Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-03-15
DELAWARE GAZETTE AND STATE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

after the death Of Chief Justice
Comegys. In all of these, he made
both beautiful and touching remarks
upon the death Of those, his old asso-
ciates.
Mr.. Bayard was always interested in
Delaware affairs. He was proud Of her
history. He sought to preserve her
traditions. Some of you have seen a
paper which he prepared in 1889 on the
unveiling of the monument to Caesar
Rodney located in the old Episcopal
Church yard at Dover. Anyone read.
ing that paper will understand that it
must have taken him weeks il not
months to prepare this most exhaustive
paper, and he did 1t as labor of love
and took the greatest interest IN it
from beginning to end. And with all
these accomplishments as public
man, he was always gentleman, with
kindly instincts and with heart of a
child. l never saw a man, never
met man, who combined more thor
ough simplicity of childhood with the
manners of gentleman. remember,
and shall to my dying day, the kindly
greeting that Mr.. Bayard gave me the
morning after my admission to the bar.
That has been 25 years ago. Up to that
morning l never had spoken to Nj.
Bayard, / never had met him, bur
remember in one Of the dark entries of
the old Court House ct New Castle,
how he took hold of my; hand, and
wished nue. all the success possible in the
profession that was Just then entering.
The kindly greeting that he gave me
and the cordial wishes for success that
he uttered ahve ahided with me during
all the intervening years.
remember again, 10 years after
that, on visit made to Washington,
that was up in the gallery of the
Senate. | had not sent my card to him
someiproceeding of the debate, when
some one put his hand on my shoulder
and looked up and il was Mr.. Bayard.
that head of hair" he said to me. He
gave me some valuable directions about
spending the time in Washin ton, where
to 20 and how to go, took me to his
committee room and entertained me SO
delightfully."- that it>made an impression
on my mind that will never be etfaced.
These are only two little instances
which tend to show the kindly nature
CT the man. He was % years my senior
in age, but it was these little touches
of kindness and attention that drew me
to him in personal way. He always
felt the warmest attachment and showed
the greatest interest in the Historical
Society of Delaware, and for at least
| 10 years prior to his death acted as the
| vice. president for New Castle county.
Some of you who are here tonight will
recall his last public utterapce. 1t was
on the occasion of the presentation OF
the portraits of the governors of the
State in May, 1898, at Dover. His
Tribute to the Delaware statesmen of
the past at that time was very hand
some thing. He closed his address by
saying: Honesty and probity shall
always be the ruling forces In the
politics of Delaware" and / hope that
these last words uttered by him in
public in his native State will turn oui
| to be truism.
But we that were there that day re,
call the pinched face, the feeble ster
and the voice that had weakened. That
was the forerunner of the end thai
came six months later. In the home
Of his married daughter, whom he
dearly loved, the end came ON Wednes
day, September 2Sth, 1898, at Dedham
near Boston, in Massachusetts. ! have
often wished that his last hours NIGH
have been spent in Delaware, because
Delaware was SO close to his heart
and believe that il il had been in hi!
control that he would have arranged i
30 that when his eyes closed for th,
last time, the last look would hav,
been out on a Delaware landscape.
Lives are not measured by years. Ii
another month this man would hay,
measured out the full three score anC
ten of life. The century began will
James A. Bayard, the elder, his grand
father, who figured in the second presi
Dental administration of the new re
public. The father, two sons and
grandson, one after another, filled mos
honorably a seat in the highest leeis
lative body of the land. They were al
true and tried public servants, blu
none of them more SO than he VIII,
caught and carried the banner vallantl,
and heroically almost to the dawn O
the new century.
From Massachusetts they brough
him back, the body that was left, will
closed eyes and silent lips. There wer
waving palms and the scent of beauti
full flowers and on the inside of the Oh,
Swedes Church that had claimed S,
much of his time aud attention tn
little home circle gathered, and tn
bar of our county met with uncovered
heads. On the outside was the grea
concourse of people, the plain folk VIII,
wanted to honor the memory of tn
great man fallen. Prayers were said
the man, who as President, had eane,
upon him, stood beside him now, a
the grave opened. In the shadowe,
sunlight of that autumn afternoon th,
dust was returned to the earth wheno
it came. 81
He had fought good fight, he ha,
finished his course, he had kept tn
faith. +" Applause