National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-10-01
STATUE or GEN. BAKER.
ITS EARLY COMPLETION BY DIR. HoRI
ITO SDTNrE DUNN A .rsnNrS

ITS EARLY COMPLETION By DR. HORA-
ITO SIoNE-QUOTATiON
The rough cIralght of the marble statue OF the
late Senator Baker, of Oregon, who, it will be
remembered, vas killed in leading the forlorn
hope at the disastrous field Of Balls Bluff Octo-
Der q, 1861, 70 be executed by our national sculp
tor, Horatie Stone, by order Of Congress, is We
learn, soon expected to arrive from Italy. Its
of the p1rest marble possible to be obtained.
Upon its arrival d. Stone will proceed to perfect
It, and It will probably be completed and placed
in position previously to the final adjournment Of
the Forty third Congress
Apropos Of this highly deserved and handsome
tribute Of Congress to one styled by one OF his
eulogSts in the nationwide obsequies 0fthis emil
nent patriot, at San Francisco, the Hen. EdW.
of'tarat' State Fsthe most remarkable man Of mod
ern times" we append the following extracts
from two Of his famous speeches delivered on the
ment when free government was struggling to
emerge from the iron hand Of the pr0-slaverY OIL
Garchy. They better serve TO fully illustrate the
true character Of the man that the artist is
peeted to perpetuate than would any sketch that
another pen could write. One OF these extracts,
the Rocky mountains. These sentiments were
uttered at a time and under circumstances which
with the earnestness Of inspiration and the truth
fulness Of prophesy.
Hon. Thomas Fitch. in speech delivered in
San Francisco in 1862, said: ~'As an eXtempore
orator Senator Baker was at the time Of his death
unsurpassed and perhaps unequaled in the ma
tion. Some passages IN MS speeehes Will live as
books as models Of style. He was at once pow
erful descriptive speaker, an earnest, impassioned
speaker, and brilliant imaginative speaker.
Who that has read it can ever forget a passage in
his speech made at Forest Hill, in August, 1859,
descriptive Of the Democratic partyH i remem-
Der the time, Wing as was said he, when /
watched with an irresistible thrill Of enthusiasm
the great Democratic professions as they marched
through the towns and cities In which sOlourned
I M felt in than the n the manila 1
know what mighty organization was Democracy
in her great and palmy days. Her hosts filed
ing aloft her Misunderstanding her victories.
On every hand waved her banners /; they hung
from the outer walls Of many an impregnable cas-
tie. Cheer upon cheer greeted her soldiery;
million hearts beat in unison with those Of her
chieftains; tens Of thousands cried in her name,
Free labor" 1.-THE rights Of the poor man."
1.-THE greatest good to the greatest number"
democracy then If not a virgin, was q queen.
She walked the earth in grace and glory, her
by the recollection of a hundred triumphs. What
is she now? To whom can We appeal for an an
cWerP Who gather around her in love Of her
virtue, in admiration Of her courage? Who lifts
his finger to paint her present achievements, or
takes up a pen to recite her growing history?
Who feels her addresses Who tells OF her
power? Alas! all gone. She walks attended by
that magnificent procession no more. The stall
wart arm Of the worker no longer swings over
the anvil to the music Of her voice. The queen,
once stately in mein and gorgeous in apparel, is
crowned no longer beneath her ruined throne
CTOQCleb d mlseTaDle, DlehI-eySu uWdEl Inc
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 government. Ours could
not exist without it, 1t is with US, nay, with all
men, like great exulting and Astounding river
1t is fed by the dews Of heaven, which distl their
sweetest drops to form it. 1t gushes from the
ril it leaps from the deep cayerns Of the earth
1t is feu by thousand attiuents that dash from
the mountain top, to separate again into thou
sand bOunteous and irrigating rills around. On
its broad bosom IL bears a thousand barks. There
genius spreads its purple sail; there poetry dips
its silver oar; there art, invention, discovery,
science, morality, religion may safely float. 1t
wanders through every land. 1t is a genial, cor
dial source Of thought and inspiration, wherever
1t touches. whatever it surrounds. Upon its Dor
ders there grows every flower Of grace and every
fruit Of truth. am not here to deny that that
stream sometimes becomes q dangerous torrent
and destroys towns and cities on its banks; but 1
am here to say that without it civilization, hu-
manity, government, and all that makes society
itself, would disappear and the world return to
its ancient barbarism.'"