the
deliberations Of which he presided thence to this Con-
and Afterwards ua1 elected by his constituents to
the House of Representatives OF the Confederate oon
| gress soon 10 assemble in this place.
But full as was bis life oil honoTs 1t was not more ds-
ne uished by them than by It's achievements From the
commencement of his public career, he Distinguished
himsef iu whatever body he was serving and oy MS eo
ouepce and ability honorable place in The estima
ION of all with whom he associated. An .dVocate oil
the doctrines OF the State Rights school Of Virginia. ne
for the most part adhered to those doctrines with con-
| s.tercy through out long and arduous career rev
men ererted themselves more to preserve the Con
stituon Of the United States. He was among tue hrst
of our public men Who with the great Calhoun declared
at he Constitution and the union OF the States was
ons and insen,rable" Prom the period of the nuhca-
ton controversy from the time when be gave bis soi'
.v voe AGAINST the Force II in the Congress OF the
usd States 10 his last appearance in Washington at
he Peice Conference he declared the Union ana the
| Corsitulion must live or perish together
He exsrted his utmost powers 10 preserve the ocnsu,
,pon and the administration Of the executive an hrs OF
t,e limited Safes Forced to choose between the desire
10 crafty the wishes Of his personal friends VINO mao
elevated him to the Office on the one hand and sense
NJ constitutional obligation on the other, he Determined
| suv ,o sacrifice the friends with whom he bad been
,socia;ed From that time forward II was ais lot 10 ad
Minister the ars Of the naton over which ne presided
In the mdst of the severest party struggles the country
had ever knoWp without the cordial support oil eilher
great political division by which the people were tneu
Svded and he had 10 discharge his high duties IN the
fee Of such difficulties as had never been encountered
by auy Of his predecessors. But in despite Of that spirit
bs caed around him some OF the Gbes nteects oil the
Iand-WebSter, Upshur, l.sgsre, Cilhoun-who aided
him 10 one OF the successful adnnsrapons winch
| anpsars ia the annals Of American frGrs
II was this administration that added Texas, an en-
Miro 10 the Coufederscy; and il this administration
thai successfully accomplished the Ashourton treaty be-
| tween Great Britain and the United Ss ca IL was IN
this administration that Mr.. Calhoun, in his celebrated
Latter TO Mr. King for the first time made public dem
,on IN .yor of the right oil The sllyeAoding States
"a respect and protccion and it Was this admnlstra.
lion which gave a haal and fa,sl blow 10 the United
States Bank But prominent, sir, as was thls aamln
i.ration il was, perhaps, not 60 distinguished as MS
closing career. He bad already reached the year Oh
h,ee score and ten when he called from his retire.
nent to aid 10 making up that great Issue OF human des
inv which Is being submitted to the afotrament o.,
,ri;l AZ |, IL said between nearly million CT armed
men, True 10 the life long professions oil the past he
first effort vas to preserve the Constitution, and pos.
sble TO save the Union With It but Wnen osippolntea
Ia that hope none more ostsineG tns1 he 70 cot
oose his native State roafs perons connection sin
onemes in disgu se-nohe more resolved 10 maze con-
mon cause with the Sodth and take whatever might be
] the consequences OF the act. .
We ali know he threw hmsef into the cause with his
xbole 500. Gentlemen here present will testify TO the
truth of what coy zhon affirm that TO the last lie
voted himself 70 Il With courage thEt via Lst snai,
xth hone that not fater, and with purpose that
held out TO the las. extremity and relaxed roTto the
\ end
Mr. Persistent, l. 2,sy truly DO said that with John
i MI. al haa H.us a ] know sir that
the death Of aoy good man - the caus OF gct g tbs
fiendr survivors and yet feel do not err when say
that nv deceasel colleague as fortunate in his death
a, in his HE. As soAief en- tie hed Of battle fesl
he fell at the pos: OF duty we, wen vas itil o.
Years asd honors passed sway. he left before age
had boved his form or dlued the igse o. his intelsa.
Wneu the future course Of bs lite about 10 promise
him more Of pleasure than grief Tomorrow We shall
depost him beneath the sod OF that soil which he loved
"a Wel-on the beautiful banks OF the James where his
.Iumbsrs Ill b. soothea BY the sound o: its falling
va ers Day after day. in the years yet to come the
morning and eTeni1g shadows shall lend silent and
varied charm TO the soene and vhsn her hour b strun.
gle Is over Virginia. she lears upon her bloody spear
TO contemplate the past and beholdng the rising glo
res OF her day, will lift her gsuns.ed hand to brush
away the tear Cor the loss Of him Who In the decline Of
life exhausted bis dying energies in her behalf an;
sSed his lie his ortups bic geps aea upon the result
which VII brig los safety and honor. Sir, abe will
embalm his memory 10 her best affections and hand il
down to her generations yet to cnme and their :hllr
drens children will rensm;t 81, hssoyed usme "a an in.
h.rBues 81 pTlas,y yetst--ah heirloom which has al.
ready TEn through more than two gsneatiops Of dis
tiuspistsa nSq
b.. IL IL no. my purpose, sir, TO draw portrait Of
this great His u character which will choose
to study Themselves aud they vi. seek il in the uionu'
mens Of his creation rather than 10 the testimonials
Of hi, fends but perhaps sir 1t will no! be deemed IS
usurpins TIE hstorsns place. to say OF him, 10
ind s.td To- ali IF
and that be used The gin OF the ecqasnce with which he
vas so highly embossed ia the pubic services, ard not
Tor selfish purposes tina. HE faculties for usefulness
seemed always TO rise 10 the level Of the demsnd upon
them thu, no able discharge his duty under
the dfcul, circumstances and that he served Ia
native State With Above .nd elS sAiOt are Osysnd ell
| praise.
Mr.. President 10 there useful lesson which we our.
selves may draw from this occasion9 Il there nothing
In Il that will deepen of the uncertainty Of hu