The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-05-16

the auspices of the Senate and Assembly.
Col. Ingersoll spoke as follows:
Roscoe Conkling, a great man. an orator, a
etatenpan, n lawyer d stinguished citizen OF
the Republic, in the zenith OF his fame and
power has reached his journeys end and we
are met. here in the city Of his birth, to pay
our tribute to his worth and work. He earned
and held a proud position in the public
Thoughts. He stood for independence for cour-
age, and above all for absolute integrity, and
his name was known and honored by many
millions Of his fellow men.
The literature of many lands is rich with the
tributes that gratitude, admiration. and love
have paid TO the great and honored dead These
tributes disclose the character OF nations, the
Ideals OF the human race. In them We find the
estimates of greatness-the deeds and lives
THAT challenged praise aud thrilled the hearts
tofmen.
In the presence of death the good man judges
las he would be judged. He knows that men
are only fragments. that the greatest walk in
shadow, and that faults and failures mingle
with the lives of all. In the grave should be
buried the prejudices and passions born of con-
lhict. Charity should hold the scales in which
are weighed the deeds Of men, Peculiarities
traits born of locality and surroundings, these
are out the dust OF tho race. These are acct
dents drapery, clothes, fashions, that have
nothing to do with the man except TO hide his
character. They the clouds that cling to
mountains. Time gives us clearer vision. That
which was merely local fades away. The
words of envy are forgotten and oil there is of
sterling worth remains, He who was called n
partisan is a patriot The revolutionist and the
was regarded as scheming selfish politician
becomes a statesman. n philosopher, whose
words and deeds shed light.
Fortunate ia that nation great enoup oh to know
the great. When a great man dies, one who
has nobly fought the battle of life, who has
been faithful to every trust, and has uttered
his highest, noblest thought, one who has stood
proudly by the right in spite of ieer and taunt
neither stopped by foe nor swerved by friend
in honoring him, in speaking words OF praise
and love above his dust, we pay tribute TO
ourselves. How poor this world would be with
out it's graves, without the memories of its
mighty dead. Only the voiceless speak for
ever.
Intelligence, integrity and courage are the
great pillars that. support the state. Above
ALL the citizens OF free nation should honor
the brave and independent mantle man Of
stainless integrity, of will and intellectu al
force. Such men are the Aliases on whose
mighty shoulders rest the great fabric OF the
Republic. Flat.erers cringers crawlers, time
servers are the dangerous citizens OF dem
ocracy. They who gain applause and power by
passions OF the multitude arc the enemies OF
liberty. When the intelligent submit to the
clamor Of the many anarchy begins, and the
Republic reaches the edge OF chaos. Mediocrity,
touched with ambition, natters the base and
caluninates the great, while the true patriot
who will do neither, is often sacrificed.
In government OF the people "A leader should
be a teacher; he should carry the torch.of
truth. Most re0ple are the slaves of habit,
followers Of custom, believers in the wisdom Of
the past and were il not for brave and splendid
souls the dust OF antique time would lie I'M
swept and mountainous error lie too highly
heaped for truth 20 oyerpeer" Custom 10 a
prison locked aud barred by those who long
ago were dust, the keys of which are in the
keeping OF the dead. Nothing is grander than
when strong, intrepid man breaks the chains,
levels the walls, and breasts the many headed
mob like some great cliff that meets the in
Vulnerable pillows Of the sea.
Roscoe COnkling was a man Of superb cour-
age. He not only acted without fear. but he
had that fOrtiture Of soul that bears the conse-
qEences Of the course pursued without com
plant. He WIS charged with being proud. The
charge was true. He was proud. His knees
infexible as the ~unwedgeable and
gnarled oak" but he was not vain. Vanity rests
on the opinion Of Others-pride on our own
The source Of vanity is from without-of pride
erom within Vanity IL vane that turns,
willow that bends with every breeze; pride
is the oak that defes the storm. One is cloud,
the other rock. Ono is weakness, the other
sEength.
This imperious man entered public life in the
dawn Of the reformation at the time when the
country needed men Of pride, OF principle, and
courage. The institution of slavery had pois-
oned oil the springs Of power. Before this crime
ambition fell upon it's knees-politicans, Judges
clergymen, and merchant princes bowed low
and humbly with their hats in their hands. Tho
real friend OF man was denounced as the enemy
OF his country, the real enemy of the human
race was called statesman and q patriot
Slavery was a bond and pledge OF peace, OF
union, of national greatness. The temple Of
American liberty hnished-the auction
block was the corner-st1ne.
1t il hard 10 conceive OF the utter demoraliza.
LlOn, OF the pOllNlChl DllnunebB immortality,
of the patriotic dishonesty, OF the cruelty and
degradation of people who supplemented the
Incompatible Declaration OF Independence
with the fugitive slave law. Think of the hon
ored statesmen Of that ignoble time who wal
lowed in this. mire, and who. decorated with
dripping filth, received the plaudits OF their
fellow-mon. The noble, the really patriotic,
were the victims Of lnobs, and the shameless
were clad in the robes OF Office. But let us
speak no word OF blame let us feel that each
one acted according to his light, according TO
his darkness.
At last the conflict came The hosts Of light
and darkness prepared TO meet upon the fields
of war The question was presented: Shall the
Republic be slave or free2 The Republican
party had triumphed at the polls. The greatest
man in our history was President-elect The
Nictors were appalled,, they shrhnk from the
great responsibility Of success. In the presence
OF rebellion they hesitated, they offered to re-
turn the fruits OF victory. Hoping TO avert war,
they were willing that slavery should become
immortal An amendment to tho Constitution
was proposed TO the effect that no subsequent
amendment should ever be made that I'm any
way should interfere with the right Of man TO
steal his fellow-men. This the most marvel
ous proposition ever submitted 20 a congress Of
civilized men, received in the House an over
whelming majority, and tho necessary two
thirds I'm the Senate. The Republican party, in
the moment OF its triumph, deserted every
principle for which Il had so calamity contend
ed and wi h trembling hands OF fear laid its
convictions on tho altar OF compromise.
The Old Guard, numbering but sixty-five In
tho House, stood as firm as the 300 at Their