Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-03-15


stereotyped and tiresome, go 10 their COM
mittee rooms or to their homes and the
chamber is deserted except by those who ez-
pect to speak and the reporters and other
employees who cannot get away. But the
mere rumor that Senator I9galis was to
speak on Monday when the senate had IN
der consideration the resolution of respect
to the memory of James n. Burness late
member from Missouri, was enough to
chRnge ali that. Every senator was N his
chair the sofas and extra chairs we're ocC1a
pied by representatives who had come -6vet
from the house, and the public and reserved
galIeries were crowded. Senator Dolph had
been called to the chair, and as MIR. Ingalls,
arose IN his old seat and began his Grafton
every eye IN the vast Gssemblage was liked
on ham and every ear was strained to catch
mis- Ii htest word.
Kansans- may take some pride in learning
however, that 1t was the only address that
was printed in full by the Washington
papers, although Senators COckeril, Vest
aud Hale and Voorhees, and Morgan we're
among the speakers. 1t Is & pleasant thing
10 say that no Othe senator could have drawn
SO great crOAd on such an occasion.
INGALLS, SPEECH.
The following is the already famous
speech delivered by Senator Ingalls, on the
occasion of the memorial services over ths
late Congressman BurneS;
These are the eliminating hours of the
closing scene IN the drama Of our national
life. When this day week returns one pO-
HttcaI party Will rellnQulsh and another as
sumo the functions of government. On
every hand are visible the preparations to
welcome the coming and speed the parting
guest. Events of great pith and moment
are awaiting on the brief interval, While
pleasure wRnders restIessiy through the
corridors OF the capitol, hope and fear am
bltIOn, cupldity and revenge sit IN the gal
lerles or stand at the gates, eager (llke the
dying Elizabeth) to exchange millions OF
money for that inch OF time on which sue
cess or failure, wealth or penury, honor or
oblOquy, depend. At this crisis and juno
ture, when every instant is priceless, the
senate, resisting every inducement and So
ucltatlOn, proceeds by unanimous consent
to consider resolutions of the highest priv
Iege-reported from no committee, having
no pla3e on any calendar, but which take
precedence of unfinished business" and
Especial orders" ON which the yeas and
nays are never called, and on which no
negative vote has ever been resOrded-and
TeveFentIy pauses in obedience to the hottest
impulses OF human nature to contemplate
the prOfOuudest 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 prerogative in the republic Of
the grave. At that fatal threshold the phil
osopher ceases TO be wise, and the song Of
the poet is silent. At that fatal threshold
Dives Fetlnquishes his millions and Lazarus
his rags. The poor Is as rich as the richest
and the rich as poor as the pauper. The
creditor loses his usuFy, and the debtor is
acquitted of his obligation. The proud
man surrenders his dignity, the politician
his honors, the wording his pleasures
Here the invalid needs no physician, ana
the iaborer rests from unrequited toll.
Here at least, is natures final decree IN
equity. The irony of fate Is refu ed. The
injustice is ezpiated. The unequal
distribution of wealth, of honor,
capacity, pleasure and opportunity, which
make life so cruel and inexplicaOie q trag-
tor1vT ~ Al Of dauAh he
strongest has, therefore, no supremacy and
the weakest needs no defense. The mIghtiest
captain suCcumbs to that irwin chile adveE-
sary who disarms alike the victor and the
vanquished.
James Nelson Burnes, whose life and viz
tues We commemorate, was a man whom
PlutaEch might have described and Van
Dyke portrayed. Massive, rugged and TO
bust in motion slow, IN speech serious and
deliberate, grave IN aspect, serious in de-
meanOr, of antique and heroic mold the
incarnation of force. AS looked for the
last time upon that cOuntenanCe from
which (foE the first time in 50 many years.
no glance of friendly recognition nor word
of welcome came, I reflected upon the I'M
peuetrable and insoluble mystery of death.
But, If death be the end the life OF Burne5
terminated upon "tnI5 bank and shOal OK
time II no morning Is TO dawn upon the
night In which he sleeps then sOrToW has no
consolation, and this impressive and solemn
ceremony which We observe, has no more
significance than the painted peagant Of tie
stage II Ju9 existence OF 6uEAGS was Dub
troubled dream, his death oblivion, what
avails 1t that the senate should pa1se to re-
count his virtues? Neither YeneEation nor
reverence is due the dead if they are but
dust; no CenOtaph should be reared to pre-
serve for posterity the memory of their
achievements, those who como after them
are to be only their successors IN annlh1ld-
ton and extinction. If In this world only
we have hope and consciousness, duty must
be a chimera; our pleasures and our pas
sions should be the guides Of conduct and
virtue is indeed a superstition If life ends
at the grave. This is the conclusion which
the philosophy of negation must accept at
last. Such is the infelicIty Of those degrad-
ing prsceDts which make the epitaph the
end. If the life OF Burneg is as taper that
IS burned out, then We treasure his memory
and example IN vain. And the latest payer
Of his departing spirit has no more sancity
30 US, who soon or late must follow him,
than the whisper Of winds that stir the
leaves Of the protesting forest, or the EnuE-
muir of waves that break upon the complain.
ing shore.