Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-05-26
THE HOWARDS.
Impressive Ceremony of Unveiltng the
BeanIIfuI Monument Erected 20 the
Memory OF the Dead secretary
-EuIOgy by General
Gordon.

Gordon.
The ceremony OF unveiling the hand
some monument, erected by his frierds,
in + mwood cemetery, to the memory
OF Mr.. J. P. Robertson, late secretary OF
the Howard association, took place yes
terday afternoon in the presence OF
over two Thousand spectators, the ma
j0rity of whom were ladies. The late
associates attended the services in
body, headed by their president, Gen.
eral @. w. Gordon, ali wearing their
opened by prayer by Rev. S. 3. Surratt,
after which the Howards came forward,
one by one, each dspositing beautiful
bouquet of flowers at the bsse of the
monument, which WAS then unveiled.
1t is full sized figure of the deceased
while in life. II is of pure Italian mar
BILE, and was imported from Rome.
General g. w. Gordon then came
forward on the stand, and was intro
duced to the sssemblage by Rev. Mr..
Suratt, when he delivered the follow
ing
EULOGY ON THE VIRTUES OF THE DE-
CEASED.
We meet at this holy spot, not In the
Joy of triumph nor the pride of eXultR-
ti0p, but in the spirit Of humility and
the badges of mourning. We have
gathered for the last time around the
, final resting. place of q departed friend
and lsmented brother, to attest once
more our admiration for his character,
our love for his memory and our sorrow
for his loss. There is nothing more
sacred and beautiful, nor yet more sol
emn and affecting in all the ceremonies
Of human life, than appropriate mani
festations OF surviving affection for the
hallowed memory of our loved and lost.
Indeed, it is one Of the nOblest duties Of
the living to perpetuste the virtues and
memories Of the dead. And while the
affectionate hands Of surviving kindred
have erected that beautiful monument
to perpetuate the name and cOnsecrate
the memory of him who sleeps beneath
1t, it is dutiful and becoming that we
should, to some extent, illustrate his life,
memorable his virtues and mark his
example. Our deceased brother, ].
P. Robertson, was born in the county
of Fayette, in the State OF Tennessee, on
the twenty. fourth day Of December, 1S47,
and died in the city of Memphis, on the
fourteenth day Of May, 1874. He was
conse quently JWenty.six years of age at
the time of his death. Orphaned in his
early infancy by the loss Of both parents,
he had not the advantage of that pa
rental affection, influence and guidance
which go greatly augment the amenities
of life, diminish its asperities and facili-
tate the accomplishment of its multi
piled duties. Thus left to the guardian.
ship of others than his natural protect
oTs, whatever may have been the solicit
tude and consideration of those (Of
which we are not infCrmed) to whom
his early years were committed, they
could never supply the want of a fathers
tender guidance and a mothers anxious
love. Under such circumstances, then,
we would naturally suppose that some
important advantage would be denied
him and some branches of his training
neglected. But, while we find that his
educational opportunities were very linn
tied, both in consequence of circum-
stantial surroundings and that event
full period in our cOuntIy's his
tory which disorganiZed society,
disarrsnged so many Of the relations of
life and nphesved our entire civilization,
yet his moral teachings seem to have
been most admirable. For that loftiness
OF honor and inhexible rectitude of CON-
duct which characterized his life, must
have had their foundation laid in beau
tiful early training, or else have sprung
from the spontaneous sentiments of
more than ordinarily pure and exalted
nature. His mother died when he was at
the tender age Oftwo years and his fathe-
when he was six. This wSs orphanage
indesd, and when We contemplate 1t,
we feel as if we could weep that one so
young should be thus left to drift alone
upon life's cold ocean. If there is one
class on earth above all others, whose
fate inspires our deepest sympathy and
tenderest interest, it is the orphan child;
especially the child without mother
the sweetest and hOliest name that was
ever uttered by human ips-and to
whom we are all chiefly indebted for
what we are, at least, for that
which is best Of US. We would
naturally expect (ndeed, it could scarce
ly be otherwise) that one left alone at
such an early age would feel much OF
desolatiOn and loneliness in this world,
and the want Of some near and kindred
spirit to love and care for him. Such
seems to have been the case with the
subject Of these remarks. And his
yearning seems to have been for the love
Of his mother and a home with her.
The serious gravity and disposition TO
lone musings which often characterized
him, and more especially the reiterated
sentiments in some of his poems, among
which are number of GENE,
fully warrant this conclusion. Hear
what he says in that beautiful poem he
wrote entitled