The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1866-02-07
LANCASTER G. H., S. c., FEB, 7, 1866.
Great Men of the Past.

A correspondent Of Chicago Journal,
who has lately visited the national capi-
tsl pays an eloquen. tribute to the three
g'eat men whose presence and influence
are now SO sadly missed 10 the halls of
Congress. We can easily imagine tue
emotions Of au old visitor Of the Capitol,
who, after many years, comes back to
that magnificent structure, but misses
that which was its chief glory, the illus
trious statesmen, whose broad, A,Ian,eau
shoulders were fitted to bear the burthep,
OF empire. Architectural skill may raise
a more gorgeous editlce than that of the
simpler days Of the Republic, tut where
Is the Promethean spark that shall re
lume the light Of those fires of genius
which once made it the glory Of the
earth The casket may be more spleo.
did, but the gems which gave it it. chief
There was something even in the per,
sona' presence Of Webster, Calhoun and
Clay which attracted the observation Of
a stranger. The massive form Ct Web.
s,er, the imperial brow, the solemn re.
pose Of the classic features, Ii, up by those
'us'rous, cavernous eyes; the iron phvsi
quo OF Calhoun the graceful, spirited,
cb'ralric person Of Clay. ch halleng.d the
attention OF strangers visiting the Senate.
IL needed no one to point them out to
those who did not know them. The
hand OF Nature had stamped upon each
the unpistakable mark Of men born 10
lead and command. Whom they prap
Piled each other in debate, it was q war
OF giants Yet, it is a rsmssksble fact
thst these. me three greatest Americans
that have lived in tho modern days Of tho
Hepublic, we're never elevated to tho
Presidency. IL they were ambitious TO
obtain the highest honor, Of the Repub
iic-snd no one had better n . ht to in.
du'gs auch aspirat'ons-'hey wen, down
to the grave disappointed men. aud, SO
lar "a their personal elevation to the
highest official dignilies was concs rned.
might ~ we'll hxvs been subject. OF q
European monarchy a. citizens Of the
American Rsprblic.
Undoubtedly, the career which each
ran, long so brilliant in fame aud iuau
sncs. wss sadly darksnsd towards it's
close. The sun, which has risen 40 An.
spiciously, aud travelled in such nigh,
aid splendor through the frman,ep,.
went down shorn Of its brightness and
snvsloPei by melancholy clouds. Butt,
WAS the disappointment of = dseper and
nobler passion than personal ambition
that darksnsd the last days Of the most
''lustr'ous patriots Of a former era. Their
prophetic vision bsbsld the ca!ami,ies
which we're impending over their coun
try, and whoever else may have been
blind to the signs Of the coming storm, no
one can doubt that the experienced ma.
nnsrs who had so long struggled 10 avert
1t, felt, with pang as keen as that of
death, that the labor Of their lives was
lost, ard that thsir own funeral dirges
would scarce have ceased before the shin
OF State would 60 to pieces. and the roar
Of the breakers sing a Dalion's requiem.
IL these great and patriotic Americans
could once more 70 visit the scene. Of
then ancient renown, how would they
struggle to bind up the wounds which tho
war has made, and to build that Union
which their lives illustrated upon foupda
tions which the vicissituds, and conyuI
s'ons OF time could never change.
WHAT 1T Gears IN S,,p N,o.s