Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-05-01
AN ELOQUENT TRIBUTE.
Senator Ingalls, EuIOgy on the Late Rep
resentative Burnes, of Missouri.

Senator Ingalls, EuIOgy on the Late Rep
resentative Burnes, of Missouri.
These are the eliminating hours of the
closing scene IN the drama of our National
life. When this day week returns one politi-
cal party will relipquish and another assume
the executive functions of Government. On
every hand are visible the preparations to
welcome the coming and, speed the part
ing guest" Events of great pith and
moment" are awaiting on the event of the
brief interval. While pleasure wanders
restlessly through the corridors of the Cap
itol, hope and fear, ambition, cupidity and
revenge sit in the galleries or stand at the
gates eager Qike the dying Elizabeth) TO ex-
change millions of money for that inch of
time on which success or failure, wealth or
penury, honor or obloquy depend. At this
crisis and juucture, when every instant is
priceless, the Senate, resisting every in
ducement and solicitation. proceeds by
unanimous consent to consider resolu tons
OF the highest privilege, reported from
no committee, having no place on
any calendar, but which take precedence
OF unfinished business" and especial or
ders," on which the yeas and nays are
never called, and on which no negative
vote has ever been recorded, and reverent-
ly pauses in obedience to the hottest i'm
pulses OF human nature TO contemplate the
profoundest mystery of human destiny
the mystery Of death. In the democracy
OF death all men at least are equal There
is neither rank, nor station, nor preroga-
tive In the republic of the grave.
At that fatal threshold the philosopher
ceases to be wise and the song of the poet
is 5 lent At that fatal threshold Divos re-
linquishes his millions and Lazarus his
rags. The poor man Is as rich as the richest
and the rich man is as poor as the pauper.
The creditor loses his usury and the debtor
is acquitted OF his obligations. The proud
man surrenders his dignity, the politician
his donors, the wording his pleasures.
James Nelson Burnes, whose life and
virtues we commemorate to-day, was man
whom Plutarch might have described and
Vandyke portrayed. Massive, rugged and
robust, IN motion slow, In speech serious
and deliberate, grave in aspect, serious in
demeanor, of antique and heroic mold, the
incarnation of force. AS looked for the
last time upon that countenance, from
which flor the first time in so many years)
no glance Of friendly recognition nor word
of welcome came, l reflected upon
the impenetrable and insoluble mystery
OF death. But If death be the end, If the
life of Burnes terminated upon s'this bank
and shoal OF time" if no morning is to dawn
upon the night in which he sleeps, thea
sorrow has no consolation, and this inn
pressive and solemn ceremony which we
observe to-day has no more significance
than the painted pageant Of the stage. II
the existence of Burnes was but q troubled
dream, his death oblivion, what avails il
that the Senate should papse to recount his
virtuesl Neither veneration nor reverence
is due the dead il they are but dust; no
cenotaDh should be reared TO preserve for