The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1901-01-17
Gentle Slumber.

comes to join the innumerable caravan
thou 60 not like the quarry slave
scourged to his dungeon, but rather sus-
tanned and soothed by an unfaltering
trust, approach thy grave like one who
lies down to gentle slumber."
Thus did the immortal Longfellow
beautifully express his idea of life and
death. What more appropriate senti-
E.ent could express the most prominent
characteristics of our beloved friend,
Igratius Donnelly, who has so recently
gone to gentle slumber. For many
years it was my good fortune to know
MIR. Donnelly intimately, and l believe
that no more truly unselfish whole
souled, generous and most loveable Of
men ever assumed the leadership of a
fOrlorn hope, at the earnest request of
his associates, and at great personal
Inconvenience, labor and expense, than
did Hon. Ignatius Donnelly. and what
was his reward politically? Slandered
ty enemies and continually undermined,
back-bitten and stabbed to the heart By
jealous. short-sighted associates in his
own party, who protested friendship
only to betray him like Judas of old.
1t Is enough to dampen the ardOr of the
most sanguine reformer that ever lived
to read the history of the treatment Of
Ignatius Donnelly in the last Is years
by men of his own party.
Mr.. Donnelly, for over 80 years, advO-
Gated the most prominent and import
ant reforms calculated to benefit man
kind, and worked honestly, persistently
and faithfully, without hope or expec-
tatiOn of reward other than the appre-
citation of the people for whom he sacri-
feed so much And when his work was
not appreciated, but instead, misinter-
preted by many of his associates, | do
but wonder that his good-natured dis
position broke down and his health
faled.
This tratorious conduct was in every
case uncalled for, and always resulted in
retarding the reform work.
Looking at it from an office-holder's
standpoint. Mr.. Donnelly's political
work will be called failure, but when
viewed from the vantage ground of
statesman, his work will be given first
place and will live and benefit mankind
long after his enemies and villfiers have
been buried in oblivion.
There seems to be a general impress
sion that Mr. Donnelly wanted to be the
whole thing in all political work, and
that he had no confidence in his lieu
tenants. A worse mistake was never
made. To my personal knowledge Mr.
Dcnnelly never attempted to dictate the
personnel of committee or to direct
the committees work. He would al
ways say: "Gentlemen, do whatever you
think is for the best and let me know
where l can be of the most service"
He was slow to think evil or to expect
treachery from anyone, and right here
is why he failed, often at the very
threshold of success. The dastardly
treatment he received at St. Louis in
1896 stung him to the quick. and l be-
lieve was the direct cause of his health
beginning to fail.
But the end has come. The greatest
and most beloved man in all Minnesota
las gone to his reward and while thous-
ands mourn as they would FOR a father,
I doubt not .lat the great soul of Ig-
natius Donnelly looks down in peace and
contentment on the scenes of his earth
ly career and is satisfied that his poor,
tired body sleeps well.
Ignatius DonnAlly had so lived that
he feared not the coming of the dark
angel, and his end came as a conscien-
tious, energetic man, anxious to work
to the very end. might wish it to come
Peace to his ashes. and all honor to
his memory.
C. B. MABEN.
WealthwoOd, Mimi, Jan. 5. 1901.