The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-02-28
CONGRESSIONAL CLAIIeR

Senator Ingalls, Eulogies the Late James n.
Burnes.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-Vest gave
notice on behalf of the committee on
commerce that he would ask the sen
ate tomorrow to proceed to the con-
sideration of bridge bills.
Cullom asked Allison to yield for the
Oklahoma bill, but as Allison decline d
to do so, on the ground that the Okla
homa bill would give rise to debate,
Cullom gave notice that as soon as tile
army appropriation bill was out of the
way he would move to take up the
Oklahoma bill and would press it to a
vote. The army appropriation bill was
taken up. The consideration of the
bill had not been concluded when lat
3 o'clock a message was received from
the house announcing the death of Mr..
Burnes. of Missouri, on the oath of
January last.
Cockrell offered resolutions that the
senate has received with profound sor-
row the announcement of the death OF
Mr.. BuTnes, and tenders to his family
the assurance of sympathy in its sad
bereavement, that the business of the
senate be suspended so that Opportun-
ity may be given for fitting tributes to
the memory of the deceased and to his
eminent public and private virtues and
that at the conclusion of such remarks
the senate as further mark of respect
adjourn. Mr.. CockTen reviewed the
life and character of Mr.: Burnes and
was followed by ingalls, who COM
menced by saying:
These are the eliminating hours of
the closing scene in the drama in our
national life. When this week day re-
turns one political party will relinquish
and another assume the executive
functions of the government. On
every hand are visible the preparations
to welcome the. coming and speed the
parting guests Events OF great plth
and moment are awaiting on the
event of the brief interval. While
pleasure wanders restlesSly through
the corridors of the capitol,
hope and fear, ambition, cupidity
and revenge sit in the galleries or stand
at the gates eager like the dying
EliZabeth) to exchange millions of
money for that inch of time on which
success or failure, wealth or penury
crisis and juncture when every instant
| is priceless the senate resisting every
| inducement and solicitation proceeds
| by unanimous consent to consider re-
solutions of the highest privilege, Ie-
| ported from no committee, having nc
| place on any calendar, but which take
| precedence of diminished bushes"
and special orders on which the yeas
and nays are never called and on
recorded, and reverently pauses in
| obedience to the hottest i'm
pulses of human nature to contem-
| plate the profoundest mystery of hu-
man 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 public
| of the grave. AT that fatal
threshold the philosopher ceases
to be wise and the song of the
poet is silent. At that fatal
threshold Lazarus relinquishes 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 obligation. The proud man sur
| renders his dignity, the politician his
honors and the wording his pleasures.
| Here at least is natures final decree in
| equity. The irony of fate is re-
| futed. The wrongs of time are re-
dressed and injustice is eSpiated.
The unequal distribution of wealth,
of honor, capacity, pleasures and
opportunity which make life so
cruel and inexpliciable tragedy comes
in the realm of death. The strongest
has there no supremacy and The weak
est needs no defence. The mightiest
captain succUmbs 10 the invlncible adj
| YersaTy who dis9rmS alike the victor
| and the vanquished.
James Nelson Burnes, whose life and
virtues we commemorate to-day was a
man whom Plutarch might have de-
scribed and Van Dyke portrayed as
massive, rugged and robust in motion,
slow in speech, serious and deliberate.
grave in aspect, serious in demeanor OF
| antique and heroic mold, the lncar-
nation of force. As l looked for the
| last time upon that countenance from
| which, for the first time in 80 many
| years, no glance of friendly recogni-
| ton nor word of welcome came, L re-
| Elected upon the impenetrable and in
| soluble mystery of death. But If
| death be kind. the life of Burnes. termi-
mated upon this bank and shoal OF
| time:" if no morning is to dawn upon
the night in which he sleeps, then sor-
row has no consolation and this i'm
pressive and solemn ceremony which
we observe to-day has no more signifi-
canoe than the painted pageant
| of the stage. What avails it
that the senate should pause to recount
| his virtues; neither veneration or
reverence are due the dead if they are
but dust. No cenotaps should be reared
to preserve for prosperity the memory
of their achievement if those who come
after them are to be only their success
sor in humiliation and extinction. If
in this world only we have hope and
consciousness duty must be chimera.
Our pleasure and our passions should
be the guides of conduct and virtue is
indeed superstition if life ends at the
grave.
philosophy of negatiOn must accept al
last. Such is the felicity of those de
grading precepts which make the cpl
, taph the end. If the life of BuTnes il
rs taper that is burned out then Va
treasure his memory and his example
in vain and the latest prayer of this de
parted spirit has no more sancity TO III
who soon or late must follow him thar
the whisper of winds that stir tn
leaves of the protesting forester, tn
murmur of waves that break upon tn
complaining shore"
EulogIes were also pronounced b,
Senators Voorhees,, Hale. Hampton
: Cokeand Vest, (the latter suggesting
as fitting epitaph there lies one muc
! loved, much hated but never despise'
by friend or foe.o)
The resolutions were adopted unani
: mously, and the senate adjourned.