Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-02-13
The Barbour Eulogics.

ate:
Mr.. President, the intense interest
which we feel and take in the active
business and affairs of life and the sad
ness and sorrow with which we receive
the announcement of death present the
sharpcst contrast in human affairs, and
to-day but illustrates this truth. This
morning in the Senate we listened with
attention to the message of the chief
executive of the United States on one
of the most important questions which
could be presented to us next, we lis
tened to an animated discussion of one OF
our great economic questions; and now
the Senate is hushed, and we consider
for the hour death and its consequences;
we recall the memory and the virtues
of one of our associates who has gone.
Il is y common remark that no man
is necessary to society. We sometimes
think as we see great talents, great eff
fects. distinguished ability in our public
men, that they have become so essen
tial 10 the life of the republic, so neces-
sary to human advancement, that when
they drop out their place cannot be
filed. Ne look at q man to-day in
vigor and in strength, we see that he
occupies commanding position in leg
islation, in business, and we feel that
his loss would be irreparable. The ten
sion upon the thread Of life is little
100 strong and the thread suddenly
snaps; lie is gone yet on the morrow
some one of the living steps into his
place, and we say chow soon he is for
gotten.
In a sense this is true, and yet in an
other sense it is not true. Every good
and true man as well as every great
man is essential and necessary to socie-
ty; every man who lives good and
true life becomes a part of society, part
of the present and part of the future
history Of the government. The influ-
encc Of a good man never ceases; death
does not put an end to it; it goes on
from year to year and age to age.
a nation is a growth. 1t has char
acter like an individual, and as indi-
vidual character in its growth is the
sum Of the thought and action of the
individual, so the national character in
its growth is tfe sum of the thought,
the action, and the work of the public
man as he represents the private citi-
zens of the nation.
What we do here to-day we may feel
will be overlooked in the future; and
yet it can not be lost. Its effect must
be felt for all time if we are but true
and faithful. The sapling year by year
accumulates o little ring of growth,
which is overgrown by that of the sue
cecding year: yet every ring remains
an.essential part of the tree, and will
so remain as long as the tree lives.
Thus whatever true and faithful man
does becomes an essential part of the
national growth, and will remain as
long as the national existence con-
tinues.
These thoughts crowd upon my mind
as | contemplate the loss of Senator
of the United States. The roll of the
Senate is long one. Turn to the
Manual and you observe that it is al
most wholly roll of the dead. The
few who are here and the great major
ity who have gone comprise the roll OF
the Senate, and yet of those who have
occupied seats in this or the other Sen
ate chamber and who have been looked
down upon from the galleries, no man
has Iced that senatorial life without
contributing in some measure to the
growth and development of the nation,
to its advancement, its glory, and its
advancement, its glory. and its benef
cence anon the people of the earth.
So with our deceased comrade. His
life has now become q part of his coun-
try's history. 1t was not permitted to
him to be many years in this body, he
served out barely half of a single term,
yet what he did here must last forever
as part of the nations growth and
history.
can not speak Of him as critically as
can those who knew him longest and
who were more familiarly associated
with him, yet serving with him upon
one committee, | came to know
him well enough, l think, to ap-
preciate his character and to re-
spect him fully. 1t seems to me that
he was q man who stood, as it were,
between the old and new. There have
been great changes in this country,
great changes in the methods of legisla-
ton as well rs of business, great
changes in the habits, of the bearing
and the style Of men, and it seemed to
me that Senator Barbour represented
the old order and the new order He
was courtly and dignitied, with kind
of scmi-aristocracy in his bearing like
the men of the old school, and yet he
was simple and unostentatious, genial,
social. and absolutely democratic in all
his walks and tastes. He was a man
Of the people and of the present, and
yet had much in his bearing and habits
which reminded us of the past, and
seemed to connect the present with the
past.
He was not an orator, but he was, as
has been remarked, distinguished fol
his practical knowledge and his practi
cal ability. He could not split hairs
with the logicians; he could not charm
the Senate and the listening callerie:
with eloquence; but he could 60 di
rectly to the core OF things and determ
inc what was right. He was a man O
convictions he weighed things care