Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-10-28
VOL. 20 NO. 90
REMARKS OF HON. q. y. p,rus
In The Wiu Circuit Court, in honor ofthe
memory Of The late Cant u. @ Cor.

whom FOR wears we have kept M tbe init.
macies of social intercourse In our own
humble. or at most, moderate sphere of
life, is stricken down by our, side. He
was one not raised above the coinmop level
by high station, remarkable endowmepts.
great achievements, or any circumstances of
peculiar distinction. lie was but enc of our
many daily and familiar comrades in the
march OF life. BY f5w vibrations Of the
pendulum that marks off the minutes of
Duration here, (how few or how many, who
can tell!l he has gone before us to the
tomb. We see his pale image as it slowly
recedes into the gathering and deepening
shadows OF the dark valley and there comes
BACK upon .us ever feeling Of the dignity
and sanctity of death. ] ride, contemrt. re-
sentmsnt, hatred, even a consciousness ofip-
jury and wrong. bow with sort Of flushed
and awe-struck reverence before the gbast-
~ cheek and stifsned form-the lips new
er mere 70 move IN speech, the eve never
more to be lighted by thought OF enStion.
How on such occasions our hearts revolt
even at their own unbidden. tinwelcome
recollection OF some fault or some weak
ness IN that departed friend! How fondly
we lInger on every good trait and every
good deed How We lavish ou- tributes,
all unheeded as they are, upcn the sealed
eyeiids and the corresponding coffin, and
the voiceless grave; and how our hearts
ache to think that the vast chasm dividing
the living from the dead will allow us but
these poor testimonials !
Sir, am moved to thank the God who
made us. for this nature. Ithank Him for
these exalting spells that death casts over
us: l have lived long enough to begin to
think, that almost the only realities of
LIE are its illusions that rational exis-
tence Is iargly made up Of these momenta-
~ Impressions of hope, fear and doubt
the exaggeratlons Of fancy, and the dreams
oil affection or passion. And by nv stand
ara, our weak nature never rises higher
never assumes a nobler aspect. than when,
on occasions of mourning, il pours its
tears of grief and sympathy like rain. over
some departed friend. whom death has
sanctihed. Indeed. have often thought
when witnessing or partaking in scenes
like this, the heeting ceremonies of an
hour, so soon over, and 80 soon forgotten
IN the returning wave of active life, that
OF all the prizes we toll for these long
years, not one is s0 sweet TO, antici-
pate, as this little gathering of our broth
ers within this bar, hs they are summoned
by our passing bell, to tell each other and
the court. with tchoking voices and,swim-
ming eyes, how little thew remember
OF our many faults-how generous their
credit for our better qualities.
Dir, l shall undertake no eul0gy upon
my young friend, whose death we mourn.
and whose memory in these customary
observances we seek to honor. His age,
birthplace, ancestry, early history. it con.
Germs US bat little to know or record. For
the purposes of this occasion it is enough
to say, what Mr.. Osgood yesterday men
toned with such deep, and let me add,
such honorable emotion, that he began life
as the heir of poverty. but in that inheri-
lance, blessed with what more than in
IDENTITIES for oil its hSrdships, the sharp
spur to industry and exertion. At an
early age and while immersed in employ
ments necessary for his subsistence, he
lifted his aspirations to our own high pro-
fessiOn- He was, l think, dfiideut, some
what nervous, c'nfding ra her than distrus-
ful-generous and open-hs nded in his prac
tlce, rather than tenacious of technical ad-
vantages; but studious, dilligent. perse7er-
ing, determined to excel and slow building
up the fabric of his professional character
upon an exalted model Of excellence. His
impulses, believe were magnanimous in
the extreme. i remember we'll nv own
last transaction with him, not necessary
to state more particularly, occurring at a
time when misfortune in business had
overwhelmed hinf in common with many
other adventures in the same line, and
when / could not but know his sore need
for at least whatever he had fairly earned
by his time and labor. / remember we'll
with what difficulty, and against how many
remonstrCness on his part, | at last pre-
hvaifed upon MIN to ACCEPT a considerable
sum of money for his services; a reluctance
caused by false, but yet most honorable
and amiable seruple that he ought not to
take it from brother in the profession.
But his lifeiess ashes-soon to be hurry
ing home for burial-reminds US that it is
not 50 much the lawyer, pleasant and hon.
orable as may be our recollections of him
in that capacity, as the brave soliier, the
self-sacrifcing patriot, the hero falling in
I the front of danger and On the field of VIC
tory, that we are shortly to consign to the
silence andrep5se of his last resting place
Often, alas too often, have we been. and
shall be, called upon to pay these honors.
To-day the very heart-strings of Will coun-
ty, branching through all its spheres of
life, from its stateliest r5ansjcns to It's hum
blest dwellings, are quivering,w,th tie an
guish of apprehension, lest the pezt an
nouncement oF the telegraph should reveal
a sweeping slaughter which would strike
every bearthstone within its borders
But come as often. as they may, these are
tributes which we must reckon it amongst
our most sacred social duties to perform.
In reference to Capt Grover, we al re-
member tie recently formed and strong
domestic ties he had to break in Joining
the army-the, frail and and feeble BODY
he offered to the service Of his country,
which only an indomitable Will could
nerve up to theisoldier's tasks; the inauspi-
cious circumstances under which he COM
menced his experiment Of forming a com
pany-his slow, embarrassed and disbeart-
ening progress-his final success, attribu-
table not less to the exertions of jealous
friends, than his own personal popularity.
Until the fatal battle in which he lost bis
life, it had not, believe, been his fortune
save on one occasion-the capture of Island
No. l0-to be engaged in any considerable
or memorable conflict but yet, in spite Of
the delicacy of bis frame, and his want OF
military training or experience, we have
heard no reports of Capt. Grover, which
were not in the highest degree creditable
Ia him, as brave, assiduous and faithful
ofhcer. We have reason to believe that he
has always stood well with his superior
and well with his mer; shrinking from no
danger. and equalto every duty. At las:
fate has summoned him to make the final
sacrifice, the sum of all earthly sacrifices,
which can be demanded Of the patriot
Following where he saw the victorious col
ors of the Union borne forward over the
ground abandoned by the enemy, bravely
facing the tempest Of lesden rain and iron
hail sweeping bis path, he was struck down
by the fragment OF shell, producing an
injury, of the particulars Of which we are
not yet Informed, further than that it caused
: an immediate paralysis of the limbs, and
! ! death at last after an interval Of about a
week.