Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-05-02
DAVENPORT IOWA. SATURDAY EVENING. MAY g. 1862
Rev. WiIliam u. Miiburn, the .sBlinA
Orator -

Orator y
The prsencs Of Mr.. Miiburn 10 Q moral les
son itsslf. Blind at tas early age 0f 6vs
years. hs mind. ~ . 90, sequence. sseGusd Il
be possessed VI Increased intellectual light, and
he has achieved Hiuu.phs. t,o spite Of III.
greatest physioal n,is ioriunss. blindness.
which indicate = character of more than orGi
nary power snt perseverance,. Mr. Miiburn
vas born In Philadelphia. Sept goth, 1928 -
When sesrcsly year o.a he iost the eight q
one eye. and before he was tive his sight ws'
irretrie,sbiy gone. In spits CT this intirnity
we Ind him At the age OF fourteen Ia liiinois
earning n living ~ clerk IN . store. and by The
aid Of friends reading to him. occupying h,,
leisure time in preparing for college. which hs
finally .. compiished. aud made grrs. prof.
oisucy a. . student. 1n lsa3 his health h
oonseque6cs OF cioss application. failed him
ana active life vas prescribed - The only thing
calculated 10 restore him TO visor Dstermin.
ting 10 be u-etul. he comuDnced his pubic lift
~ . Methodist preacher. and for two years
suffsrsd slmost Incredible h.td-hips among
the osbins Of the West ln the fail oi 1910
hs made his appearances in tas northern and
eastern States, ~ an advocate for the eauss VI
education IN the Wsst. and sss every whers
received With enthusiasm. not only on accoua,
~ MS tbtehec'uet queutiefs Out etso tVV uss
snisbls disposition aud eminent soclal virtues
% his Journey nor,h, MIR. Miiburn found him.
seif on board Of an Ohio river steamer. Oh
which were three hundred psss,ng.rs FrGu
the number of days the psesengsfs had bssI
together. Mr.. EtibnrD had become pretty well
informed Of their character. and he found mos,
ptominen, among the gentlemen. were . mum
Der Of members Of Congress. on their way 10
Washington 1hess gentlemen had attracted
Mr. N,iburn's attention. on account Of ihsis
xceptionsbls habits. On The arrival Of Sab
bath morning. IL wss runorsd through the
boat that . minister vas % board, and Mr
Millurn, Who had up To this tims attrsctsd no
srention. wss hunted up aud called upon "a
give . discourse He promptly conss1tsd
and In due time commenced Divine eel Woe -
The members Of eoogrsss. 10 ~hsaI We have
alluded. were among tAs congregation. and By
con mon cons.ht had possession II the chair.
hesr.sst to the preacher. Mr.. Nilhufn gave
an address suitable to the Occa.ion. full OF slO-
quence and pathos. and Was listened u
throueh ehout with the most intense inter est. A.
the Dclusion he stopped short, aud turning
his face. now bssmiDg With isrvent zeal ~
sards the "hororabls gentlemen" he seij -
Among the passengers In this ateaOer. arc q
number Of nsulbers If Congress; from thsir
position they should be exsmplsrs Of good
morals aud digui6sd conduct. but from what
have h. ard Of ,hsm. they are not so. The
Union Of these st.tes. II dspsadsu on snoh
gusrdisns, would be unsafe. and all the higl,
nop~s l have ~ the future Of my country
would be dashed to the ground. These gen
,lemyn. Tor de-, pact. have made The cir hsss,
~ils profans COW creation. have been sonstsn'
pstrons Of tho Ter. and eneoutsg.n Of iDtsa
psfsncs; nay, more. the night. which shou ID
bs devoted 10 rest. hss been dedicated 10 the
horrid vice Of gambling. profanity asd drunh'
ennsss Aud" continued Mr. N,lburn. With
the solennity Of . man who spohe - u by in
spiration, " th-rs 10 Tut one chance OF salss'
tion Tor these great sinners in high places. enc
that 10. to humbly repent VI their Sins. call on
the saviour for forgiveness. and refoim thsiI
lives
AZ might be supposed. language 20 bold frsu
. dsIicste striling. scarcely t~sniy-tvd
years Of ags, had . siariling snsct. the sudi-
.nce separated. and the preacher returned q
his slats-room. to think upon what hs hso
said. Conscious after due reflection that hs
had only done HE duty. he determined ut al
hazards TO maintain his position. even a. ths
.xp.nss Of being rudsiy s'sailed. II not ly nch-
ed While thus cog,,Ating. . rap vas hesus
81 HE state.room door, . gentleman entered
and stated that he cs..e vi. b . message fro"
the msmbers Of Corg, ess-tbat they had list
ened 10 h,s rsmarks, and In consideration o
b,s boldnsss and HE sloquspce. they dssirso
him to accept purse OF money which the,
had made 10 among tbcnsslvss. aud sls"
their best wisbss for his success and hsppinss,
through life.
But this chivslrous feeling. 90 characteristic
Of western u n when they meet bold ihough
and action combined. carried these gentlemen
to more positive acts Of kiDd0sss: becoming
acquainted With Mr. Milbnrn, when they ssp
ar.tsi from him. they offered the unsxps"t-
ed service Of making him Che plain 10 Oon-
gres,. a promise shlch they not ony fulfilled
but through the long years that havs psssso
away since that event. have cherished Tor thu
"bhud preacher the wsr0sst personal re
gard. and stand ever ready TO support him b.
|. rd aud deed.
His election 70 the office Of Chaplain Il
Congress. 90 honorably conferred. brought hin
before the nation, ard bis name became famil-
lar in every part Of the Union. Ills hssiti
stiil being dslioate. IN the year le47 he vsn'
south for the advantage OF . mild climate. aDe
took charge Of . church In Alabama For si,
y~srs he isbored 10 Mobi . ard Montgomer'
cities Of that S,sts. and 10 four years Of thst
time, preached ono thos'and FIVE hundr.t
time, aud travelled over six'y thousand m'lss
Ia the sumDei OF 1853 he csGs north and of
fered himself to the public ~ . lecturer IL
this overdons bus'nsss. Mr. Miiburn ~ ono
took . prs eminent position. and his socess
hss had no parallel. Selecting for his uhisot'
Life in the South. west. he had . field full q
rsmancs aud . most updsveloped. Alshougl
Of slender Of frame, he hss grsa, spdorsnc. o
body. ~hich jpinsd with bis tirm mind make
lin ono Of the r.sd,est and Oost ehsoiiv
public spsskers Of the country With suc'
80 instarce OF the poser of lsbor. and vsl
dirscsed industry. we rust that no youth
nov poor or 'gnorant. but with . noble m
1t on 10 his heart, vih ever give any plsc
10 encouragement. or ,isld up his faith i
the es,tsinty that he esn determine whst u
eompls xi,p and tenor OF HE lie shall be.
SEE advertisement Of store to rent il
Le Claire Rov.