The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-02-08

the high esteem In which they held him.
Then was no stately hearse with noddna
plumas, nor gaudy show or mimlcry OF sor-
row there, but by stricken friends with sad
hearts and gentle hands he was laid TO rest,
buried with the solemn rites Of that ancient,
free and accepted order of which he was q
memh"' nnd In which he was the master Of
TIL Iau
But perhaps, Mr. Speaker, a short sum.
mary Of the life and public service of Colo
pel Reeves may not. now and here, be
deemed out of time or place. He was born
on the ID day OF January, A. ID. 1926, in
Tennessee, a state that has given to Texas
many good and great men, but none purer
and better than he; from Tennessee he
removed TO Arkansas, where, before he had
reached the age OF 81 years, he was married
to Jane Moore, the estimable daughter OF a
widow lady Of that state, and in A. d. 1916,
soon alter his marriage, he removed to and
settled in Grayson county of this state,
where through life he lived, and there he
raised and LETT splendid family oisons and
daughters, who, with widowed mother,
mourn his death. The people of
Grayson counby, very soon after his
settlement among them, discovered the
worth of their ne citizen, George Reeves,
and it was not long before he was drawn
from private life Tor the public service. He
was first elected for tax collector of his
county, and as he was then but little more
than boy and had been but short time
resident of the county, and so had neither
experience nor prestige to command him to
public favor, hardly know whether the
greater compliment is due the people for
their ready recognition of his worth OF the
young man himself for the manly bearing
and splendid department which must have
characterized him, that he should so soon
impress them with such confidence in his
honesty and capacity, but honest and capa-
BILE he was, and his fidelity TO that trust
commended him for further promotion, and
in A. d. 1850 he was elected sheriff OF his
county, which Office he filled creditably to
himself and acceptably to the people for
four years. In A. d. 1855 he was first
elected member of the house
of representatives, and rendered
good service in the following
session of 1856, with men whose identity
with the history of the state and fidelity to
her interests have endeared their names
and memory to her people. Colonel Reeves
was again and again returned by the people
of Grayson county to the house of repre-
sentatives, having been member of the
sixth, the seventh, the eleventh, the four
teenth, the sixteenth, and thesseventeenth,
and would have been of this eighteenth
also ifhe had lived; for during his sickness
he was, without any agency on his part,
unanimously nominated by a delegate con-
vention therefor. But, Mr.. Speaker, it
might be asked Where was Colonel Reeves
during the long interval ofhis absence from
the civil service following the session of the
seventh legislature Of the slater And the
question asked is in the minds of many
here as quickly answered, for there are
those now present in this house who were
with him aud who know where he was,
what he was and how he bore himself on
many hard. fought field when mems
hearts were tried and their courage put to
proof.
Mr.. Chenoweth said:
Mr.. SPEAKER:-It is well that the repre-
sentatives in the eighteenth legislature lay
upon the new made grave OF the late Ia
mented Reeves a civic crown. come with
a simple garland! l cannot expect to add
anything of interest to what has already
been so eloquently said upon this occasion;
but the circumstances OF my long personal
with Colonel Reeves, during
times of war and peace, upon the tented
fed and march, amidst the shock of battle
and in the councils of the state, make 1t
peculiarly appropriate that L should beg
the indulgence at this time, not for the pur-
pose of expressing any private grIef-for at
the tomb of an honored friend the anguish
of genuine friendship finds no voice-but
that may contribute in crystalizing IN the
history of the state he served so long and
well evidences of his merits as q soldier,
statesman and patriot.
| knew Colonel Reeves during the darkest
hours of our civil strife. l knew him when
the land was filled With battle-cries and
the very stars seemed TO shut
their eyes and the sun hung blind and
in the moonlesS air; when the
nh ~ ina of Mar this fair land 4
smoking with the bravest blood of the
south, when thousands of our noblest and
best marched out from the waving fields of
Ceres into the harvest of death.
He was every inch soldier and q gentle
man. The war over, when i had left my
own native blue grass hills TO follow the
star of Texas empire, the first face | met on
this generous soil to recognize was that OF
George r.. Reeves. He mad 10 truth
book" and whilst tilling the virgin soil
sang in contentment the song the shep-
herds 800 years ago echoed into the ears
Of an infant God: Peace on earth, good
will toward men,"
Again knew him in the councils of the
state, serving with him in the seventeenth
Of which he was the honored
speaker.
Until knew George Reeves as repre-
stuLdllNe anu epedhtIlu lue lcAhS leBlslu-
ture, had formed no proper estimate OF
the high qualities of his mental structure.
He brought TO the discharge of his duties q
clear head, a sound heart, an impartial
Judgment and most resolute will. He was
as transformations rs he was wise, honest
and truthful. He was made OF the stuff of
the staunch speakers who upheld the priv
lleges OF the British parliament and made
the bill Of rights OF a free people para
mount TO the thunders Of the throne.
He was in verify a man OF exalted courage.
He followed his honest convictions TO
their legitimate results. His opinions
we're never controlled by purely selfish
they were new er measured
by the stoc market or colored by the per-
sistency OF lobby. Ever guided by honest
purposes and good principles, when the
end was reached, whatever the result, he
ielt that he had not swerved from the cause |
Of his country. his God and truth.
/ will give no further analysis OF his mo- |
Die character. IL stands out in the midst |
Df his compeers a Doric column symmetri- |
,al In its solidity, beautiful in the absence
IF all meretricious ornament, Immaculate
n Che material Of which IL is reared. His
inns were unselfsh, his hands were clean,
ais life was pure and full OF affection. In
such a character do we not
prepare ourselves W think better OF our
lind and Ok a higher standard for our
elves? In giving credit for the goodness
ID unselfshness we find in the world are
F5 not the better prepared TO sit down on
,ur own bearth-stones and watch the ashes
" our lives grow grey and cold1
IL would be almost cruel 70 speak OF the
OF this noble man during the sad
iours which sealed his fate. Racktd with |
more than mortal anguish In these last ter
ible hours. bis manly form swollen and
distorted beyond the proud semblance in
which kind nature had moulded Il, bis /
pirit was yet &c calm and gentle a. still,
reet morning, AZ il rises over the azure
,rairie where nestles the once happy home
n which be died. No man was ever rsoTt
owed BIZ his neighb0rs and constituents,
nd the dropping planes above bis funeral
ar were folloVed By griei-stricken multi
ude whose manifest sorrow emphasized the /
olemn fact that those Who knew George
,eeves hsd indeed lost a friend. Until the 4
asst Hover fades from the earth around his |
ZONE, loving friends viii not cease % make