, 1863-01-03
Remarks of Mr. Raelev-

IIC O4oIl41S DlLotlONt pdtAAOG
Mr.. SPEAKER The great spirits of the
earth as they leave us command the hon.
age of men. The aspirations of hums nifty
are realized when virture, faithfulness, in
dustry and courage receive the appreciation
Of an admiring community. The base
alone refuse to applaud the great, the gen.
erous and the noble; but the honest hearts
of mankind are ever ready to acknowledge
and appreciate the possession of lofty pow
ers and scOrn the thought that no person
be respected, no memory revered, unless
self-interest or party feeling may be graft
fed The man who possessed within his
soul the Promethan fire so fierce as to in
spire all hearts with fear, or friendship.
was composed Of elements superior to or
dinary clay, and is deserving of something
more than passing sigh, as memory re-
verts to his glorious end. l had hoped, sir,
in listening to the reading of the resolu-
tions before this body to have had the pleas
hre of hearing some allusion to the long
list of public services, as well as to the
glorious death of that great man who has
gone before us, from the many personal
and political friends who are now present
Such tribute was due to his memory, and
regret that the task has devolved upon me
from the fact that l am unable to do the
subject justice Of his early career I know
nothing, and of his latter days the little in
formation l possess was CLEANED from the
journals of the Territory in times past,
when party love and party hate ran high in
the minds of all, and true picture of our
Ao Eo1 Ill I
lation and violent denunciation have been
the marked features of all that has been
written; but one fact indisputably stands
forth-that he was possessed of a positive
character; that he was a representative
man-assailed on all sides by eager and
determined foes-yet gathering around
him troops of friends, unwavering in their
attachment and following his fortunes with
a singular fidelity. He was one of the ma
tons children-taught at her expense and
well did he prove his gratitude to his mother
in her hour of trial. That he graduated
with honor to himself and credit to his class
l believe is a matter of record, for have
heard allusion to it in the true spirit of
friendship from many of his friends. He
feshed his maiden sword in the smoke and
roar of battle on the fields Of Mexico, and
and there gave promise of the fame that
was il store for him in the ripper years Of
his coming manhood. He entered Mexico
with the army as Lieutenant, and when
the wars were over quilted the service with
the rank ola Brevet Major. In those days
promotion was not as rapid as in our time
for the ambitious soldier, aspiring to climb
the rounds of promotions ladder, was re-
quired to possess ability, a true spirit of
discipline and personal bravery-a some
what higher standard than political inhu-
ence which at the present day has made
Major Generals of men who knew not how
to lead a squadron in the field, or take it
out of danger if the action of the hour re-
quired the effort. Having acquired some
distinction as a soldier, and being averse to
inactive life he retired from service and
sought another field and in little while
he appears upon the stage IL new charac-
ter, that of public explorer. In this ca
pacity he brought to bear upon the subject
the useful stores of well cultivated mind
and as he carved his way across the rugged
mountain gorges, he laid open to the gaze
of an admiring world the wonderful beau
ties of animate and inanimate nature that
had lain hidden since the dawn of creation
mid the deep silence of the wilderness.
The journal ofhis travels attests the Wig
orous character of the man; the record of
his observations prove his scientific ability;
and his long list of public service performed
in that voyage across the continent, as well
as his many other public acts, though some
were productive of conflict of opinion,
all stamp him as a man of surprising abil-
ity. 1t may uot be improper to say that he
who now addresses this House never was
recognized as a near political friend of the
dead hero, nor can l boast of ever having
enjoyed the pleasure of his intimacy and
friendship; but his many virtues are by re-
port well known to me, and l avail myself
of this opportunity, in the most earnest
spirit of sincerity, to record my sense of
reverence of his great fame, and deem this
tribute, feeble though it be, but as an act of
Justice to the memory of the illustrious
dead. The great features of his character
are stamped upon the history Of this Ter
ritory, and long after the present genera
ton will have passed the portals Of the
grave, the historian of our annals, as be in
scribes the events of our existence upon
the scroll, will blend his name and deeds
with all that is bright and pure in the rec
ord The man who could impress his fell
lows so strongly at the Nations Capital,
when but a mere delegate in Congress
having no vote-who could attract to him
self the attention of all the great political
leaders of the party who, by the innate
force and vigOr he possessed, left his mark
among the great lights of the country, may
be said to have grasped the poets thought
and stamped his footprints on the sands Of
time The time, the scene, the action,
make the man. These we're the influences
that formed the character of our friend.
Had he rusted out his life in inglorious
ease, It's true his native power would have
left its impress upon the narrow circle
wherein he moved, but so weak, so dim its
influences, that to the great world beyond
he would have remained unknown. But
his spirit was framed by the events of his
tory. The mental characteristics of the
man fitted him for a leader. In this posi-
ton his qualities shone the brightest, and
thev who knew him best confded the most
in the unerring certainty Of his judgment.
He was possessed Of a vast and unbounded
ambition. To develop the resources Of this
Territory was his untiring aim. To bring
this country at proper time into the folds
of the Union as a State, was a conviction
of his mird-the expected result of his
long and devoted labor, and in this view
his ambition was virtue. Educated by his
country, he never faltered in the hour of
danger, as a citizen or soldier The name