The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-10-07

singing his sensitive, impatient and proud
nature. and blasting. as by a flash OF
i.ghtn'ng, what be regarded as his great
'e-hope, caused him to seek relief by
quaffug at the poison-f fount at which mil
died. o'"e' anu
but Thomas F. MarshalPs epirit did
not perish. His genius was like Greek
nre' nothing could guench it. Though
ne never wholly oyeIcaue, for any great
length OF time. even by his most resolute
aud determined efforts, bis one upfo.tun.
ate habit, he became very distinguished
man. He pursued the practices Of lav
10 this city for several years. commene.
ing perhaps in 1881, bnt with oply pa,tial
success, his irregularities being an obstacle
that even bis great abilities conld not
wholly surmount. 1t was chiefly a. a
political speaker that he distinguished
himself here, and unques,ionably be
Teigned without a rival. Every man who
lived here then and still survives has a
VIVID and glowing remembrance of his
displays OF power. Men thipk of him and
muse upon him as be appeared 10 them in
The ioug past. and they fancy themselves
gsz'og upon a bright star seen through a
golden haze. lie vas sent BY this city to
the State Legislature, We think 1891. and
IN that body he made many speeches.
some OF which ~oulj have been regarded
as great and rernarksbie in any delibera.
tive or other nssemblage in the world
D me years afterwsrd he went from the
Ashland district to Congress, and, by his
brilliant though erratic display in tha-
body. be attracted tue attertion Of the
country. and although he probably failed.
from rer-ooal and political alterations.
ne at least commanded universal simlra.
Ton, mingled Ia most instances with deem
regret that such noble Intellectual ener-
sies as he possessed should not make their
esg'e-home IN the high, pure air Of truth
aud patriotism sod statesmanship, instead
OF stopping often among the thick foys
.and the reeking iens Of reckless aud even
narrow par is.a>h'p
We never III cur lives listened TO an
orator whc, in cur op:n.on, had greater
resources - debate ihsn Thos. +. Mar
sball. They we're inexhaustibIe, and rem
fered him uaconqperable. If he couldn't
sE1csei Ain one Wearon, he would try
another, tor ell wesp9as were at his com.
mend. lie had a wonderful knowled,e of
The UoFic history and the political his
tory Of the United States; he had iirbt-
ning eye TO detect weak point in al an.
tagon;@t, and the io'u..inn to strike il with
unerring and fatal precision; ard be pos.
sessed oil The varied powers OF vii. humor,
e'oq1ence pathcs and logic. He scattered
his gems OF every klhd around him On all
occasions aimos. as profusely as Nature
scalters her foae5 seeds. Bat his taste
sIt judgment were not unfreGuen,iy at
fault lie was sometimes low when be
should have been lofty, and often coarsely
or gFoiesqueiy humorous when be should
have been great. We think that the pub (
lie misunderstood the character of his
mind, and that even be, TO some extent,
mistook 1t himself. The people seemed
to think, and SO did be. tha. his greatest
powers were wiz, humor, fancy, poetry,
elcqueuce. He had al these, but bis
chief power was none OF these; it was sr-
gument, logic-stern, inexorsbla, cast
steel logic. His other powers, gres. as
they were, served bat as adornmenis of
the limbs Of his gian, logic.
"Poor Toms a-cold,' says one Of the
characters Of king Lear with singular
psthos. And We can feehugIy repeat the
humble but touching phrase. The ever
bounding heart is cold and still. The
burning volcano is quenched. TA5 ashes
aud memory alone reGssin.