The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-06-02

was a gallant fellOW. With whom we
were on most intimate terms, and who
once saved us from the grasp of an
overgrown bully by bSging him to the
ground with an unframed slate. How
well we remember when he went into
the navy as "midshipmite,' and how
fortunate we thought Lita. And so he
was, for when the war broke out he
proved himself in possession Of great
abilities, and wrought work that will
not soon be forgotten. 1T seems but
yesterday that we walked to school with
him, and yet he reached the position of
Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and
has now joined the g sat majority.
Surely among the names written in un-
fading ink in the achieves Of our coun-
try is that of GUsTAvus VAsA Fox.
Equally remarkable, and almost as
prominent, and probabs the intellect
ual equal of either Of she foregoing,
was another schoolmats, who as much
as any one we ever knew Illustrated the
adage, "The boy is fatllsof the man."
Aggressive, combative, brilliant, learn
ing his lessons without effort and find
ing time in school hours to read mis-
cellaneous books; making friends and
enemies with equal facility, utterly
destitute of fear, and rather loving to
be painted blacker than he really was,
how truly Ben, the boy foretold the
man, BENJAMIN F. BUTIER. I'VE have
watched his course from d school boy,
as collegian, a young wtorney, a pol
itician, soldier and statesman, with
wonder. He lays no claim to sainthood
that we ever learned, but he is much
further from being at the opposite ex-
treme than from being q saint. One
thing stands out in his career from
boy to man, and from youth to age,
that dwarfs all his defacts into COM
parative insignificance, he never ar
rayed his great abilities on the side of
oppression; he never refused to lay
aside even lucrative engagements to
aid and assist the worthy needy. His
worst enemy who knows his character
will testify that an appeal for help,
even to the employment of his great
powers, without hope q possibility of
reward, could not be made to him in
vain. To him was due the readiness of
Massachusetts when the war broke out
to meet the emergency Had he not
exerted his powers and personal infu-
ence for years before, thA Sixth Massa-
chusetts would not have been ready to
march Through Baltina6fetp' and in all
probability the capita you'd not have
been saved. Possib shs. TOO many
politicians lie ms Pc ,ssisi sssii.sics as
a game, but there is no man living
more entitled to rank as q patriot, and
we are sure that when his life comes to
be seen, through the perspective of the
grave, the defects and faults of his
character now magnified and distorted
by the passions of the day, will fall
away, and leave great and rich per
sonality, whose infuencs has been be-
neficent on his country and age.
But VIII at we set out to record is our
wonder that these five men who have
attained such eminence, in ways so diff
ferent, should have passed US daily,
and we, unable to see any hint in them
of that altitude they reached in their
chosen paths. 1t should make one re-
gard the boys of to-day with certain
reverence, for in looking upon those
nearest we may be entertaining angels
unawares." Certainly a few years ago,
the nearest friends of Fuller, Blaine,
Aver, Fox, Butler, did not see in them
that great success toward which their
feet we're even then pointed.