The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-05-02
SENATOR pIAHp,s,2Ex


proceeding approved by my judgment and
most grateful to my feelings. The commit
tee has requested me to present their report
to you, which I will now d., with few
words which my heart insists upon utter
ing. The deceased was well known TO me
before met him in this Senate. We served
together through the long, the exciting, ana
important labors Of the Constitutional Co!-
vention which framed the existing organic
law for Virginia. / labored, day Dy aayi
with all the energy Of my mental ana mora mora
being to resist and prevent the po,.C,ssI
aims and efforts sought to he accomp1nlsLh ed
thus most, favorable opportunity to ODD
serve the intellectual and moran chaiae'oi-
istics of the deceased. e.
" And now, here, standing IS we 40 IN
mental view of his freshly-made grave, de-
sire to record my testimony that, anna az Inc
STRUGGLES. and trials, and temptations OF tnat
eventful session, never witnessed an ACT
NOR heard word from him unworthy OF an
honest and true man, laboring to achieve
what he believed to be politically and NOR
ally right. 49,.
has been heightened by his official course
and his personal conduct and dcmeanor IN
this body.
"While he has asserted and claimed,
with manly but modest courage, what he
deemed just and eXpedicnt for the welfare OF
his own race, he has been considerate of and
resnectful towards the views and interests
of the white race, and we have all been Inn
pressed with the conviction that he has
faithfully endeavored to promote the true
and permanent welfare of both.
ssWhen such man is severed from his
associates by sudden and terrible death, IL
becomes us to pause moment TO conslder
his virtues, to testify to his worth, and eX-
press our sense OF our peTeaVelnen: ouI
shall we read Alright the lesson sent US IN
this awful visitation if we regard only Its
temporal aspects, however grave and Affect
ing? Is there nothing to reflect upon Dut
the loss of friend? the loss Of a useful cltl-
zen and public servant? What are the
things of time and sense now TO our de-
parted associate? How soon may all these,
for which we now strive and toll, cease from
US foreyerl 1t is but few fleet hours ago
that our friend was here, full OF life, ana
hope, and expectation, with the seeming
Where is he now? Amid the eternal Verl-
ties of another world Who can say at
what hour we shall follow him? Are we
prepared for the solemn and eternal change!
Have we, as rational, as immortal beings,
piyen heed to this inmeaSuraDle ana par
amount duty Do we not realize in such
experiences as confront us the emphatic
warming, "What is our life? 1t is even as
yapor which appeareth for little time, and
then vanisheth away!" Will we consent
to occupy our souls with the objects, the
themes, the thoughts Of time, and fail to
seek, to consider, to heed, and to attain the
things which make for our eternal peace?
"Whereas JAMES W. D. BLAND, repre-
sentative in this body f,om the fourteenth
senatorial district, lost his life by the APPALLING
in this Capitol on the 9th in
slant: and whereas the deceased had Won
the esteem and kind regard Of every sena-
tor by the intelligence, cand0r, and conclll-
atory spirit which he exhibited in perform
ing his official duties by his constant CO.
operation in all measures tending in his
Judgment to promote tue welfare alike OF
the white and Of the colored races, and his
earnest efforts to draw the two races into
relations Of mental benefit and good will
therefore
"Resolyed, 1. That this body sincerely
and deeply laments the untimely decease of
this Senator, and considers his removal
from the Senate at this juncture of the
affairs of the State grave public loss. |
ss2. That this body tenders its earnest
coincidence to the family Of the deceased in
their sudden and sore bereavement, and dl-
reefs that the clerk OF the senate transmit
to them copy of these resolutions.
s'3. That us further token Of respect to
the memory of the deceased, the Senate do
now adjourn
Mr.. MAss1E moved that the resolutions be
received, and presented the following re-
marks:
"Mr. Presldent,-Deathh has invaded our
precincts, and the mysterious dSpensatlons
of Providence been manifest about US. The
tidings of the mournful event which we
have to commemorate have been already
heraIdcd to every hamlet of our wide
spread land, and generous hearts from q
distance mingle their regrets with ours. l
rise, sir, not to contribute to q mere cere-
mony, or conform to any public eXpecta-
ton, and upon so solemn al occasion desire
to do little more than express the sentl-
ments of sympathy and regret which fill my
heart. I will leave to others more able and
eloquent the duty of presenting the dis,
features which mark the life and
character of Senator Bland. 1t is sincere
regard for his personal worth which
prompts me to unite my voice with yours
in this mournful requiem to his memory.
A lust and high sense OF honor seemed to
mark his public and private character. We
have found him mingling moderation with
firmness, and proper respect for the OPT
Mons of those who differed with him.
"He was equal to all the duties to which
he attained. and was never above them
amid all the fluctuations Of public senti-
ment and the mutations Of party. He trod
the difficult and devious paths to political
preferment successfully, and yet he kept his
robes unsoiled by the vile mire which so
often pollutss the way. He pursued the
path OF duty by the light OF principle, and
diving, leaves behind him an example of con-
sistency and public virtue from which the
aspirant for worldly honor may draw an IN
structive lesson. His life is Il beautiful IL
Illustration of the truth that the line Of duty
is alike the path of safety and the way to
honor. 1t was the acknowledged rectitude
of his intentions, ard the Uniform urbanity
of manner which marked not so much the
man of conventional breeding as the true
gentleman at heart. He was no sophist to
himself, and hence it was that he was truth
full and sincere to all the world.
"The brief span Of his existence covered
some of the most remarkable events in
our history. The dawn of his early man.
hood witnessed the marvellous experiment
of liberating and enfranchsing his race.
Emerged from the misty domain of specu-
lation the experiment assumes the form and
semblance of philosophic truth. He wit
messed the emerging of his race politically
from chrysalis state to the full blown con-
dition OF sovereign party, loyal to the
Union, which gave them slch an existence,
and which, under the nurturing appliances
of intellect and industry, must still farther
deyelope them. Not to adventurous cir
cumstances, or to the chances of birth or
fortune, was he indebted either for the dis
tinction to which he arose in public life or
to the grace which adorned his private cha
racter. Life and its busy scenes on this
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