The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-03-10
Tribute to the late Senator J.hn e.
Lemon.

The SENATE OF leuu-y INaBla met III
Special Session on Wednesday Feb. 9th
inst. at 3 O'Clock p. nI. 10 hold a me
mortal service in honor Ex-senator John
a. lemon, hate member from the Blair
and Cambria district RESOLUTIONS were
offered by a special committee appoint
cd 10 prepare the same and address
- were made by Senators Siineman,
| Kaufman, Goblin, Cri'ehGcld, Grouse,
OstoUrn, Saylor. MeQuoWn, Walton,
and Stiles Tie addrcsses show tie
high esteem ia which Senator Lemon
was Eeid by bis colleagues. They were
| full Of expressions Of praise for his
many noble qualities and sorrow for
the loss Of one who by these qualities
had endeared himself To his associates.
/ We give below the address Of the Sen
ator from this district in full. In speak
1 ing 10 the resolutions Senator CTitch-
| field said:
| Mr.. President and fellow Senators
Il is with mingled feelings of pleas
ure and sadness that arise in my place
/ To say lew words on this occasion. IL
is always a pleasure to speak Of the
virtues II the departed, who in the
time they were living won cur respect
and love, and Yet it j. said to have
brought fresh 10 our memory, a. though
/ it bad occurred but yesterday, the loss
Of cur friend aud colleague whose ge-
nial nature and kindness Of heart made
him an especial fayorite with ali who
knew him.
This is The fourth time since / be-
I came a member Of this body six years
ago, that we have come together ia
special session 10 speak Of the life and
character Of some one of our number,
who was called away. We have before
US constantly, reminders Of the frailty
Of human life, and yet, when 7 remem-
I Ter that out Of the comparatively
/ small number Of members belonging
/ TO this branch Of our General Assembly
all Of whom come here in the full Wig
or Of manhood, 50 many have passed
away in 50 short a time, my attention
il called more than ever before To the
uncertain tenure cf life and the sad
havoc that the enemy Of our race j.
making amoEg those around me.
! Doubtless a. We sit within this cham
ber to-day the question comes unbidden
to the minds Of many Of US who
shall lie the next 90 f4I into that sheep
that knows 10 waking"
John \. Lemon was the only men,
Der Of the Senate with whom I had
any acquaintance when I entered this
body. / remember well his greeting
I the morning / entered tire cid Senate
/ Chamber CA tie bill, six years ago. IL
was warm and cordial, aad such n 10
friend among the men with whom /
was 10 be officially associated for the
four years that followed. The strength
Of that friendship increased with the
years OF cur service together, and |
arise in my place to-day not % speak
for others, bat 10 pay the tribute OF {;
friend, 20 the memory Of one Whose
friendship was honest AND true,
friendship that will not be forgotten
while life and reason last.
doubt whether any member Of this
body enjoyed to as full an extent as
did Senator Lemon, the good will OF
all of his colleagues. Not one word was
ever heard uttered by any Of his sssoei-
ates that would indicate any thing else
than that he was held in high esteem
by all. To all he was known by tie
familiar name Of ''Uncle john"
A. a Legislator, he Was faithful, and
always kept close 10 the people. The
district he represented is one in which
there is a wide diversity of interests,
and to represent all fairly, without suf-
fering some inequality 10 fail upon one
while seeking 70 secure the good Of an
other, required n thoughtful earefulness
that only a few men are capable Of ex-
ercising. How well he succeeded in
this Is indicated by the number Of
terms he was called by his people 10
fill the place.
His devotion to his constituents was
equalled only by their confidence in
his integrity. He knew no distinction
between the high and the low, or the
rich and the poor. To him all men Of
proper conduct were equal, and his
heart and hand were ever open to the
suffering and unfortunate.
With the business capacity he pos
sessed, he might have been, had he
been less generous, a rich man, but il
is said Of him by those who knew him
best, that there was never time when
he was not rely to divide his last dol
lar with a needy brother.
The esteem in which he was held by
the people of the community in which
he lived was attested By the fact that
those of Us who attended his fu neral,
found every place of business in the
city closed, and the whole city draped
in mourning.
In his political aspirations, he was
/ @A"o = 'Aae'So'Aoir tNN%iu~f ilAo Slttt-1
did not depend upon p,Iiticll mlnipu-
/ lati0ns, which may succeed OF fail, bat
/ the people were with him, aud no po-
/ lit.cdl opponent was ever able 10 over
com their loyalty TO their friend and
/ fav0rite. | remember engaging in
conversation, about year before his
/ death, with gentleman from his own
county concerning his remarkably sue
| eessiul career, and he said to me. that
| although he did not belong to the same
political party TO which Senator Lem
on belonged, he had always supported
him every time he had been eandi-
date. learned to know and love him,
said he, when was boy, and can re-
member the acts of kindness he per-
formed f1r my father, who was poor
man, when was child.
1t was not my privilege to know Sem
ator Lemon in his home, but he fire.
/ quently spoken 10 me Of his family,
and always in such way As TO satisfy
me of his devotion TO those TO whom he
bore the sacred relation Of husband and
father. Our hearts go out in sympathy
TO the inmates of that home to-day.
do not envy the stoicism or indifTer-