Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-05-19

| prenaration Xh,4r the Republican DartV was
rotracing il, sterf. Roscoe Conklng voted
| oNo,n Thi, nuts wre.,th of glory on his tomb.
From that vote IN tho las, moment of his
| iife he wasa champion of eou,;i rights, stanch
| and sta,,sart From that moment be stood in
tbe front raak, He meyer waveref, and he
| nevcr swerved Pc his devotion to
nrincinle bis eouraae. the snlendor OF
his diction nv bis varied and nrofound
knowIedge, his conscientious devotion 10 the
great aarse and nv bis iptel,ortna1 scone and
grasp he won pna held the admiration Of his
| fellow men. Disasters in the field. reycrscs at.
/ Il polls did not and could not shake his cour-
age or his f~ith. He knew the rh astlv meaning
of defeat He Inew that the great shin that
slavery sourht 10 s,,and and wreck was
freiphted with the worlds 3ubinest hone He
battled for a Nations lie. for the rights Of
slaves. the dignity of labor and tb- liberty of
all. He guarded with A fathers care the rights
of the hunted the hated and desnised lie
attacked the savage statutes of the recon-
structed States with "a torrent of inyectiye
scorn and execration. He was not satisfied
Until the freedman was an American citizen.
Clothed with every civil right, until the consti-
tuiion.srs h.s shieid, until the hailot wa g III.
sword and long after we are deat the colore6
man in this and other lands will sneak his
name in reverence and love. Others wayered,
was proudlv trre-fearlesslv faithful unto
death. He gladly proudly grasped the
hands OF cdored men who stood with
him as makets Of our laws. and treated them
as canals and as friends The cry OF "social
eoualitvr coined and uttered by the cruel and
the base was to him the-eypression of a great
and splendid truth. He knew that no man
can be the equal of the one he robs; that
the intelligent and unjust are not the superi8rs
of the ignorant and honest: and he also felt.
and proudly felt that If he was not too great to
reach the hand of help and RECOGNITION to the
slave no other Senator conId rightfully refuse
We rise by raising Others. and he who stoops
above the fallen stands erect . -
Roscoe Conkling was an absolutely honest
man. Honesty is the oal, around Which all
other virtues cling Without that they fall,
and groyeling die in weeds and dust. He be-
ieved that a Nation should discbarge its oblf
cations. He knew that a promise could not be
made often enough or erpphatic enough 10 take
the place OF payment. lie felt tina. the
promise Of the Government was the
promise OF every citizen-that national
obligation was personal debt. and
that no possible combination Of word, and
pictures could take the place of coin. He ut.
tered the splendid truth that the higher OBJ
legations among men are not set down in
writing signed and sealed, but reside
in honor He knew that reDudiatlon WAS
the sacrifice of honor the death of the
National soul He knew tbnt without
character without integrity. there is no
wealth. and that below uoverty. below bank
ruDtcv, is the rayless apyss Of repudiatiou He
upheid the sacredness of contracts. of plirhted
National faith and helped to save and keen the
honor of his native land. This adds another
laurel to his brow. He was the ideal repre-
lieved that his constituents and hi, country
were entitled 10 the fruit of his exDerience. TO
his best and highest thought. No man ever
held the standard Of responsibility higher than
he He voted according to his Judgment his
conscience. He madeuo baruains-he neither
bought nor sold. To correct evils abolish
abuses and ihaugurate reforms he believed
was not only the duty but the privilege OF
legislators. He neither sold nor mort
gagged himself He was in Congress dur
Ing the years of vast expenditure, Of war and
waste, when the credit of the Nation was
oaned to individuals, when claims were thick
IS leaves in June, when the amendment of a
statute the change of single word, meant
and when empires were given
o corporations He stood az the sum.
nit Of his power-peer of the greatest
leader tried and trusted He had
he tastes Of Prince, the fortune OF peas
mt, and yet he never swerved. No corpora
ion was great eLough or rich enough to pur-
hase HIM. His vote could not be bought "for
II the sun sees or the close earth wOnbs,
r the profound seas hide His hand was
ever touched by any bribe, and on his
oul there never was sordid stain.
'oyerIy was his priceless crown. Aboyo
is marvellous intellectual gifts, above all place
e ever reached, above the ermine he refused,
/. t..t
eak. and there it stands, firm as the earth be.
cath, pure rs the stars above.
The speaker then spoke of Mr. Conklins ASH
'Wyer and an orator IN ootn OF which chagac-
'rs he declared MN 10 be Without peer Con
nuing, he sala;
He abhorred the pharisee and loathed all
aud. He had profound aversion for those
ho insist or putting base motives back OF the
ood deeds OF others. He wore no mask.
lie knew his friends; his enemies knew
m. He had no patience with pre-
'nse, with patriotic reasons for un-
anly acts. He did his work and braYely
loke his thought. Sensitive TO the last
sgree, he keenly felt the blows and stabs Of
le envious and obscure, of the smallest OF
le weakest but the greatest could not drive
m from convictions field. He would not
oop to ask or give an explanation. He left
$ words and deeds to justify themselves. Ha
ia IN lght esteem friend who hcara with
vi oele'lns ears tue SANDER ot zoe io
l!Aed highWay oil MS own ana Kept tue
nlpauy oI ms seHfespect. lie would hot lurh
ue TO AVOID aioe' TO greet or gam TREND. III
nature there was no compromise 10 MN
ere were out Two pathS-the rlght ana wrong
was maligned, misrepresented ana misun-
'rstood' out he would not answer. lie knew
at character speaks louder Tar than any
-, dl' "ss 's r,r. s'H Is nv Il O%, "."
tod var. ohae,, nun "N' 'o' III Vi
at was and ever Will be proud of him. He dd