The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-27
General Blafr, the New Missouri Sen.
atOr-Whne Manner Of MAN He Hs.

| General Blair. the New Missouri Sen.
ator-Whne Manner Of MAN He Hs.
We confess that we have been agreeably
surprised to read the eulogies of General
Blair which were uttered at the public dim
ncr given to him in St. Louis last Saturday.
Governor Brown avowcd himself Repub-
lican, but said of Gen. Blair:
!, for one, have known him long and well.
was amongst his earliest compeers in this
State in the fight for freedom. and I might
also say, in the language of the poet, that
we were in that fight ...
1.-TWO souls with but single thought,
Two hearts that teat MS one"
Immense enthusiasm and cheers.1 We went
through that fight together, and brought it
to the point Of victory. When we separated
1t was on the dividing line. He took the
side of the vanquished, and of the victo-
riois.
Now, my friends and fellow-citizens, I
merely wish to say that it is perfectly I'M
whom you have elected to one of the high
est offices in the land-to represent Missouri
in the United States Senate-and myself oc-
cupy relatively distinctive positions. He is
a member of the Democratic party, while
am enrolled among the Republican party.
ICheers.l | desire to say that whilst the diff
icrcnces between parties are shading down,
and while some of my Republican friends
| find it difficult to determine exactly where
they stand-[applause and laughter]-1 in
tend to go up on the high ground on the
other side, and my friend, MIR. Blair, will go
up on the high ground on the side oppo-
site, where he can view his whole party.
But apart from that wish to bear this
testimony, as have been co-laborer with
the honorable gentleman in many OF his
| nast actions, as / served with him in the
| legislature, and have been cognizant to
large extent of his actions, wish to bear
this distinguished testimony, that for perfect
purity of character, for perfect courage OF
character, he has not an equal in tho United
States. During a long period OF public
life that has tried both of us, he on one side
and on the other, say that his integrity
has stood all the tests, all the Vaccinations
of political appliances in the land. know
that when he goes to the Senate to repre-
sent you there he will represent you as Il
faithful man, conscientious in his opinions,
determined in his ideas, and pure IN his
character
So far as the great State of Missouri is con-
cerned, so far as our common interests
apart from politics are concerned, so far as
those matters of western commerce, west
ern industry and enterprise, l do not be.
iieve that in all this broad land, if you had
selected man from the whole scope OF the
Valley Of the Mississippi, you could have
selected one who could more truly en-
trelv, and bravely represent the West than
General Blair. [Cheers.l
Ex-senator Henderson also spoke. He
said he differed with General Blair in many
things. But he also said:
am sorry that his other competitors are
not here toni ght, for | aln satisfied they
would speak of him as speak of him. We
were scarcely competitors against Blair.
SIR, he is iuvincible.
General Blair, the gentleman you meet
to honor. deserves fully all the considcra-
ton implied in this splendid entertain
ment. was one of his competitors for the
place he now holds, but in the contest
was treated with kindness by all, by the
public press, by the members of the LegiS-
laturc, and by the people of the State, and
no one treated me with more marked kind
ness and consideration than General Blair
himself. Those who Intimately know Gen.
Blair expected nothing less. He is a man
of decided opinions, earnest, Jealous, with
great intellect and purpose, and such men
must make enemies. They are the men
who commit errors in the common language
Of the world, but at last they are the only
men on earth who achieve great and SUBJ
stantial good for mankind. In social life he
possesses that magnetism which draws
around him friends, and holds them as with
"hookS OF Steel" AS was said of the good
Antonio,
"a kinder gentleman treads not the earth"
Should he fail to meet the expectations Of
his friends, (but to Gen. Blair there never