The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1882-07-14
may advance, and wheresocver that
banner waves there glory may pur-
sue and freedom be established"

may advance, and wheresocver ths
banner waves there glory may pur
sue and freedom be established.
i IT is A SAD co1NclDENT,
in view Of the eloquent oration de
livered by Colonel Baker, in Califor
mia, on the laying of the Atlanti
cable, when he joyfnlly proclaime
that Thought had bridgel the Altar
tic and cleared its unfettered pat
across the sea, winged by the light
ming and guarded by the billow,
Joining Europe and America, an,
calling, as he did, for another Fiel,
to scale the Sierra Nevadas as he ha,
sounded the sea, until the Atlanti,
and Pacific had been linked together
That, singular as it may seem. th'
first message, few years after
flashed across the complete link t.
the Pac ;fc carried a current of sor-
row to the people of the West in thu
announcement Of the death of Colone
Baker.
BAKER WAS A MAN
of wonderful eloquence. His flights
of thought were like the graceful
ascent of the eagle TO the sublime
heights among the grand mountain
crags and cliffs above. l recall a
beautiful illustration from his reply
to Benjamin in the Senate when he
paid this tribute TO the liberty of the
press: "Sir, 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 a great exul.ing and
abounding river. It is fed by the
dews Of heaven that distill their
sweetest drops 10 form it. 1t gushes
from the rlll as it breaks from the
deep caverns of the earth. 1t is fed
by a thousand affluents that dash
from tie mountain top to separate
again into a thousand bounteous and
rills around. On its broad
bosom it bears thousand barks.
There genius spreads its purpling
sail. There l.oesy
DIPS IT'S s1LvERY OAR;
here art, invention, discovery, sci
,nce, morality, and religion may
'afeIy and securely float. 1t wanders
through every land. It is a genial,
cordial source of thought and inspir-
.tion wherever it touches, whatever
t surrounds. Sir, upon its borders
grow every flower of grace and every
ruit of truth. / am not here 10 deny
hat that river sometimes oversteps
is bounds. / am not here 20 deny
hat the stream sometimes becomes
torrent and destroys towns
md cities upon its banks; but I am
'ere TO say that without it ci.iliza-
ion, humanity, government, all that
makes society itself, would return
TO ITS ANCIENT BARRARIsM.
'ir, if that were to be possible. or so
hought for moment, the fine con-
option of the great poet wonld be
If that were 10 be possible,
hough but for a moment, civiiiza-
ion itself would roll the wheels of
g car backward two thousand years.
ir, if that were so, it would be true
hat
As one by one in dread Medea's train,
tar after star fades off tn ETHEREAL plane,
hus at her feet approach and secret might,
.rt after art goes out, and all is night.
philosophy, that leaned on heaven before,
inks to her second cause, and is no more;
,eligion, biushing, wells her sacred fires,
nd, unawares, mortally expires.
HOW APPLICABLE NOW /
D himself are the eloquent words he
ttered years ago over the dead body |
his friend Broderick: Gas in lite
o other voice so rang its trumpet |
pom the ears Of freemen, SO in death
le echoes will ever reverberate amid |
ur valleys until the truth and valor
ease to appeal TO the human heart"
[any years have rolled away since |
'dward D. Baker was stricken down.
lust has long since returned to dust
nd ashes to ashes. The silver cord |
as been loosed and the golden bowl |
roken. All that was mortal of the |
ero and statesman has persisted from !
le eyes of men. But his record yet
YES. The charming sentiments, the
arguments, the sublime
,oughts, the grand truths which
oured fourth from his eloquent lips
10 classic mould and gilt
'ring in beautiful word-gems, vet
We in the memory Of his faithful
Though time is already
wing its efscting hand upon the
larbled tablet which casts its shadow
yer his grave, yet upon the tablets
the heart of every true Amencan
i'd upon the imperishable records Of
is country in living letters we may