Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-05-25

mopyl@. Thaddsus stevens-as' malidiouslS
right as any other man was ever wrong-rs.
fused to kneel. Owen Lovejoy, remembering
his brothers noble blood, refused to surrender
and on the edge Of disunion. in thsshadow Of
civil war, with tho cir filled with sounds Of
dreadful preparation. while the Republican
party was retracing ia steps. Roscoe, Conkling
voted no: This puts 2 wreath Of glory on his
his life no VIVA . champion Of equal. rights.
stanch aud stalwart
From that moment he stood in the front rank.
He never wavered and hs never hwerved. By
his devotion to principle. his courage. the
splendor of his dicti0n, by his varied and pro-
found knowledge. his conscientious devotion to
the great cause, and by his intellectual scope
and grasp he won and held the admiration Of
his fellow-men.
Disasters in the field, reversss at the polls
faith. He knew the chastity meaning Of defeat.
He knew that the great ship that SLAVERY .sought
to strand and wreck was freighted with the
tons life, for the rights Of slaves, the dignity
Of labor, and tha rights Of all. He guarded
with fathers care the rights Of the hunted.
age statutes of the reconstructed States with a
torrent of invective, scorn and execratlon.
He was not satisfied until the freedman was
right: until the Constitution was bis shield.
until the ballot was his sword. And long
alter We are dead the colored man in this
ence and love. Others wavered, but he stooa
firm; some were false. but he was proudly
true-fearlessly faithful unto DEATH He glad
who stood with him as makers Of our laws; and
treated them as equals and as friends The
cry of Social equality" coined and uttered by
the cruel and the base was TO hm the express
that no ,nan can be the equal of the one he robs
that the intelligent and unjust are not the
also felt and proudly felt, that If he we're not a
too great to reach the hand Of help and rec
osnition to the slave no other senator could
rightfuily refuse.
Roscoe Conkling was an absolutely honest
man. Honesty is the oak around which all
other virtues cling Without that they fall.
lieved that . nation should discharge it's OBJ
LEGATIONS. He knew that promise could not
be made often enough or emphatic enoagh to
the promise Of the Governmens ' was the the
ptomse Of every citizen-that q national
obligation was a personal dept. and that no
Of con As
splendid truth that 1.-The higher obligations
among men are not set down in writing. signed
and sealed, but reside in honor" He knew
that reputation was the sacrifice of honor
the death of the national soul. He knew that
without character. without integrity there is
ruptcy is the rayless abyss of reputation. He
upheld the sacredness Of contracts, Of plighted
national faith. and helped to save and keep
the honor Of his native land This adds an
other laurel to his brow.
he was the ideal representative faithful and
incorruptble He believed that his constttu-
ents and his country were entitled to- the fruit
Of his experience. to his best and highest
thought. No man ever held the standard Of
responsibility higher than he. He voted ao-
oo.ding t. his Judgment his conssenee He
10 correct evils, abolish abuses. and inau-
gurate reforms he believed was.not only the
duty but the privilege Of 3 legislator: He
in Congress during the years Of vast expendi-
ture, OF war and waste, when the credit OF the
nation was loaned to individuals. when claims
were thick as leaves in June, when the amend
mont OF q statute, the change Of q single word,
meant millions, and when empires were given
to oorporations He stood at the summit Of his
power--peer of the greatest-a leader tried
and trusted. He had tho tastes Of prince.
the fortune of peasant. and yet. he never
swerved No corporation was great enough or
not be bought for all the sun ,.sees, or the
close earth wombs or the profound seas hide.
His hand was never touched by any bride, and
on his soul there never was q sozdid stain.
Poverty was his priceless. CROWN. Above his
marvellous intellectual gifts--above all place he
ever reached-above the ermine he refused
peak. aed there it stands. firm as the earth be-
neath, pure as the stars above.
He was great lawyer. He understood the
law; was familiar with the great streams and
currents and tides of authority. He knew the
history Of legislation, tho principles that have
Uoou boSsAou upO0 tAo AoluS Vi WILT. ho huoW
the maxims, these crystallizations Of common
sense. those hand-grenades Of. argument BE
was not a case lawyer. q decision index or al
| echo; he was original, thoughtful, and pro
| found. He had breadth and scope, re-
source. learning. logic. and above oil 9
sense Of Justice. He was ,painstakins and
| conscientious, anxious to know the facts
preparing for every attack. ready for. every de-
tense. He rested only when the end was
reached. During the contest he naither sent
nor received flag of truce. He was true to his
clients-making their case his. Feeling re-
sponsibility, he listened patiently to details.
and to his industry there were only the limits
of time and strength. He was q student OF. the
Constitution He knew the boundaries State