Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-01-03

I censed to beat. This fact may serv
somewhat TO account for the positive
ness Of his purposes in life and the pos
! tive philosophy to which his intellcc
inclined.
lie was Democrat on principle
fixed by his studies and philosophy,
was about to say, by bis religion. Yc
as has been truly said) be was AYERS
: TO tho rough encounters Of the hustings
1t was difficult to induce him to speal
outside of his neighborhood. Once il
New York he promised to talk for 6v,
minutes to my friends, but when OF
his feet, and with an audience sympa
thizing with his ircc.tradc ideas, b,
held the audience for two hours in on,
great plea for his iavorite liberalitie,
Of commerce, and against the merce
nary inequalities ofprotectlon. Thes,
were his favoritc themes to illustrat,
bis general political IDEAS They wcr,
TO him an enthusiastic sentiment hi,
principle faction. He travelled abroad
to study them. lie came to Congress
to give them vigor and effect
He was averse to the crowd. When
writing to him about my pro temport
visit TO the great Exposition, he ex.
pressed his regret that he did not see
the grand engine and its wonderiSl
ramifcations Of harnessed forces but
OF the same time he SAID that he shlank
from such throngs like the sensitive
plant before the human touch. Yet
his political thoughts were ever F" broad,
base! ss! ;s:c::: ;s:c::: :hc i:ecf!e's .si!! HE die
section ofthe questions growing out Of
reconstruction aud the southern ballot,
which had been to him special study,
show the ultimate scorn OF mind ut.
tcrly hating fraud, and the lofty patriot
who rcverenced all sections and re.
spectcd all rights. 1t is said that the
spcctroscopc reveals that there is u star
which burns gold for its illumination
By a wonderful coincidence II is the
distant star Aldcbaran-far off in the
group Of Hyades-which the Roiscru-
cians, who sought to transmuto all
metals into gold, worshipped. That
star was their iateiul genius for inspira-
tion and alchemy. Not less precious
to HIM, than ifit were star of gold,
was each State, ,disticnt In nindividuality
and like to each other in common
right, interest, and destiny, whether
shining near or afar
o, that God would raise up for our
instruction and guidance other men Of
the same exalted type Of American
manhood--men as just, other haters OF
corruption us earnest, other tribnnes Of
tho people as peerless and fearless, and
other statesmen as lofty and pure In
patriotic devotion When, sir, per-
ceive the emblem of mourning over the
seat he 80 lately occupied, shrouding
our ensign, the omen is sadly porten-
tious and painfully suggestive. Were
ho with us in this hour Of our soIicitude
l know, sir, that he would not fail with
courageous counsel. lie would revive
the heroism Of thatparliamcntary band,
before which royal prerogatives cow
ercd-when before the privilege of the
Commons and its staunch Speakers,
tho bills Of right Of a free people were
made paramount to the thunders of the
throne
His fame was not qucnched by death,
only his opportunity. 1t was said by
Theodore Parker OF Samuel Adams,
that be was not in one sense Chris.
lian man, but one of Plutarch's men.
SO was Michael G. Kerr His human
worth can only be reckoned by the
gravity Of his loss to us, in this perlous
and anxious trial TOR the stability and
genius of the Government. II liberty
through his death has lost from this
Hall Of the people one of her purest
ievotees; ifliberty, like Algernon sgd
ney, must 20 TO the scaifold, yet from
the scaffold she will ascend to another
sphere where there is better code Of
Justice and right and there in that
realm, who will give her less stinted
welcome than the immortal spirit OF
Michael c. Kerr.
Under such patriotic thoughts as
were his, still surviving death, our
may cease from its passionate
liscord. Then peace will bind our
States as sheaves are bound in the har-
resting, season after season, till the
atest generation. You, Mr.. Speaker,
ind yo who are your brothers in these
EXALTED trusts, ye who have the keep
ny of this bruised and broken land,
.an ye not all rise under the admoni.
ion Of such life az our late Speaker
ived, into higher sense Of duty and
more selfsacri6cing patriotism ? Can
We not encompass our beloved land
round with q wall OF fire that will not
,urn, but guard ? Shall yc not do this I
,efore its grave yawns that grave
where there is no work, nor knowledge. /
Tor device, nor wisdom 2 Thus faith, =,
Ill unto death in our trusts, as he was, =
rom his outer and public life, hut it /
would be unjust to bis memory did |
iiil to record his lively sense Of this {
rowning act Of Kindness and justice I
N the part Of those whose good opin- /,
ph was 30 dear TO him. To his scnsi- Z
i've and dying earit told of the verdict I
which after-times would render. 1t 9
rought profound consolation to him, d
nd thereafter he was fully prepared 7
0 say, "Hine dimitfis." :
His was n proud, sensitive, and i'm. n
crious nature, even shrinking from q
lmiliarity with the world, asking little O
{ its sympathy and caring less for It's /
pplausc. He chose TO be judged by v
is acts rather than by professions. t
lis convictions were deep and decided l.
pom all questions, and he did not hcsi. |,
ate to obey and follow them tothcir G
ltimatc and logical results. He con- 3
rolled and led bis fellcNy-men by the y
hccr force Of his intellect rather than
y the influence OF his heart. lie was
ways teacher, leader never an
nitator or scrvile follower In any
ra Of our history he would have been
character OF mark, his moral courage
nd his mental powers alike fitting him q
n the performance Of the gnvcst mo- o
lent His death would have becn a n
rcat public loss at the time in this q
our of doubt, uncertainty and danger, d
is next to irrcparable, when We con. II
der the character of the man, the dig. n
Ity and power Of his place, the hold I
. bad upon the confidence Of tho peo, b
10 and the stern and unyiclding fidcl- ;,
y with which hu would have dared to u
priorm his whole duty. i
To-day, Indiana stands chief mourn 9,
. for thcson other adoption, MICHAEL b
KeRR close and next BY her side O
.nds Pennsylvania, on whose soil he 4,