The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-01-19
EulOgy.

hon' W. M h1psnef, OF tnls borough, IN
the House of Representatives, on the 9th
inst, paid the following eloquent tribute to
the memory of the late Hon. David NJ.
Jones, of Blair county, Pa.
Mr.. Speaker, since this House of Repre-
sentatives adjourned on the 23d day of
March, 1877 death that enemy the human.
race, "that awful gulf, no mortal Ger repass-
ell" has opened wide tsportals and engulfed
one of our members.
The honorable gentleman David NJ. Jones,
one Of the members of this House, from the
county of Blair, has passed through the dark
valley of the shadow of death never to re-
turn, "To tell what's doing on the other
side"
1t wns the ineXorablc will of that Higher
Power, which SO frequently manilests itself
in nature, that again triumphed over the
fccble and transient powers of mortal man
aud deprived us of an endeared friend and a
valued member of this body. | had the
pleasure of an intimate acquaintance with
the deceased during the session of 1877, and
was forciblv impressed with the belief that
his vital powers were then rapidly passing
away. l can freely say that ! never knew
O man who practically exemplifed more
sNblimity in hope, courage and bravery than
long hopeless, gloomy and uneven struggle
with that ghastly and unrelentless foe of
mankind-consumptio which had fastened
i's icy cold clutches with such Il deadly grasp
upon his vitals, and like the vampire was
slowly but surely drinking his life blood.
! am informed that this sublime hope and
courage never failed him during all the
tedious and trying days, nights, weeks and
months Of suffering through which he
Valiantly struggled with that terrible foe in
t.at unequal contest.
Such hope, bravery and selfreliaaco in
such an emergency and in such an age of
emotional, artificial and sentimental ten
denotes, are truly noble and worthy to be-
hold. cannot help but say this, because
IN my brief intercourse with him, he forcibly
impressed me with it.
These are virtues and manly qualities
worthy Of emulation. We deeply mourn
the loss He was man of robust virtues,
and his loss will be keenly felt. We will
miss an esteemed and honored member the
piblic useful servant and his constituents
an honest and faithful representative.
At home he was honored and respected
having served in number of public posi-
ions, besides calamity serving his country
ia the late civil war. lie was twice severe
ly wounded; once at the battle of Bull Run;
and again at Gettysburg, which resulted in
the amputation Of his left leg above the knee
He was also taken prisoner of war ut the
battle OF Chancellorsville. Such sacrifices
eS these are the greatest that the citizen and
patriot can offer to his country. !. is stak,
ing life and all.
In the month of July last, he started fol
the new State of Colorado, IN good spirits
and hopes for an improvement Of his health
But soon after his arrival at Denver City
on July l3th-the edict came forth from
some unseen, but potent tribunal, that hi
sands OF life were run-spirit, hope, courag,
and life departed, and he quietly and serene
ly breathed his last. His age was thirty
n ne years.
lie was called away from his Geld of use
fulness in the prime OF life. This will re
mind us Of what was said in days of yore
"Whom the Gods love die young"
But death is after all, not change to bt
dreaded, or calamity to be dcplored bu
in itself is as benciicent as natural and dis
pensable as any other divinely- y-ordered oc
currence.
| agree with the poet who says;
"Shere IS ro eeathi what seems SO is tzansl
This lite OF mortal breath,
4s but the slburb OF tho life elvgian,
" muse portals we call aelth"
Cotton takes this view, and has well said
"ln the whole course of our observation ther,
Is not so m!srepresented and absurd per
s2naga as death.
Some have styled him the king Of terrors
wAen he might with less impropriety, hav,
been termed the terror OF king5; Others hav,
dreaded him as an evil without end althourl
u was in their own power 10 make him III,
cad Of all evil lis has been vilifed as tn,
cause of anguish, CONSERVATION, and despair
but these, alas, are things that appertain no
unto death but unto life. How STRANGE ,
paradox is this, that W. love the d!s,cmpe
and loathe the remedy ,prelerriny the fierccs
bufetings Of the hurricane tp the tranauili
ty of the harbor. The poet has lent his &c
tlons, the painter his colors the orator hi
tropss, to portray death as the grand destroy
G., the enemy, the prince of phantoms an,
Of shades. But can he be called DESTROYER
who, for q perishable state gives us tha
which is eternal?
Can he be styled the enemy, who is ia,
best friend only ofthe best who neyerdcsert
them at theirutmosi need, and whose friend
ship proves the most valuable to those VIII,
live the Longest?
Can he be termed the prince Of phantom
and Of shades, who destroys that which i
transient and temporary. 10 establish TIA
witch is alone real and fixed?
And what are the mournfuI escutch
cons, the sable trophies, and the mcauchoh
10 Ignia with which we surround Inn, IA,
sspu!ehal gloom, thelnoulderius carcass an,
ths slilny worm?
These, indeed are the idle fa1rs and empt,
te.rors' not 6 the dead but Of the living