The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1869-01-22
JONESBOROUGH, TENN. FRIDAY .JANUARY %. lS69

1 1elG lnat his SANDS had nearly run day
by day we saw him borno into the
Hall upon the arms of youhg men,
weak as a child, but eager and aLten-
tive, whether the discussion turned
upon foreign or homo affairs. No sub
Iject was above bis grasp, none be-
meath his notico Treaty stipuIations
with great Power and tho salary Of
the humblcst clerk alike found in him
an advocate. Toward the close Of the
summer session nature made final
rally. For afew days the old viyacis
ty returned, the brilliant repartee and
unexpected sallies that all enjoyed so
much, He himself felt the renewal Of
strength and revival Of hope and
the future. 1t was the last glimmer
of the expiring flame. We had scarce
ly dispersed to our distant homes be-
fore the telegraph announced that no
was no more And so he passed away
in the mellow autumn ofhis age, hav-
ing lived to enjoy the ripened fruits of
the spring-time planting and summer
culture,
A maxim of one of the sages would
have us wait until the end of life be-
forespronouncirg it happy. A histo-
rian, closing the biography Of one of
the illustrious men Of his time, ex-
claims, in tho spirit of this maxim,
" tn zero feliG, non vitR taatuB2 Cldri-
tate, sed ettdn, 0pportVaitate mortis" If
o brilliant career be a happy one, and
if that career be brilliant, which, nm
aided by wealth, family. or powerful
friends, attains the front rank among
the great leaders of a great epoch aud
makes IL name for ban or blessing in
every household of tic land, then. in
deed, is this champion Of the onpress-
ed to be accounted happy. But thrice
happy in the opportune article of his
doath. Though the strength of man
hood was gone, the babble and drivel
OF dotage had not supervened. He
had seen his country emerge, after a
long and painful strife from the clouds
| and turmoil of civil war, and resume
her place among the nations, freer,
| richer, stronger happier, and moro
honored than before entering upan
new era of prosperity and growth,
excelling them all in the splendor of
her renown, even as one star excelleth
another star in glory The principles
for which he had eontended through q
heightened life had been recognized
| and adopted, His life work was done.
and who shall say it had not been done
| well z The SoE of David has said
| there is,a time to die; time when
to die is better than to live; aud for
tunate are they who are summoned at
this auspicious moment, permitted to
attain the full measure Of their use
fulness TO mankind.
| Tho character of Mr.. Stevens I shall
not attempt, To his life long friends
its delineatioD will be work of pa.
thetic pride; / leave it 20 them, re-
marking upon twotraits which seemed
very proRinont. The first was man
liness as opposed to cff-minacy. Not
his
The Dorian mood
OF flutes and son recorders"
Flo evinced little respect for mere taste
and refinement and dclicacy and Iuxn-
ry and sentiment and The whole chap
ter Of exquisitism, but delighted rath
er 10 the sturdier qualities of the
heart and mind. The other trait was
his exceeding liberality, extending
alike to all, to the thankful and tho
evil as well as to the grateful and the
deserving. Where could be found
more unseltish friend? And never,
surely, was there more generous foe.
Oppression and distress never appeal
ed to him in vain. The humblest ob
scurity did not escape his notice. Op.
! position TO slavery was moral neces-
sity of his nature. As legislator he
was liberal to such a degree that his
political associates deemed It ncees.
sary to provide counterpoise in ma.
lures lees impulsive and sympathetic.
His last eifort in the House, if l mis-.
| eAhO hObI Wdolah opppaA Abt aii q IillIO-
priation to the public charities of the
District of Columbia Those who
knew him in tho private walks of life
bear testimony to his own continual
and sbounding charity, and charity
shall cover tho multitude Of sins"
We cannot wonder, therefore, that
pious hands were there to close bis
dying eyes, making iutercession with
Heaven in his behalf, or that in the
supreme hour devoted women should
administer the holy ehrism, efficacious
let us hope, beyond the teaching of
our creeds. Il
TO most men there comes, sooner
or later, period Of inaction, Of inca
pacity for further progress when the
world seoms to them incapable of be-
coming any better, and every change
is dreaded as likely to DO for the worse.
This is the period Of conservatism, and
usually comes With gray hairs and
failing eye-sight. IL oonverses with
the past and distrusts the future. It's
look is backward and not forward -
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