Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-02


dea are incentive TO thelvng. Monuments
90 our great ana GOOD shOJld be mu tipled,
hav takc tue liberty Oh Thu, occasion OF sug-
SesUpg TO &c bar and people of the State to
provide fitting memorial to the distinguished
Chief Justice who 80 long presided over our
Supreme Court, whose decisions are suCh
splendid specimens of jurisdicai research AMI
learning, ana whose career recalls " hartOA's
picture OF Nottingham "seateu un "a his
tnr"ue with ray OF glory about his head. his
eFmlne without spot or blemlsh, his balance
Ia Ms I GIT hand. mercy on nts left, spleudOr
duh prght"cas a Nv. feet and his tongue dis
hsnslug truth, goodness, NlrtGe aud lurtice 10
mankind" Aud by iis eide. and worthy of
asch association, anJtaer 10 commemorate
The sturdy virtue; answering hdcuty
under great trials, 6nd worthy pub
Ito career Of that other Chief Justice
VINO so recently passed from among us. Inc
pub c disposition 10 honor the dead too often
mus It's only expression IN the re sOlu ions OF
pubic &ssemb les, aud the exhibition in pub
TIC places OF emblems Of mourning, soon to he
removed. And the children of lsrael wept
Tor Moses n the plaius Of Moab thtrtv DAYS;
SO the days of Weeping and mourning Tor
Moses were ended" Too oltau the great and
good ne in unknOvn sepulChrcs. or. If known,
Suey are unmarked by any lasting monument.
" hSn the Ieeimg docs CrNBtaliIe Ia enduring
marule or granite, in most cases it is after
painful ehort and long delay. Eighteen years
ELAPSED after The laying of the cornerstone
OF the BunkertHil monument, cree ed 10y the
ITS completion was ceebrated. The
statue of Chief Justice Marshall,
APPOINTED during the second ad-
mlnistratlon, was unveiled within a very re-
cent period. lmmedialey after his death in
1879 Congress voted a marble monument to
" asnlngtop. Half century elapsed before
the foundation was laid. After tins, tor seven
ana thirty years, IL remain unfinished. Al
though intended TO commemorate the life aud
character of him who W q "1rst in the hearts
oil nls country men," and had just claims upon
the treasury OF the government, it stood a. ii
m h.4x han 90.
symbol OF nothing but the lngrautude of the
country, prophecy Of nothing but a broken
constitution, divided people, and disrupted
union. Its completion was not celebrated
until the 2ist day of February, ISM re
than three quarters OF a century after
the resolution OF Congress voting II.
The history OF these similar organic atoms
marks with peculiar emphasis that of the as
soci alton whose completed work we come to
celebrate u 18th becoming ceremony. Amidst
profound aud universal expressions of grief
at the public calamity to the rOuntry inflicted
oy MS death-on Aug. Is, 1882 his body was
buried 70 await the dawn Of that resurrection
Gay OF which he SO beautifully wrote after he
could no longer speak. Within Jew days
after his burial, a public meeting was called
TO assemble in the State capitol on Aug. 20
thereafter. That meeting resolved Itself IN to
an organization That undcrt ok tile patriotic
duty OF concentrating his public life by some
tit and enduring memorial. The success, bril-
liant us his own respendent career which calls
us together within less than half decade after
Its inauguration to crown the completion of
its work, Is highly honorable to those who
have achieved 1t, but most honorable to hun
who inspired It,. 1t has few, il any, parallels.
IL Is in itself more fitting aud eloquent ora
Ilon tnan human language IAN pronounce, for
that may speak in exaggerated phrase of the
worth OF the dead and the sorrow of the liv-
ing; this Is loves own tribute, this is grief's
truthful expression.
