The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-23

HE never made Il brow look dark,
Nor caused tear but when he died.
Like lamDent lightning his wit was
softly bright; it Illuminated but did not
burn" Again: mo one who heard the
long debate on the tariff bill of 1890 will
ever forget the part which was taken
i'll it by Senator Vance. AS memDer
Of the Finance Committee of this body
he bore Il large measure of the burden
of that memorable discussion The de-
tails OF the biz were thoroughly master
edsby him and he devoted laborious days
and nights to the study of the complex
and difficult questions involved in its
consideration. lie sacrificed his ease
and comfort to the performance of his
duty. and his unremlttmg devotion to the
work before him, through the long weeks
and months OF that spring and summer,
cost him the sight of an eye and greatly
impaired his naturally strong constitu-
ton. 1t has been given to few
men to carve for themselves so secure
niche in the temple of their country S
fame"
Mr.. George, Mississippi's great Sen
ator, now dead after speaking of his
leadership on the Democratic side, said:
Prom the very first | was attached to
him. not more by his many high social
qualities than by a conviction on my
part of his great value as Il statesman.
& His powers of debate were re-
markafble and i'll many respects I'M
rivalled. He possessed sound logic,
VIII oh enabled him to sound the most
and force. ne used his great
powers Of wit and humor not as mere
ornaments of discourse, but al
ways rs substantial aid to his
argument. This gift was always MADE
subordinate to, and servant OF, ms
powers of reasoning. He was one Oh
the few men | have known who, beng
possessed of brilliant powers to please
and attract by wit, humOr and anecdOte,
never succumbed to the temptation to
be agreeable and amusing at the eX-
pense of being instructive. In any leg
islatiye body in the world he would have
been esteemed great" He proceeded to
hold up the moral side OF Senator Nance's
character, aud his noble ambition to
countrymen. and concluded with these
words: Il feel warranted i'll saying that
the sober verdict of history will assign
to Senator Vance very high place i'll
the front rank of American statesmen,
and his death. ut that stage of the de-
velopment Of his high powers when his
greatness and usefulness were recognized
by all, came too soon for the pubic good
and was great national loss.
REPRESENTATIVE Wheeler of Alabama,
the famous Confederate general, and the
hero of Santiago, said: Senator Vance,
probably more than any other man OF
his generation, possessed qualities which
peculiarly fitted him for n public servant
in republic like ours. His
whole life was an eXemplihcation OF
love and devotion to the people whom he
served TO this was largely due the
bountcouS outpOuring of the love from
his people to their idolized leader"
Representative Hooker, of Mississippi,
n native of South Carolina, went even
further and said: He will take his
position side by side with that venerable
trio that passed away long ago, of whom
we are in the habit of speaking when tine
Senate is named, Calhoun, Clay and
Webster He will also take his position
as one of the great orators and states
men of the land in which he lived"
Representative Springer. of Illinois.
likened him to his own Abraham Lin
coin, in his aptnesS with the use of
humorous Illustrations to rivet the atten-
ton of the audience upon the more solid
and instructive portions of his discourse,
ard abiding to his appearance. pro-
nOunCpd him man of commanding
presence and who in assembly would be
the observed of all observers, and in APP
pearancc an ideal Governor and model
spnatorv a statesman in the
common people. and fearless advocate
of the equal rights of all before the
law" He. like several others of the
euogiStS, was attracted, as the fatal dis
ease was wasting the strength of Sen
ator Vance, by the calm resignation
and cheerfulness, with which he APP
preached the life to come, in anticipa
ton of a brighter and better existence
beyond the tomb.
Representative Caruth, of Kentucky.
attracted to him. in part, because from
that State Senator Vance had taken
for his life companion, asserted that
In modern times there mas appeared in
this republic no more thoroughly equipped
or better prepared debater or orator
than Xebulon Il. Vance" And he quoted
and fully endorsed this glowing tribute
in the address Of Senator Ransom:
What Tell was to Switzerland. what
Bruce was to Scotland. what William
Of Orange was to Holland, | had almost
said what Moses was to Israel. Vance
was TO North Carolina. | can give you
but 4 faint idea of the deep, fervid, eX
allied sentiment which our people cher
ISL for their greatest tribune. he was of
them. He was one of them. He was
with them. His thoughts. his feelings,
his words, were theirs. He was their
shepherd. their champion, their friend,
their guide, blood of their blood, great,
good. noble, true, human Ike they were
i'll all respects. no better but wiser,
ADLER, with higher knowledge and pro-
founder learning"
| cite briefly from two others, repre-
sorting the extremes of the two great
parties of the country, Mr.. Henderson,
now Speaker of the House of Represen-
tatives, said: "Ths man came of revO-
lutionary blood. The inspiration that
followed the flag of Washington never
ceased TO permeate his great and mighty
heart, and in 1861 he stood up like
buiwark against the waves that were
beating against his country" lie at
tributed to him that greatness which
cannot be dimmcd by any clouds or any
revolution land pronounced him great
orator and rare wit and humoriSt; and
then said: Il met him first to take his
hand, when we were attending meeting
Of the Sons of the Revolution in this
city. And when he sat down, after de-
Scribing elOquently and touchingly some
Of the scenes Of the past, he sat down
with me as his brother and his friend.
The thought flashed through my mind,
# this was Confederate soldier, the
Confederacy is truly gone and we are
sure of permanent, solid and indis-
soluble union"
Representative Bryan, of Nebraska,
and surely the words of William Jen-
nings Bryan will have weight among