Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-09-28
THE LATE ALDERMAN sLAkcYg
A Tasteful Tribute to His Worth:

The following tribute to the memory
and virtues of the late John CLANCY, for 8
number OF years a member of the city
government, is furnished by Col. Henry
Henry T. Hubert, who was long associat.
ed with the subject of this deserved eulo-
GUM. The recent accession of Col. HUI
bert to the Board of Councilman accounts
for the present publication, and renders
it peculiarly appropriate:
G~LANCY.-The city mourns. Death
stalks in her Council halls, and the iron
hand knocks loud at the doors of her OH
cial power. Answering knell peals to
knell, and two of her rulers-GLANCY,
SMITH-stricken down in the might OF
their manhood, are borne to "where the
rude forefathers of the hamlet Sleep" 1t
cannot be deemed an unseemly obtrusion
to recall to a generous public the memory
and virtues of who was of them, and
so long filled so large space in her admin
istrative councils, and 'twere mete that
the utterances of a friendship marked by
twenty years, and an official association OF
six, should be thus gratefully expressed.
John CLANCY was a man of no ordinary
mark; of humble but hon
est ~parentage, he rose triumphantly
above the condition of the one
while maintaining consistently the pres
tige of the other. A poor boy, tits true
poverty sat grinning at his birth; comfort
and competency smiled genially at his
death. Overcoming obstacles before which
weaker and less resolute spirits would
have quailed, he literally hacked his way
to that success which ever crowns earnest,
honest, persistent effort, backed by
dauntless resolution. OF limited educa-
ton, the blessings of which none more
highly esteemed, and the denial of which
caused none more bitter regret; yet, with
a clear, vigorous aud ever active mind, he
attained and worthily filed positions of
trust, often denied to those Wanting the
polish of the schools. Frank in his man
ners, earnest in his friendship, almost in
capable of enmity, he commanded the
unwavering confidence of a constitu-
ency he so long and earnestly
served. Monuments of these labors
will long mark the improvements
originating in and pressed to completion
by his tireless efforts: He was honest.
Salient examples of the grander virtues
stud the historic page. Abdiel was faith
full; Regulus was patriotic; Aristides
Just; he of whom we speak, not with in
vidious comparison or remote parallel,
was honest. HONEST JOHN CLANCY"
epitomizes his life. He was charitable,
signalling the chiefest OF virtues as pro-
nounced by the regal apostle. An Illus
trative incident recurs. During the term
Oh Ills DuDllC stINltbs SDRIdNtu uBOu Ills
door-plate was his name and official desig-
nation-tot the over-censorious and carping
deemed svincive of unseemly pride or
official os~tentation. Twas neither; but
the mute, silent, yet eloquent indicator,
pointing the poor ma 10 the home Of the
Door mans friend, where charity chal-
lenged answered with ready hand and
genial smile, divesting the act of its for
bidding features, and causing the humble
recipient to stand unabashed, aye, right
royalty, in the presence of the benign
benefactor. Bat the sweep of the scythe
is relentless, and he has passed away.
The wife of his bosom, and the children
of his heart, in mournful retrospeetion
will oft recall the radiance of a smile,
which for them never faded, and yearn
for a love the intensity of which cordOned
their being with a tireless care. Sigh
they will, and sigh again,
"For the touch of a vanished hand,
And the sound of a voice hat is still"
But let them be of good cheer. Hope on
hope ever. Infinite Mercy cannot err, and
He that temper the wind and rides the
doeth all things well. The hus-
band and father honestly lived, peace
fully died, supported with the consOla-
and in the full communion of the
holy Catholic Church-the church whose
monumental grandeur speaks throughout
all time, embraces all eternity. Peace to
his ashes. Msythe sod press lightly upon
4 bosom so generous; and may b chart
lies of his life rise in his vindication be-
fore an Eternal Justice like a holy holO-
in the last array of the issues of
sternity.
This simple flower / cast upon his grave.
tbs the last tribute of the grateful Lying
20 the honored and worthy dead.