The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-23
DeatH Of John @. Breckenridge.
TRIBUTES ~ THE MEMORY OF THE GREAT
KENTUCKIAN.

GeDeRal John Cabell Breckenridge died
at his home at Lexington, KY, Monday
afternoon, May 18th, at a quarter before
six O'clock. The solemn event had been
too long impending to fall with the appal-
ling effect it would else have had, but it is
still an event of more than National i'm
pressiveness, the departed statesman and
soldier having been man of signal fame
and grand ability. He was still in the
zenith of his powers, ffty-four years of age,
having been born on the 2lst day of Janu-
airy, 1921, near the city where he died.
tFrom the Cincinnati Enquirer)
In the death of John c. Breckenridge the
country ia called upon to mourn the loss of
brilliant intellect and q gallant, noble
family distinguished in the annals of Vir-
GINA and Kentucky, he more than sus-
tanned its traditional fame. When barely
thirty years Of age he took his seat in the
House of Representatives at Washington,
and there in few months attained the dis
tlncti9n OF being one of the finest orators
who had ever risen within it's walls, When
but thirty six years old-just constitution
ally sligible-he was honored by being
chosen to the second Office 10 the gift of the
American people-that of Vice President of
the United States. The former generation
of Democratic politicians will recall him in
memory az he was at that time, and when
NJ arose in the Democratic National Con-
yention at Cincinnati to accept the nomina-
ton which had been rendered him. He
was perfect specimen of manly and ply,
steal beauty. His features were classical
bis head noble, intellectual, and his figure
was at once elegant and commanding. His
voice had the silvery clarion ring that re-
minded old kentuckians of Henry Clay in
his youth, whom, in many respects, General
Breckinridge strongly resembled. There
never was an instance in the history of this
country where citizen was so rapidly .ad-
vanced on the ladder of political eminence.
Almost at bound he had vauited into that
chair which other able statesmen had de-
voted life time to secure, and failed in
obtaining. In 1857 what splendid future
was apparently before the then Vice Presi-
dent! He was admired and idolized alike
by both sexes. He was the favorite son of
Kentucky, and from the Ohio river to the
borders of Tennessee, from the mountains
of Virginia to the Mississippi, he was pre-
eminent in the popular affection. Upon no
man had fortune SO early in life been so
profuse in her gifts. With an important
exception we can say, as Macauley said of
Lord Byron: "All the fairies had been bid
den to his cradle-one had brought an
cestral eminence; another great mental in
telligence; another physical beauty, and a
fourth every social charm ar 4 attra ction."
No malignant elf, as in the case of Byren,
who, having been unlimited, from spite had
contrfved to mingle q curse with every
blessing. If the close of his life failed to
realize the bright anticipation of his youth
1t his sun finally set under the clouds Of
disappointment and apparent popular ne
glecr, it was owing to no fault of his own
unless it is a fault to be true to ones honest
convictions. When the civil war broke out
John Z. Breckinridge was q member of the
United States Senate, just elected, having
six years to serve. This splendid position
he voluntarily relinquished, in order to
share in the dangers of the Southern Con-
fedeiacy, whose people he believed to be
IN the right. What man among them all
| sacrificed more than did John c. Breckin
| ridge when he took that which was to be
| the fatal step of his life Z He appreciated
it's momentous responsibility, but he be-
| lieved it was the path which honor re-
quired, aud ne fearfessly pursued it. In all
the great battles of the war which were
fought west of the mountains, from the
river to the gulf, General Breckenridge was
conspicuous figure. He was the Chevalier
Bayard of the South. When it's cause was
lost he returned to Kentucky with consti-
tuition shattered by the exposures of war,
and with all hopes Of National distinction
gone. He was simply a splendid wreck
and monument of the frsternal strife. 1t
was graceful compliment which was paid
him the other day when he was visited by
Vice President Henry Wilson, who was a
Senator when he occupied that position.
Political asperities were forgotten, and the
meeting was affectioDate and touching be-
tween the present and former Vice Presi-
| dents. The tidipgs OF his decease, as thew
fash over the telegraph wires. will fail
with leaden weight upon the people of the
South, and will be read with nnfeigned re-
greet by all classes in the North, who will
deplore that a once bright star has vanished
forever and is no longer visible from the
shores of time.
CFFOm the LO6isville Courier-TOurnAD
John G.. Breckenridge was not without
ambition, but it was not the ambition that
sought the monument for the monuments
sake. 1t was the sublime aspiration of a
generous mind which possessed faculties
transcending all professional limitations,
and which pined only for wider fields of
usefulness and nobler theatres of action.
Enthusiastically nominated for President
against his earnest protest by the Balti-
more Convention, but approaching the
peril to his country, which he foresaN