North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1867-02-20
EULOGY
OF SENATOR BUCKALEW,
ON THE DEATH OF HON. PHILIP JOHNSON.

| ON THE DEATH OF HON. PHILIP JOHNSON.
Mr. BUCKALEW. Mr.. President, I
have certain resolutions to present to the
Senate for adoption consequent upon the
information just received from the House
| of Representatives. Before submitting
those resolutians, however, | must say
few words which ] think appropriate to
| the occasion.
PHILIP JOHNSON, Representative in the
other House from the eleventh congresslon-
al district of Pennsylvania, is no more
The House of which he was a member
has adopted appropriate resolutions to do
honor to his memory, and to express. so
far as anv expression BY them can 60, their
sincere coincidence with his wife and
friends over the great bereavement which
they have suffered. | embrace the op-
portunity to express some words, suited to
the occasion, and they will be words, not
OF warm or extravaeant euogy. but of sin
cere regard and Of genuine respect for the
character and memory of the deceased.
Mr.. Johnson was born 10 Warren coun-
ty, in the State of New jersey, on the 17th
of January, 1873 When quite Young he
removed with bis father to Northampton
county, Pennsylvania, where he has ever
| since resided. He was student of and
received his education at La Fayette col
lege, located at Easton, in that county
Subsequently, like many, perhaps ma
iority of the members doing service in the
Senate and House, he was teacher OF
| youth, aud served tor two Years in that
capacity. Atterward he was student at
law, and was think in lS48, admitted to
practice in the several couits of Northamp-
| ton county.
In 1868 he was elected to the House Of
| Representatives of the Legislature of my
State, and was reelected in the year fol-
lowing, having thus two years of service
in that body. 10 1860, just before the
commenc, ment of our unrxampled ditfirul-
ties and sutfcrings in this country, he was
elected from his congressional district to
the national House of RrpreSentatives.-
He was again elected in 1862, and still
again elected in 1864, though more than
| two elections to that branch of Congress
is unusual in the yractice Of my State, |
think that habit which the people of that
tate, and many other States have fallen
into is All exceedingly Objectionable one.
However, this is not the occasion to dis
russ it. Mr.. johnson was returned tor a
third time, the people of his district thus
deyiating in his favor from the ordinary
political rule among the people of Penn.
iyvania in tie election Of members to the
other House.
Almost at the end of his third term he
has been struck down. e will no longer
move among us to give his counsel or to
utter those words of encouragement which
are as necessary in pablo As in private life
10 the honest and faithful discharge duty.
Mr.. johnson was my fliend, and he ex
hiblted that friendship ON more occasions
than one. Ii is therefore duty III which
regret and pleasure are mingled to stand
forward aud cat upon his bier an offering
Of scme few, poor words.
The closing of life career, especially Of
one which has been passed under pub ic
obser, atlon, is well calcu atcd to arrest the
attention and to subdue the PASSIONS of the
human breast. We know that we are al
the dark valley and experience new condI-
tious OF existence in a future state aud
naturally we feel concern and interest III
the character and fate of the traveller who
precedes us. Human sympathy is reused
in contemplating h!s departure from among
us to that bourne from whence none have
returned to reveai TO Us the dread secrets
of the future such occasions as this al
lay passions, because they render the con-
tests of the tine insignificant in our eyes
They are made to appear to us As the ac-
cidents of an imperfect life, utterly unwor-
thy of comparison with those transcendant
possibilities which lie hidden beyo"d the
portals of death What We can effect in
this life we will be apt to think must apprar
of little moment in the eye OF thea Deity,
under whose power are the gates of life
and of d, ath; who openeth and no man
shutteth, and shulteth and no man open
eth; iu whose presence we are as the dust
in the balance, and our proudest works as
naught.
Come, We proud and lofty ores of the
earth whose eyes are lifted up and before
whom men make abject obeisance. Be
hold the end of life, to which yon are dcs-
tined in common with the humble>t and
weakest of men! Will you not perceive
in the august presence of death that wealth
is nothing and fame but empty sound,
and that your ordinary cares and la
bors are but vanity andvexatiOn of spirit!
But thanks be unto God, whose power
and presence fill alike the earth and the
heavens, that He hath established a moral
government for the world, and that what
soever is excellent and true and noble and
just is pleasing in His sight and accordant
to His will And that even finite man,
IN his low estate. may in some measure
gIorify His government aud His laws.
Our departed associate had earnestness
of conviction and sincerity Of soul. He