Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-27
THE LATE vICE-pRESIDENT,
ruLooIEs IN THE SENATE.

Voorhees, was the first Of the senator's
70 pronounce eulogy upon Mr.. Hen
bricks: "for an eminent citizen Of
the republic,p he said, "who lately
fell from his place and who now sleeps
in honor in the bosom Of the State he
loved so we'll and served so faithfully,
we can do no more than has already
been done by tongue and by every
method which human affection can in
spirc. The heavy drspery Of woe has
darkened alike the public build
ing, the stately palace, and the
humble home. The proud colors
of the Union have dropped at half
mast throughout the United States
and in every civilized land beneath the
sun. Eloquence in the forum and the
sacred desk has paid its richest tributes
10 his exalted abilities and to his STAIN
less character. The tolling bell, the
mournful dirge, the booming, solemn
minute-gun, the mighty multitude Of
mourners, have all attended the funeral
OF Thomas A. Hendricks, and borne
witness to the deep love and griel
with which he was lowered into
his last resting-plsce. All the
honors due to the most illustrious
dead have been paid by the Chief
Magistrate Of the Government, by the
authorities Of the States, and by the
unrestrained affection Of the people.
In the Senate, however, we may not be
silent, even though the cup Of honor to
his memory is full TO overlooking. In
this exalted theatre OF action. here on
this brilliaptly-lighted stage, he fulfilled
his last official engagement and closed
bis long and commanding public ca
reer.n
Then, in strong and graphic English,
Mr.. Voorhees, reviewed the life and pub
lie services of Mr.. Hendricks. In deal
ing with Mr.. Hendricks's political views,
Mr.. voorhees, said it had been, and espe-
cially late in his life, charged as a re-
preach against him. that he was a
partisan. If by that, the speaker
said, was meant that he sincerely be-
lieyed in the principles and purposes
of the party to which he belonged,
and sought by all honorable methods
what he believed to be the public good,
by placing its measures and its men in
control Of the Government, then the &C
cusation was true and the term of re-
proach became just tribute to an
honest man. II was the partisan Of
deep, honest convictions, dealing Justly
with opposing views, who in all ages Of
the world--in every field Of human
progress-hsd led the way.
In conclusion, Mr.. Voorhees, said
GAS long as American history trea-
sureS up pure lives and faithful public
services, as long as public and private
virtue. stainless and without blemish,
is reyered, so long will the name of
Thomas A. Hendricks be cherished by
the American people as an example
worthy of emulation. Monuments of
brass and marble will lift their heads
in honor of his name, but monument
more precious to his memory and more
valuable to the world has already been
found in the hearts Of the people whom
be served so long, SO faithfully, and
with such signal ability. In the busy
harvest of death of the year 1885 there
was gathered into eternity no nobler
spirit, no higher intelligence, no fairer
soul"
Mr.. Hampton followed: When
death, he said, laid its memorable hand
on Thomas A. Hendricks, Nice-Presi-
dent of the United States, we had a
new and faithful illustration of the
truth of the old adage that " death
loves a shining mark" MIR. Hendricks
was best loved wherever he was best
known. Crowned with almost every
civic honor which a grateful people
could bestow; blest by domestic hap
piness as perfect as it was beautiful, he
did indeed offer a shining mark to the
insatiate archer. When one Of the
great actors in the political arena fell
all animOsities, Mr.. Hampton said, were
buried with him. In the awful pre-
sence Of death friends and foes alike
strive to do justice. Recognizing this
fact, why could we not believe that men
might be honest and conservative in
their beliefs, even when they differed
with us? The scenes around the
death-bed, Mr.. Hampton said, proved
the brotherhood Of mankind, and showed
much Of that touch Of nature which
makes the world akin. This thought had
made deep impression on the speakers
mind, and that impression, continued
Mr.. Hampton, was indelibly fixed by
the extraordinary spectacle beheld at
the funeral Of General Grant. We all
remember the imposing and touching
ceremonies on that mournful occasion,
and certainly no one who witnessed
them could ever forget them; but the
feature that struck me as most signid-
cant, most impressive, was the fact
that among those who bore the body
Of the great captain Of the Union
armies to the grave were Confederate
soldiers, who few brief years ago were
his mortal enemies. Democrats and
Republicans, men who wore the blue,
and men who wore the gray, met at his
tomb to pay the last tribute Of respect
to his memory. Here to-day, while
honoring ourselves by doing honor to
the memory Of the late Vice-President,
we see exhibited the same kind and
generous feeling which marked the obse-
quies Of the dead ex-President. If then
our political and personal animosities
ceased at the grave, should we not be
tolerant and charitable in the judg-
ments We pass on our contemporaries,
even though they are our political OPP
ponents? All Of us, sooner or later,
must claim from the living the tender
recognition which we now bestow on
the dead, for our hearts, like muffled
drums, are beating funeral marches to
the grave. MIR. Hampton spoke warmly
of the political and private virtues Of
the dead Vice President.
Mr.. Ransom believed it almost inn
possible at this time to measure the
worth to our country Of great charac.
ter like that Of the late Vice-President.
We were yet too near his life to write
his history. lie had lived forty-three
years conspicuously before the public