Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-11-15
DEATH KNOWS NO DISTINCTION.

uEAIh MOWS No DISTINCTION.
Death removed from our midst
Saturday morning, Nov. 1st, q dis
tingulshed citizen, and man widely
known in this country by his reputa-
ton as a lawyer, a statesman and a
scholar--Hon. G. j. Faulkner. He
suffered from no special disease, but
life's forces gradually wore away,
and he passed from thissworli at a
ripe old age, after an active, useful
and honorable life. He served in
many public capacities, and with
credit and ability. Selfmade, he
owed little of that to which he at
tanned to ought but his own exer-
tions. He lived and worked for the
upward and onward in life, and is
justly entitled to the niche he cary
ed out for himself in the rough aud
hard rock of fame. He was a pol
ished gentleman of the old school,
at home aud at ease in the highest
courts of the nation and in the vari
ed walks OF life. He was studious
and industrious even to the last,
and owed much of his success to
work, watchfnlness, readiness and
Judgment and courage to act. Young
men who aspire to prominence, with
out circumstances of fortune or Ia
vor, may study Mr.. Faulkner's life to
advantage. Like Judge Black, he
lived and started his life in period
of our country's history, in which
true merit was bound to be reward
ed, as the beginning of their lives
show. Toward their close great per-
sonal ability had ceased to be the
highest requirement for success in
public life, and the political corrup'
tions and combinations of the latter
period retired men Of honor, integ-
rity and ability, and gave precedence
to men who had only served an APP
premiership of a few campaigns to
politics as a trade.
From this the young and aspiring
may learn as they go along whole
some lesson, not forgetting that
after the race of life is run there
will he more to be proud OF, and de-
rive satisfaction from, in useful and
honorable life we'll spent as citizen
than there would be to succeed in
political life at the sacrifice of honor
and self respect. Men like Mr..
Faulkner in his day merited and
earned public success. In our day,
men buy it by the dollars worth and
at the cost of all that is noble and
honorable in principle and practice.
Yet when a people is in distress and
confusion the true statesman'S life is
given to redeem it, while the man
of shallow worth and questionable
success drifts with the tide into the
dark ways of human folly and de-
pravity, and is lost to sight forever.
AS minister to France, Mr.. Faux
ner gave the best evidence of real
craftsmanship. 1t was at critical
period in the history Of his country,
to which he not only rendered loyal
services but achieved for class of
it's citizens the full measure of their
rights and liberties as such. Up to
that time all naturaliZed citizens of
America returning to their native
country were still subject to the
laws of the land. Mr.. Faulkner OBJ.
tanned concessions on this point that
led to enactment by treaty, not only
with France but later with other
"No exercise of personal
liberty said Mr.. Faulkner, sis held
by us more essential to human hap
piness than the right of a man OF
mature years to abandon a commu-
nifty whose laws, religion, climate,
form of government, or system of ln-
dustrial pursuits are found destruc-
tive Of his peace and comfort, aud
to identify himself with another ma
ton of people, if consistent with
their policy, whose tastes and insti-
tutions are more congenial to his
own. His allegiance to his
native country is by this act sever
ed forever. He experiences a new
birth. A broad and impossible line
separates him from his native land.
Should he return there for temporary
purposes of business or pleasure, he
goes there an American citizen, with
all the privileges and obligations
of his new nationality fully Impress
ed upon him."
Mr.. Faulkner did not escape the
reflections and suspicious which
public men had to meet in the dark
days of the rebellion. Character and
reputation then could not be vindi
Gated in a day or by stroke of the
pen, but had to be left to time and
more dispassionate minds. His So
cial and political standing, his pub.
lie actions on the questions of the
day and in connection with men,
made it impossible for him to avoid
confiction with those as prominent,
as ambitions and aspiring as him
SELF No advantage escapes men in
power, and at such times there is lit
tie consideration except for the end
and purpose alone. History will
prove Mr. Faulkner true to his coun-
try as it, minister. When the crisis
came in his own State, he joined her
fortunes, and losing, returned to the
service of his country with less
thought of the past than of the flu
ture.
Years of success achieved did not
satisfy the ardor of his life. Great