New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-08
MEMORIAL ADDRESS.


county, New York, one Sabbath day. A
crowd filed the house and swarmed arouud
it. Among the outside worshipers noticed
flaxen haired boy, whose riveted attention
to my sermon led me to speak to him after
the service closed. He was a stranger to
me, but the timid, shrinking lad gave me his
hand, and we were friends. Tonight, in
this far off southern city, unite with you,
my fellow citizens, in testimony of respect
and esteem for that lad since, and until
lately known as the Hon. S. S. Fish, late
member of the Louisiana Senate.
Stephen Selby Fish was born July 10,
1887. Before the age Of manhood he united
with the Baptist church on profession of
faith in Christ, and thus became member
of the church militant. Four years after
dier in the Seventeeth New York Infantry,
United States army, for two years, and
served with the Army of the Potomac. One
year after this he was admitted to the bar
as counselor at law, in Rochester, New
York. In 1865 he became citizen of New
Orleans, was admitted to the bar of Louis
lana, and was, for time, the law partner
of Judge Dibble, now of the Eighth Dis
trict Court. In November last he was
elected member of the Senate for the
First ~ District, of Orleans parish, for four
years. He was also appointed to the highly
responsible post of secretary of the consoli-
dated desk, which made him custodian of
the bonds of the four corpora tions, now
united. His ever faithful discharge of duty,
and his fidelity to trust, were at once a
demonstration of his virtue as a citizen, and
of the wise choice of those he represented
in public life.
Thus, in brief paragraph, his short and
honorable career as public man is summed
up. The indices thus given afford matter
for more detailed remarks, to which ask
brief attention.
The period of his short career was crowd
ed with events of immense Importance, of
which he was not an idle spectator. Ten
years only measure the time from his en-
istment as private soldier in the Union
army to the day of his death; then Senator
of State whose secession, with other
States. had periled that soldiers life in
many hard fought field. So wond pous are
the compensations of an overruling Provi-
dence in the affairs of men. That he fairly
confidence his warmest friends placed in
him, will be manifest by reviewing his per-
sonal character.
He was from early Life purely virtuous
and truly pious person. Although deprived
of a mothers care in early childhood, he
had one of those precious dispensations of
Gods goodness, known as pious grand
mother. She was personal acquaintance
and friend of mine. Her impress was very
distinctly made upon his youthful mind.
After he united with the Baptist church
in Williamson, New York, he never for
feited aor removed his church relation.
Coming to New Orleans, he was identified
with, but not a member of the Coliseum
while under the care of the
lamented lothian Horton, who was, with
himself, victim of the July ma assacre of
1866. But the subsequent reorganization of
that church was upon basis which Mr.
Fish did not approve, and he never re-
moved to it his membership from the
North. With true liberty of Christian fel
lowship, and from a preference for that
which is loyal and true, through evil and
good report, he presented himself publicly
at this altar during my pastorate, and as
Baptist asked to be taken Under Methodist
Regularly thereafter he COM
muned with MS as Christian brother.
And when he died, two church records lost
a name, while Paradise won soul which
Him who sitteth as a refner and purifier of
silver.
He was patriot and soldier of disinter
ested devotion and unfinching courage.
Forever blessed, of perpetual dominion:
and gloriously immortal, is that nation
whose SONS by the million answer promptly
the stern call of duty, and bare their backs
to the burden and their breasts to the
flaming hail storm of battle. And such
nation is America. For every one of her
field cheerfully said, by their voluntary
sacrifice, ''it is expcdient for us that we
should die for the people that the whole
nation perish not"
And the most unselfsh devotion is that
exhibited by a private soldier, who has
little or no opportunity for becoming dis
and yet bears the KNAPP sack for
years. and moves cheerfully on in the ranks.
These are the unnamed demi-gods of our
nation. Revering the tabled story of the
mother bird who plucked out her own blood
for her brood, these children of the country
fed their mother with their health and
strength and life, and renewed her vital
power.
1t was my fortune, the first year of my
army life, to have encamped on the same
fields, and to be marshaled in the same
ines of battle where Selby Fish bravely
bore his part. know the wretchedness of
she camping grounds near Alexandra.
Virginia, from which he was borne away
10 the hospital, and suffered an exhaustive
Uphold fever for weeks. You who have
'een him with slight, trembling form, slow
md painful step. pale face and ashen lips,
parted SO piteously to speak even in
whisper tones, would not have known the
brave young soldier when he laid himself
lpcn the altar of his country. His vigor-
,us, stalwart frame was clothed with
ugged muscle, weighing one hundred and
twenty-five pounds, anf gave promise of |
hree score years and ten. Yet he died at
hirty -four. More than hslf life time
gas the tax ha Maid toward the fraednna