AS we come to dedicate this statue to his
name and memory, all the surroundings are
most HusDleiOus. No Mace CDui0 have
terred claim above this. 1t was his own
home; 1t is the capital of the State. and his
fame Is com mon heritage. The progressive
spirit that has already made this pOpulOus
and growing city the pride Of every citizen,
the wonder OF every stranger, shall furnish
opportunity TO speak, and it shall speak, 10
the largest humber Of behOlders. 1t is the
time too, when all over this Southern land. in
the Observance Of custom that should be per-
petuated, fair women and brave men pay
tribute to our dead. May we not think
dead who preceded him in our
hisEo~Y as well as those of his worthy con-
tempOraries. coming from that world where
no uncharty misjudges. no prejudice bl nds,
rejoice IN the tributes of this uay. And
surely, If the honor this occasion pays the
dead could be enhanced, or the joy il i'm
parts TO the living could by heightened bv
human presence, we have that augm ented
honor, and that elevalet y in the presence
OF one worthiiy ranked among the most re-
nOantu OF the lNlnKs whose BLf&uGLN OF 0P-
votiOn to our lamented dead has overcome
the infirmities Of age, and the WEAKNESS Of
travel, and who comes to ming his praises
with ours. Illustrious son Of the South, thy
silent presence is loftier tribute than spoken
GRAFTON or marble statue or assembled
thousands. Alas! Alas! we this day mourn
the silence of the only tongue that could fit
tingly and adequately voice the honor we
would confer upon thee. Beside the gra Q of
him who never swerVed in his devotion to
thee and the cause OF which thou vert and
art the worthy represen alive, We this day
acknowledge tiny just claim upon the cond-
dence, esteem, love, and veneraiiOn of our
selves and our pOsterity. May these auspi-
cious surroundings help us 10 commemorate
the life and character of him in whose honor
we are assem- bled. and move us with the higher
purposes Of devotion TO our State and country
that llfe and character inspire.
AS son of Georgia he eminently merits
this enduring memorial and all the houoTs
conferred by this vast cOncOurse Of his CRATE
full and admiring country men. Born upon
her soil, reared among her people. educated
Il her schools. permeated bg the influence of
her society and civilization. he plead with an
eloquence unsurpassed By any Of her sons for
whatever would promote her veal. and
warned against every danger his sagaciOus
eve detected threatening her prosperity.
Cahed into public service at an early age. he
ST once gave assurance Of thehIgh distinction
ne afterwards attained. For years hi- pub! c
career was a struggle against prevail ng prn-
ciples and policies ne believed to be danger
as powerful combination of anllltv
and craft rs ever rated in the politics Of
any state. Upon every field where her
proudest gladiatOrs met. he stood the peer
Of the snightiest. lie dit not always achieve
popular success. but that has been true Of the
srea est ana beat. HIS Apparent failures to
achieve victory only called for renewal Of
the struggle with unbroken spirit and Dur-
pose. Failure he did not suGer, for his very
defeats were victories. To say, "a NAV be
Justly SAID. that he WAS conspicuous among
those vino have made our history for thirty
years 4 high encOmium. During that period
Tn most memorable events OF our past have
traaspirCd. IL recalls besides his own the
names and careers of stephens, Toomb5. the
CObbs. Johnson. and Jenkins. In what sky
has brighter galaxy ever shOneP The states
manship, the Orat0ry. the public and private
virtue IL exhibits should swell every breast
win patriotic pride. In some OF the highest
qualifications Of leadership, none OF his day
surpas ed BIN. lie did not seek success oy the
schemes OF hidden caucus or crafty mauipu-
lation. lie won his trumphs on the arena OF
omen, fair de- ate before the people. An
earnest -tude 10 OF public question:, he boldly
proc aimed his conclusions. The power o.
opposing maiorities did not deter him. As q
leader Of min rites ne was unqualified As
an orator at tue forum, before popular as
sent bly, or convention, IN the House or Repre-
sentatives or the senate Chamber, Ia Con-
gress, he was the acknowledged equal OF the
grea est men who have illustrated our State
and national history for r quarter Of a cen
fury. lie was thoroughly equipped "a
mastery logc. u captivating eloquence n
burning invectivo, power OF denuncidtion-
OF spoken and written language
and used all with force
and skill that entitled him rs n debater 20 the
highest distinction. While the most uniriend-