Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-02-27

Tho following = . fail rspHt of the olo.
ouent eul0gy on the lato Hon. John Coch
ran. delivered in the Pennsylvauia state
Senate by Senator Gordon
Mr.. President: cannot refrain . feel
ing of deep sadness as contemplate the
death of Senator Cochran. He was long
and familiarly known to me. When, q lad
of II years, began the study Of law. /
took my seat at the same desk which he
had left but few years before to enter
upon the active practice of his profession.
From that time saw him often, knew
him we'll and enjoyed intimate association
with him. l witnessed his repeated sue
cesses in being elected to the councils of
his city. participated in the events by
which he was elevated to seat in this
body. was present when he was made
one" with her whom he chose for his
wife and stood by his bed, she still
holding his hand, when the dew of death
was on his brow.
Sir, death has been very busy in this
body. When, two years ago, l first
entered this chamber l stumbled over
three newly made graves. Vividly re-
call the awful impression made upon me
by the solemn words of affectiOnate tri-
butte called forth by that triple claim OF
death. Since then two other senators
have passed into eternity, and We are
again assembled, after humane custom,
to recall and tenderly honor their MEM
Ory.
It was pitiable, sir, at the last session,
to mark how death was steadily pressing
upon Senator Cochran. Blessed with
figure of striking proportions, tall and
straight, with face ru6dy with manly
health, it was sorrowful to see his step
grow slow and halting, his face pale and
sad, his spirits low and melancholy. His
friends could not fail to see each day the
evident loss of strength, the marked pro-
gress of disease, the certain stride of
death. He was hopeful Of favorable
change in his condition. l used to sit
with him in that room yOnder, when the
wintry rigor of the day without drove
him to seek the genial warmth of the fire.
There, before the cracking logs, he would
talk of his future. He longed for winter
to be gone, to see the breaking up of tho
| ice On the river and the budding of the
trees and the springing grass. He lOpged
for the coming of the balmy days of early
summer, that he might, at his new home
on the Atlantic coast, catch fresh vigor
from the bracing breezes of the sea.
There was hopeful light in his eye as
he thus spoke. But, alas! for human
hope and human planning. The lusty
winds of ocean beat against his
weakened frame with unkindly severity
and drove him to seek shelter in his house
and ultimately on his bed. The deep
moaning of the waves that he had hoped
| W would soothe his wearied mind, but
chanted his dirgc in threnody of woe.
There by the sounding sea he died.
| Spending an August holiday in the neigh.
bOrhood was sent for and saw him die.
had the melancholy satisfaction of
fetching the priest of God to minister to
him. One of the severest storms of the
season then ragged on our coast. The
winds howled Gismally and lashed the
deep into frothy fury. Hot. fevered, un-
conscious, he lay dying. From the win
dow of his house saw the ships far out
auchoring ground. God grant that as his
soul then toatcd out on eternity's broad
sea he found safe anchoriDg ground and a
| quiet haven of rest.
| Oh it was too, too sad. The little
child crowed cheerily in its nurses arms,
all unconscious of the great deprivation it
was suffering. Fatherless babe, God
father thee! The young wife, until the
direful catastrophe was enacted, stood
\ bravely by her post, calm, resolute, un-
faltering in duty, with Christian firmuess.
Widowed wife, God be thy spouse Not
till duty was over, not till human efforts
were futile, did she disclose the great
burden of her distress. Tears waited on
toll. Nor, after the first brief paroxysm,
did she long continue in unwarranted dem
onstration of grief. A few hours before
the final scene all alone she entered the
funeral room and closed the door
There, kneeling beside the coffi0ed form
that was once her husband, she communed
for IL space with her God. Who would
wish to intrude on such scene with pro-
fame vision She sought consolation
where alone it was to be found, and, rely
ing upon Him whose arm faiieth not and
whose Judgment cannot err, she wept her
last tear and moaned her last moan But
even now / cannot RESTRAIN emotion as I
think of that wife SO ss0n widowed, that
child SO early orphaned. In paying this
tribute to the dead the virtues of the liv-
ING. force themselves upon me. More
heroic constancy, more wifely devotion,
more exemplary fortitude and Christian
resolution, under the most trying events,
were never displayed than by her, so
young, SO loving and SO smitten. They
tittingly crowned brief married life, in
which fondness knew no cessation, where
duty was devotion, where love was law,
and where the characters of wife and
mother were decorated and adorned
These were her virtues, this the character
of ber-of her-the daughter of my
friend, her father.
Sir, cannot properly analyze Senator
Cochran's life. Let colder natures lay the
rule and draw the line to his qualities.
cannot Go it. have no ''eyes for a
friends infirmities." He had many esti.
mable traits. He was bold and fearless
these are the constituents of heroism. He
was kind, loving and sympathet-
ic; these are the qualities Of true
manhood. He hated shams, hypocrisy
and can't this betokened sincerity. He
was polite, courteous aud tasteful thia
indicated gentility. He was untiring in
his service of friends this is the guaran.
tee of fidelity. He was successful alike in
public Office and private enterprise this
showed the man of affairs. Many Of you
who knew him we'll can testify to the ac-
curacy of this picture.
Oh sir, who can fathom the wisdom
that called him away and has left us
" Who by searching can find out God %
Let us not cavil-it becomes us not. Nor
question-it is vanity. But, impressed
with the event, let us take new courage
for duty, remembering that life is short
and labor long. Brothers, who will be