The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-05-22
CONGRESSMAN sPARKMAN's EU-
LoGY ON SENATOR MALLORY

i
not reached an allotted span nor pass
/ ed much beyond its meridian, he had
Itrodden the pathway of duty and had
/ lived long, if life be counted by
achievement rather than by the flight
/ Of years. Although springing from
an honored and distinguished parent
! age, he had, by reason of adverse con-
ditisns. been compelled to start well
down in the humber walks Of life.
But, by his own unaided efforts, had
climbed, one at a time, the steep
heights Of success until he had reach
/ ed the goal of his ambition, the high
est point, save one, that may be touch
ed in the field of political endeavor,
and that, too, without a stain upon
his life or a blot upon his character.
How much, then, may we, whether
young or old, learn from a career so
filled with bright achievements.
A soldier at 10 under the greatest
chieftain of the south in one of the
most gigantic struggles the world has
ever witnessed; a civil war veteran
at Il; a graduate and professor in
one of the first colleges of the coun-
try at the age of 81; a lawyer with
large practice in the city where his
childhood had been spent at &c; a
member of the lower house of the leg
lislature of his state at Is; twice
state senator between then and his
thirty-sixth year; twice a congress
man ere he had reached the age OF
45, and then with broken health ten
years in the greatest law-making body
in the world; finally, after years of
physical suffering, yielding to the
ravages of disease and falling ndar
its pitiless assaults, but with earthly
hOnOrs thick upon him; these show
not only a remarkable career, but in
dictate the traits which gave success
commanding talents, honorable ambi-
ton, singleness of purpose, energy in
the discharge of duty, unyielding de-
termination and a well rounded char
acter.
1t was my good fortune, Mr.. Speak
er, to know Senator Mallory intimate
ly, and particularly after he had been
hOnOred with a seat in the senate.
have seen him in private and public
life, have met him in the social cir
Gle, accompanied him in political
campaigns. observed him in the per-
Torrance of his official duties at the
other end of the capitol, and know full
[ well the qualifications he possessed
for the work demanded of him and
the fidelity with which he served
those who had intrusted their inter-
; ests in his keeping. BIT if l were ask
ed to specify the leading trait in his
character, l would unhesitatingly say
that it was a high sense of honor. No
political or other exigency could make
him swerve from what he conceived
to be the path of right
The voice of the tempter is heard in
all the walks of life. With no less
frequency, perhaps, is it whispered in
the ear of him engaged in civil strife,
and the temptation to sacrifice con-
victions to political exigency is some
times great, but fortunate is that con-
stituency represented by one who,
= with an honest heart and a clear
head, WILL seeing the right, dare to
do it in the face of the probable dis
approval of that public on whom he
relies for support.
That trait the subject of this sketch
possessed in a high degree. Mistakes
E he may have made now and then in
the support of men and measures.
Who has not made them? But if such
there were, they were of the head,
and not of the heart And in saying
that, Mr.. Speaker, l have perhaps
said all that is necessary to be said
of Stephen r. Mallory. For he who
possesses this characteristic can
ever be trusted by those he serves.
In the life of such a man, the condi-
tioss being given, friend and foe alike
will know what his action will be.
With the star of right to guide him,
he ever moves on a straight line TO
the end of the way.
Such in part, Mr.. Speaker, were the
characteristics of S. R. Mallory. But
he is gone. AS the last eventful days
of 1907 were slipping away into the
centuries that have passed his spirit
laid aside its wasted abode Of flesh
and took its fight to the God who gave
it. Indeed, such a life is never lost
in death nor buried in the grave, but