Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-18
i'm the United states
Court in Memory of the late Judge
Huntington.

At meeting of the Bar. in the United States
Court Room, in Indianapolis. on the 7th day Of
Nav, inst. Mr. Robert c. Gregory was appointed
to the Chair, and Mr. John H. Rea Secretary
Mr. David Mcdonald, Mr. T A. Hendricks, Mr.
Joseph (. Mcdonald, Mr. John ID. Howland and
Mr.. Daniel W. Voorhees, were appointed com
mttee to prepare resolutions expressive of the
sentiments and feelings Of the meeting on the
melancholy event of the death of the Honorable
E. NJ. Huntington, late Judge of the United
States District Court
Whereupon Mr.. David Mcdonald offered the
resolutions following, which were unanimously
adopted by the meeting.
On opening the Court this o'clock p NJ, Mr..
Voorhees, and said.
MAY 1T PLEASE THE CoURT:-In the midst of
the rushing and stormy scenes of life we are now
and then called to pause, withdraw cur minds from
the cankering cares and duties of the hour, and
pay mOurnful tribute to the memory of those who
have fallen asleep by the wayside 1t is task
of sorrow and of tears, but it is task from which
ths soul rises refreshed and purified. The world,
with its hot, choking vapOrs. recedes and becomes
a small and distant planet when we give over our
thoughts to the contemplation of the virtuous
dead. The sounds of strife. the voice Of bitter
ness. the cry of hate, the cangor of arms are all
lost to the which is listening at the portals of
the tomb. The eve Is withdrawn from the spectacle
of crime. of misery and woe. and rests gratefully
for awhile on beautiful and ravishing glimpses of
eternity, which greet it in its longing gaze after
the departure of some friendly spirit. In such
an hour the oppressed heart, weary and heavy
laden, casts off for a season its CALLING burdens,
listens to the music of another sphere. and enjoys
in anticipation the rest which awaits it when the
narrow stream is crossed at the close of life.
From such reflections, We return to resume the
wearysOme journey before us, wiser and better
men; with new strength to promote virtue and
repel the allurements of vice.
The grave is in no sense the end of life. Even
the wasted body, which there submits TO decay,
is vet to bear that voice which will command the
earth and sea TO give up their dead. And while
the liberated spirit is tasting its immortality in
regions beyond the sun, still here. in the midst of
his old familiar associations, he who sleeps be
meath the sod, and at the same time dwells in
eternity continues to live and partake of the af
fairs of time Life is but expanded by the stroke of
death Another world. yea many worlds, are
added to the boundaries Of existence; but the
which now inhabit is not abandoned We
cannot. If we would. trammel up the consequen-
ces Of having lived The channels of influence
for good or for evil, once started. flow forever,
even on herethese mortal plains No man ever lived
for himself, or drew after him into the grave when
he died, the results of his life. Brass and marble
end uring monuments, and glowing epita phs
transmit from age to age the names and mertO-
the perdetual influence of human conduct. never
ceAsng until time itself shall cease, survives all
that skill and afeatiOn can bring to the tomb, to
rescue the dead from oblivion. We are living to-
day in the midst of the accumulated influences of
an endless past. The bitter taste of the forbidden
fruit which Adam ate in the garden. is yet on our
lips: and to heal its burning poison, we invoke
each hour of this living present, the aid of One
who, nearly two thousand years ago, was put to
against the reigning Caesar In civil affairs, af
fairs Of State, principles of Government, the ex-
. plOratiOns of science, the triumphs of art the
acquisitions of literature in all the wide scope
and vision of human effort there is nothing new;
nothing save the combination OF the results of
former ages and their application to the de
mands of the world as it now exists In this it
is true there is progress. but it is progress rof
which the present is indebted to the past. That
vast and client region which stretches back to
the hour when the stars sung their strains of tr-
umph in the sky Is not to a region of darkness.
There is a great light hung up in its mighty DOME
as bright. blazing and eternal as the sun in the
heavens bv which guide our feeble and
wandering steps IL is the light of experience,
the vestal fire on whose altar every human be-
ng who has acted his part in this universal thea
tre has laid his offering to increase the flame 1t
is history in its highest significance beamng with
the influences of those who are no longer visible
TO the natural eve. No one is de I'd TO him who
reads history Alright. The page becomes ilum
mated and each etor there recorded starts into
life and becomes living teacher, an admOnishing
and impartial friend. II is in this view that the
dead are useful to the living Their destiny is
fixed. Their book is closed and the seals are
set. To them we can bring no change. But
how different the power which the tenants of the
grave WELD over those who have not vet Joined
them Our minds are enriched, our judgements
formed our hearts touched softened and elevated
the whole current Of our lives controlled and d.
rected by the examples, the influences of those
whom we see no more.
These thonghts are irresistably suggested to
my mind by the position in which stand before
this court to-day. rise to announce the death
Of one whose name and influence will be forever
associated with the judicial history Of the coun-
try. | rise TO announce the death of one who
contributed largely during his life to give shape
and force to surrounding events. and from whose
grave there now springs up the enduring and
beautiful light of virtuous example. JUDGE
HUNTIxGroN Is DEAD. IL is fact long since
known to US all. and vet how mournfully the an
nouncement sounds here in the theatre Of his
long career Of usefulness and of famel judge
Huntington is dead. He Is dead, it is true, as it
Is appointed unto all once to die. but how little
of there is that altogether diesi That feeble,
languishing frame is resting to be awakened
again after long sleep. That is all. He still
lives in every other respect. Not only has he put
on the robes Of infinite existence beyond the thin
veil which hides him from our view. but here in
this sanctuary Of justice, here in the forum Of bis
labors he still lives, and impresses his mind and
character as in the days Of his vigorous manhood.
De lives in the learning and integrity which he
displayed on the Bench. He lives in the decisions
Of this court which stand as monument to- his