Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-01-31

ed him as the defender of the consfitu-
ton; but we have never found any
thing more graphic. just and philo-
sophical than chance depression In
one Of Professor Emerson's (Beloit)
lectures. Here it is:
In a real crisis of our Union stood
Daniel Webster in the senate of the
United States to defend the constitu-
ton against the assauItof notification.
which in that generation, who knew
not Washington. was a real danger.
When he stood forth, his friends were
in dismay: as he spoke, they grew
strong. ,or they felt, as his words went
forth, the walls that had been shaken
growing firm. becoming rock, becom-
ing adamant. lie sat down in vic
tory that which the world has never
seen on more momentous. not at
Mfrathon, not at Waterloo, for that
speech had made the Union strong
again. His words, Liberty and union,
now and forever. one and inseparable,'
were words which he had made true.
His deep voice ceased in that hall.
The assemhlage recovered from the
overpowering impression; they are
now the strength OF these pillars IN
which we confide.
We tread upon Isaslles sand some.
times we may have said, .Ichahod
Bun let us remember that his ashes
are thc tirmneas of the soil upon which
we tread: that 1t is by the power
which his words have given that our
republic has that stability which en-
abled IL to do the truth when the crisis
came in which the orator himself
quailed Ii Seward and Sumner and
Lincoln and Grant were our leaders
TO vet higher national nobleness, lot
us remember. with thankfulness TO
God. that their leadership was pos
sible only upon the basis of His. Dan
lei Webster has an empire to endure
while America endures, that is, we
hope, while time endures''
.
The late Professor Davies was born
in Wales and came TO this country
when years old He died in the
Presbyterian hospital, Chicago. where
he was taken with the expectation Of
an operation for gall stone difficulty
but the operation was never per
formed He had been very weak for
some days, and indeed his trouble had
caused him much suffering for long
period of years Professor Davies re-
allied his condition before he was
taken to Chicago. He made his will
and put his house in order for the last
great change as the good old saying
is, and expressed himself as confident
that he would never see Madison
again. He had been member OF the
faculty since 1869 and only Professor
Parkinson and Professor Daniels ante
dated him. His strong point was high
er, pure, mathematics. He could be
found most any time in his home read
ing treaties on the subject-mostly in
French and German, and he had made
scientific calculations in connection
with government surveys. The books
he read were profound beyond the
mere comprehension of the average
well educated person, perhaps work
on Celestial Mathematics" with elab-
crate formulate, covering half a page;
yet Professor Davies read them appar-
emily easily and with the interest with
which another would peruse a maya
zine. Professor Davies, like Professor
Freeman, served creditably in the civil
war. though while the latter does oc-
casionally give public addresses on the
subject, Professor Davies rarely re.
ferred to the experience His was a
life of ripe scholarship, unselfish devo-
tioG TO the institution and beautiful
End manly character The professor
had his troubles in connection with the
effort of the last few years to instill
new blood in some of the departments
which had long been in the same
hands. He was deprived Of work
properly belonging to his professor.
ship in order that it might be assigned
to others: and then his diminished
work given as IL reason for reducing
his salary below the pay of full pro.
fessor His friends never liked this,
of course, and the effect on the sensi,
tive old scholar was keen. though he
said nothing Of it. When an effort
was made. two years ago. by two
members of the executive committee
to restore his salary and thus express
full appreciation of the long service.
the outcome was a compromise. There
was an increase of 5000 instead of $500
that had been taken off. The pecuniary
loss was said to have been less
a hurt than the feeling that his repu-
tation as a professor of long expert
ence had been invaded. 1t is one of
such occasional incidents which char
acterize the inside life of a large and
shifting faculty. necessary. perhaps.
but unfortunate and melting criticism
and much quiet ill-feelng
ORLANDO BURNETT.