National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-10-26
aEatiunal gepnblifau
STATUE OF GENERAL BAKER.
ITS EARLY COMPLETION BY DR.. Ho
ID mo. or,~nTr

RATIO STONE.
The rough draught Of the marble statue Of
the late Senator Baker, of Oregon, who, it
! will be remembered, was killed in leading the
forlorn hope at the DISASTROUS field of Balls
Bluff, October 81, 1851, to be executed by our
national sculptor, Horatio Stone, by order Of
Congress, is, we learn, soon to arrive from
Italy. 1t is of the purest marble possible to
be obtained. Upon its arrival Dr. Stone will
proceed to perfect it, and it viii probably Be-
completed and placed in position previor "
the final adjournment of the Forty-third Co =
gress.
ApropOs of this highly-deseryed and hail
some tribute of Congress to one styled by one
of his eulogists in the nationwide OBJ ECU IS Of
this eminent patriot, at San Franc,scJ, the
Hon. Edward Stanley, of North Carolina, after
ward Military Governor of that State, s4the
most remarkable man of modern times" we
append the following extracts from two of his
famous speeches delivered on the Pacific coast
during the early days of its settlement, when
free government was struggling to emerge
from the iron hand of the pro-slavery OIL
garchy. They better serve to fully Illustrate
the true character Of the man that the artist
is expected to perpetuate than would any
shCtCn Judb duOLueE pen COulu write. One OF
these extracts at least Is now printed for the
first time east of the Rocky mountains. These
sentiments were uttered at a time and under
circumstances which 'tried mems souls'' and
invested their sayings with the earnestness Of
inspiration and the truthfulness of prophecy.
hon. Ihomas Fitch, in q speech delivered in
san francisco IN 1862, said: ''As an eXtempOre
orator, Senator Baker was at the time of his
death unsurpassed, and, perhaps, uneuuaIled
in the nation. Some passages in his speeches
will live as long as our language, and perhaDs'
be quoted in our schOolGOOks as models of
style. He was at once a powerful descriptive
speaker, an earnest, imprisoned speaker, and
a brilliant imaginative speaker. Who that has
read it can ever forget passage in his speech
made at Forest Hill, in August, 1853, descrip-
tive Of the Democratic party! Iremember the
time, Wing as Twas said he, when watched
with an irresistible thrill of enthusiasm the
great Democratic professions as they marched
through the town: and cities in which 1 So
journed. l myself felt in them the power of
the people. l knew what mighty Organiza-
ton was Democracy in her great and palmy
days. Her hosts filed along, marshaled by her
grand old generals, bearing aloft her trophies,
declaring her victories. On every hand hung
her banners; they hung from the outer walls
OF many an tmp[egnGble castle. Cheer upon
cheer greeted her soldiery. A million hearts
beat in unison with those Of her million chief
tains. Tens Of thousands cried Free Labor
The rights of the poor man, The greatest
good to the greatest number
Democracy, then, If not a virgin, was a
queen. She walked the earth in grace and
glory, heralded by the masses of the people,
and attended by the recollection of a hundred
triumphs. What Is she now! To whom can
we appeal for an answer2 Who gather around
her In love of her virtue, in admiration of her
courage2 Who lifts his finger to paint her
present achievements, or takes up a pen to
rapitn her
addresses Who tells of her poWerl AlasI
all gone. She walks attended by that magnifi-
cent procession no more. The stalWart arm of
the worker no longer swings over the anvil to
the music of her voice. The queen, once
stately in mien and gorgeous in apparel, is
crowned no longer; beneath her ruined throne
crouches miserable, blear-eyed dwarf. The
robes aforetime worn by her in splendid pride
and glory are trailed in the dust, and as her
defOrmed usurper crawls along he stOops to
pick up the hem of her garment, striving with
his gnarled tushes to tear out every thread of
that golden embroidery which adorned its
sides, because that exquisite embroidery was
once worked there by the willing hand of Free
Labor"
"Who that has ever read it but appreciated
the gorgeous imagery of his description of a
free press: The liberty of the press Is the
highest safeguard to all free governments.
Ours could not exist without it; it is with
us-uay1 WIN ali luouf 44h6 gEbdE, eNulLlDR
and Astounding river. 1t is fed by the deWs of
heaven, which distill their sweetest drops for it,
1t gushes from the rill, as it leaps from the
deep caverns Of the earth. 1t is fed by
thousand affiuents that dash from the noun
tain top, to separate again in a thousand
bounteOus and irrigatiag rills around. On its
broad bosom it bears thousand banks. There,
genius spreads its purple SAIL; there poetry
dips its silver oar; there art, invention, dis
coYery, science, morality, relgiOn NAV safely
float. 1t wanders through every land. It is 3
genial; cordial source of thought and inspira-
ton wherever it touches, whatever it SUI
rounds. Upon its bOarders there grows every
flower of grace, and every fruit Of truth.
am not here to deny that that stream some
times becomes dangerous torrent and de-
stroys towns and cities on its banks; but am
here to say that without it, civilization, hu-
mainly, government, and all that makes So
ciety itself would disappear and the world
run to its ancient barbarism.' "-ALG-C dlifor-
MIA, October 16.