The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1893-02-04
A TRIBUTE TO L. Q. c. LAMAR.
Bishop Galloway Speaks Eloquently Of the
Dead Mississlppian.

ford, Miss, who died last night st
Macon. Ga:
There Is sorrow throughout Mississippi today
and her harps are hanging silently upon tho
willows. Eyes unaccustomet1 to weep are filled
with tears. In every home where the sad mes
sage has flown there is sense of personal be-
reave'nent. The dead presence and loneliness OF
vacant chair and life dear to our hearts, and
one Of the brightest in our history, has fallen
asleep. A voice that thrilled with an elOquence
almost divine Is silent In death. The grave opens
to receive an eminent Christian. statesman and
1urist, and Mississippi loses her most distin.
guished citizen; the nation one of her truest pa.
trtOts and most faithful public servants. 1t was
the dying boast Of Perlcles that he had never
made an Anthian to weep, and surely no Mssls'
sippian has ever had occasion to ..lsh for any
ignobe word or deed Of Lucius 9. c. Lamar, but
his splendid genius has commanded our admira-
tiOn, his magnificent achievements have chal-
lenged our patriotic devotion, and his radiant
virtues have won the homage OF our affections.
We sorrow only that his sun has gone down
while it is yet day, that he falls when we seem to
need him most and VIXEN able to serve bis coun-
try best.
This great man was born and educated In the
State Of Georgia and came to Mississippi In the
morning of his brilliant young manhood, and
generously gave to his adopted commonwealth
all the ardor Of his love- the fruits Of his tlreless
toll and the powers Of his almost peerless genius
So conspicuous were his public services, so az
dent his devotion to the people, who loved ana
honored him, and so worldwide the fame Of his
achievements as her representative, that his
name was linked in undyng wedlock to the
proud name Of the State that welcomed and
crowned him, and he followed her fortunes In
peace and war, In victory and defeat, and when
the night was darkest proclaimed with loudest
voice his patriotic love for her stainless honor
and his unbroken faith In her glorious destiny.
As professor in our State University, repre-
sentative in Congress, minister to Russia during
the dark days Of war, member of the United
States Senate, cabinet officer and as justice OF
the supreme bench Of the nation, he was every
where conspicuous and always distinguished.
His name was the synonym for pure and lofty
eloquencc. Not for generation and more has
there been man among US who could, like him,
sway and compose vast audiences at will, and by
the authority Of his imperial eloquence compel
the people to ardently adopt his principles and
enthusiastically follow his policy. At times ne
had the classic dicti0n Of Edward Everett, and
again he could rival tho peerless periods Of Ed
mund BURKE He could on occasions pursue an
argument with the analy ytical precision and beau
tiful logic Of John e. Calhoun, and then, II need
be, could kindle enthusiasm, as with equal skill
he could WELD the light sword Of Saladin and
the ponderous battlsax Of Richard. Forforensc
eloquence he had no peer In all our borders He
was a phllosophic cast OF mind. He dwelt In the
higher realms OF thought. This gave him the
loneliness and sometimes moodness Of genius.
lie studied and mastered great principles; be-
meath surface facts he saw their PHILOSOPHERS
and discovered their unerring trend This made
him a statesman Of vast presence and wise
political leader.
He was the first Southern representative after
the war to rift the darkness Of our national sky
and bring light into these despairing parallels.
He caught the ear Of the nation and won back
her lost confidence In our patriotic loyalty. He
rolled away the stone from the grave Of our
buried love aud proclaimed the resurrection Of
our national brotherhood. He reannounced the
plighted faith Of our section, pronounced bless
ing upon the happy reunion and prayed that
what God had Joined together never again be
put asunder. The voice that spoke over the
dead Sumner like another prophet in the wilder
ness proclaimed the days dawn Of our national
peace-the cloudless sunburst of our Federal
immortality, when, with sublime passion, he de-
clared: III We knew more" he rang out an ap-
peal for peace whose slvery echoes are yet
making music on both sides of the quiet Potomac.
With all this vast learning and varied culture
and profound philosophy, he was simple,
humble, unQuestloning believer In the doctrines
Of Christianity. He had little respect for so.
called "hOncst doubt" and scant patience with
blatant skepticisn. shall never forget de-
lightful evening In his Washington home over .
year ago and the cheerful, even Joyous, an
nouncement Of his faith In the worlds Redeemer.
Some time before he had connected himself with
the Church, humbly assuming the solemn vows
before great congregation knew him first
In my boyhood ut the university, when he occu-
pied professors chair, and then learned to
love and admire him. He was the Gamaliel at
whose feet sat and from whose lips received
instruction. The thrill Of that flashing eye.
the tones Of that magic voice, the strong mag.
netism OF that magnificent presence Of my young
Imagination and the loftiest ideal Of my young
ambition, have fingered and inspired me for
more than half jubilee Of years. He stirred
many noble impulse and set on frs many .
laudable ambition. On his grave l crave the
privilege Of dropping tear. He Is gone who
seemed 50 great-gone; but nothing can bereavs
him Of the force he made his own being here,
and we believe him something far advanced In
state, and that he wears brighter crown than
any wreath that man can weave him.
Speak NO more Of his renOwn;
Lay your earthly fancles down.
And In the holy abbey leave him,
God accept him, Christ receive him.