Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-04-15
isteila
Hon. Owen Lovejoy.

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OWEN LoyEJoY of Illinois.
Mr.. Speaker, there are moments vher
we are arrested by the stern grasp of til,
thought that, in the pgrposes of the Al
mighty, man is as nothing. The carnes
worker, the brave fighter. the stroH4
thinker in the ripeneSs of his years and
the fHllncss of his powers. is stricken from
the field of his labor where his work seem,
but half done. lie departs and the cartl
knows him no more, but the work Of Got
goes on
We take satisfaction from his thought
as we pause beside this open grave, and
missing our friend and brother. loul, bacl,
10 see what he has done tc link his life
with ideas that are eternal. how he
wrought his life work. how he eDdurcd it,
burdens, how brave he was, how cheerful,
how hopeful when the skies were dark and
the tempest threatened, and how firmly
and calmly he met the shock when the
supreme moment came and anarchy made
its da@ger-tlrnst at the nations life.
speak Of this who from my hoyho0d
knew him we'll. OWEN L0yEJoY was a
native of Maine; born. reared almost
within the shadow of those mountains
where stern granite face locking ont
from the cif', imInoyable amid the rage Of
the elements, unchanged by the changing
seasons or the sweep Of years, seem Hke
Heavens impress set upon New England
character. The stock he came OF lal
met the dangers Of the wilderness and ot
war. They could take firm hold of an
idea. They could govern their lives ly 4
c0nEictiUn fhcV could dil for faith
No wonder. then, this man, with his lar@e
heart and busy brain, his strength of viii
and energy Of purpose, When he left Ne"
England for his western home at once tupli
rank among the man OF influence Wlo
sWaYed the minds 81 other mea and were
looked to as the cXnoacA;s Of their thoaghf
and feeling. Tie 5, npathv aud interest
of his native State followed lin to that
home not very remote from the spot where
his brothers HE had been sacrificed III
indicating fee speech and free press
TAase lcit tehiud leei.ed to see what he
world do. II any man could fear aul
ta!trr and tcmpoale IN upboldiag am uu-
popHiar causn. certainly he miEat after -
terrible au example d what the Dominant
ppYcf copld do. But he did ncitHef.--
, Goiag to l,laols 10 preach, he never tJTgat
to deHouuca die great crime Of the u&tion.
and HAT without stint. No doubt hi-
words lad l3rga influence III producing
( th, change of public sent nent When
called him from tAt rulpi; to The halls ot
legislation.
II was the beginning of the time of
transition. The I'D which had been
suAA il ohSeare places, and had grown
alnost m.Enawn, Was beginuiug 10 put
forth frui, ipr the harvest, Not only con-
sc,tuce and religion were protesting
against the wrongs Of slavery, iuy an clt-
/ l.gaaue.. common sense was teaching the
/ people th1tiu DENYING the rights Of others
/ they were losing their own. The encroach-
meuts OF the slave power became menacjng
and Mr.. LoyGJoY was the champion sent
( from his district to the Thrtv-FIith Con-
gres, to protect and oppose. How well
he did both Won know and the Hylltitudes
that mourn him to day through the length
/ aud breadth of the loyal States de not need
that should tell. BY word and deed, by
keen Wit and sharp lugic, by eloquent pa
tho> and most scathing denunciation he
made his presence felt here as few have
been felt, and sent his words like trump
et-bast to stir the hearts of those outside
these walls. And he was sngularly happy
that beginning amid so much OPP
position and contempt he lived to see the
monstroas wrong against which he had
vowed ccaS"css warfare humbled and
wounded to death.
think it must have been worth years
of common life to stand in this Hall as he
did on the memorable occasion referred to
hv his colleague Mr.. WAsuBt RNE. after