Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-06

ON the fourth of March two years ago,
Washington city was the scene of grand
pageant, artillery, infantry and cavalry
marched through the wide streets, and
the music from the bands fiOated upon the
cold March winds which blew from over
the Potomac. The paths of glory led but
to the grave, ana now as memory bells
chime soft and low, and the magnitcence
Of that day is recalled, one cannot es-
cape the thought of the mutability of all
earthly pOmp. There were four men on
that occasion in the enjoyment of life.
health, ambition, fame, who to-day have
reached the golden sunsets beyond the
river, and dwell where ''thunders find
no echo" 1t was liberal
education to know them. In politics
they differed, but they labored one and
all for the good of the nation, and i'm
craftsmanship, have left behind them a
path luminous with noble efforts. Gar
field, Hill. Burnside and Carpenter
were men who commanded success.
President Garfield, though a Republican
i'm politics, and not the choice of Georgia,
whose citizens would have preferred Gen.
Hancock, vet, had the courage and mag
nanimity to remark in his inaugural ad-
dress. that the sections of this great
country should harmOnize and be a unit
i'm feeling and sentiment, that the North
was responsible to a degree for having
furnished the ships and money to bring
'Our brother in black to this country.
and our climate South suiting him, we
had the burden to bear.
That ism histOricalfact. and the South
lost more in the death of her defenders
than in the loss of slavery. 1t is not from
a spirit of hero worship that we press the
pen into service to eulOgiZe these public
men, but to place a flower on their graves,
i'm sentiment at least.
Senator Hill, with sagacity Of thought,
logic of expression, analysis of judgment,
power of reasoning, sOlidity of learning.
QuickneSS of perception and resource of
genius. was i'm his seat with life and hope
before him. His commanding presence, a
cOuntenance ''sickled .O'er with the pale
cast Of thought" a voice as sweet i'm tone
as the south winds caress Of Lutte, a
heart as tender as IA child. patriotism as
unselfish as a mother over her first born,
these characteristics followed this emil
nent Georgian. The tongue that so often
defended our interests was struck by the
poisOned arrow of death. and the intelli-
gence that animated his noble frame went
along the wires of time into the regions of
the unknown. His fame is his mOnu-
ncll. loE. ullilht lidIutt, II CdunON CEuIl-
BILE, and, unlike brass. II cannot cOrrOde.
Senator Carpenter preceded him, Burn
side followed, and to-day fifth man, who
two years ago it was my pleasure to meet
i'm Washington, has passed through nature
into eternity. Alexander III. Stephens,
patriot. lawyer, statesman, follows the
noble Hill. The drip of April tears will
soon fall upon his grave, and the sun-lit
skies of blue will soon tinge with their
Il hot
from above his grave. Lightnings will
flash upon it, earth's cold rains will beat
upon il. the stars Of night will shine as
they have ever done upon the spot, morn
ing's first flush of light, as the lark twit-
tiers in its upward flight. will greet il. and
as long as our earth rolls in its orbit, Will
his dust continue TO mingle with her
own. His spirit has iOated away, leaving
behind a-crimSOn memory. The contrast
that l am penning is two years change.
Thousands have l0Osened their grasp on
life i'm that time, but none so eminent in
mind and in the glory Of achievements as
these. 1t seems that fancy's fash and rea-
sons raw served but TO light the troubled
wav. Such is the decree of nature; such
the mandate of the Creator, and may the
numberless crowds who haye heard the
eIOquence of B. H. Hill and Of A. H. Ste
phens. and felt the clasp of their hands,
learn that while the paths of glory lead
but TO the grave, y is a grave to which the
index of our hearts will ever point; Gov
ernOr Stephens death was a harvest, not
a blight. All the great GeOrgians are
passing away, and we are startled when
the summons comes.
sYet. tell me frighted senses, What is death:
Blood only stopped, and interrupted breath;
The utmost limit of a narrow span,
And end Of motion, which with life began.
As smoke that rises from the kindling fires,
Is seen this moment. and the next expires;
As mighty clouds by rising winds are tOst,
Their Meeting forms scarce sooner found than
lost.
SO vanishes our state. so pass our days,
50 life but opens now, and now decays;
The cradle and the tomb, alas, so nigh.
To liye is scarce distinguished from to die
March Z. 1851. sV0L."