The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-01-01
a great beacon. light on the stormy ocean

great beacon-light on the stormy ocean
OF life. '-i.1 'i.- ''''''
The men Of wealth in modern times in
the main devote their means either to
influence the councils and regulate the
| financial operations of empires and king.
doms, it may be of republics, or to in
crease their rentals, their great incomes,
and enseonce themselyes luxuriously in.
turretted end gorgeous homes, when the
poor and the suffering all around them,
even at the very doors Of their gilded
palaces, are crying ont in vain for chari-
ty. Let these, and the men of our own
country especially, behold an examplar in
this noble citizen, and take lesson from
his life. His munificent hand found
work In two great se0sions OF the globe,
his native and our mother country.
He has reared great institutions of
learning and charity; has strengthened
the hand of the laborer in his toll; raised
the widow and the orphan from their
desolation, and, has made comfortable
the homes and cheered the hearts of
thousands. And although he lived part
of his life, made the bulk of his fortune,
and died in England. yet his heart ever
turned with filial and fraternal affection
to his native land. He was indeed pa-
triot. loved his whole country and all his
countrymen, and in the great civil war
which so lately rent our land and
estranged fhe hearts of our people, he
looked with sorrow upon the scene, Low.
ing and plying both sections; and when
he came among us after the strife, some
even still nursing the embers OF the fires
OF war, his heart was large enough for
all, and he turned instinotively his melt
ing eyes to the weaker side, the unfottu-
nate and the distressed, and blessed them
with his gracious munificence. His chari-
ties fell like the dews of heaven, upon
the just and the unjust, the loyal and
the disloyal.
mBlest is the man whose softenng heart
Feels ail aDother's pain,
To whom tho snpplicating oye is never raised
To gentle Offices oflove his feet arc never slow,
He views through mercy's melting eye a
brother in foe."
But. sir, I will not enlarge upon his
virtues, his gooal and glorious benefac-
tions; the world knows them; thousands
OF lips have sung his praise, thousands
of glowing hearts have twined their ever
verdant tendrils around his brow. and
thousands OF grateful hands have strewn
flowers In his pathway to the tomb.
L have said this much from no per-
oO4oA huoWlChBo VI IuC ubu. = uaVo
never seen the form in which was en-
bodied so much of human excellence.
never touched the hand which doled out
such riches to the poor, or loked into the
eyes which so often wept at others woes;
but desired as Southern man to ex-
press my admiration of his character and
| to pay the poor tribute of my praise to
this son of New England. Massachu-
sets may we'll be proud of her offspring,
! but she cannot alone claim him; he be-
longs in part to both hemispheres of the
globe, and his fame is rich inheritance
to their people forever, The poor of
London have knelt and worshipped at
his shrine, the great OF England have
bowed at his bier and honored him with
tomb among her illustrious dead in
Westminster Abbey.
The Emperor of France and the Bri-
tish Queen have signalized their respect
by sending feet to escort his remains
to his native land. Can we do loss, Mr..
Speaker, than authorize tie head of our
Government to perform becoming part
in the obseqnies Of our great fellow-citi-
gen2 Let fleet go from our shores that
will bcdeck the sea in splendor, reflect
ing the light from Heaven and gludden-
ing the angels Of God that lead on the
convoy of our renowned philanthropist.
In thus honoring him, we but honor our
selves. Weelevute our humanity and "fay
mp treasures in Heaven, where neither
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where
thieves do not break through nor steal"
1 trust, sir, that these resolutions will
meet with no denial in this House, but
be unanimously adopted. They do sim
pie justice to one who has adorned the
history of our country and filed the
measure of mans usefulness on earth.
George Peabody has accomplished glo1
rious mission, and his fame already rise6
to the sublime. He could have said while
living, with more truth than any pSet
that ever sung or mortal that ever spokb-
'Exegi monumentum Hre pcrennius."
He bnilt o monument in every Chris
tiau heart. and every tongue in Chris
tendon should sing q reauiom/ to his
name. ''"
A Washington letter of Monday says:
"Our colored brethren here have organ
lied 9 National' Bafeau OF Labor, and