The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-10-19
EuIogv Delivered by Hon. A. o. Bacon in the
Senate of the United States on the Life and
Death of Congressman James VI. GriggS

Mr.. President: During my tern
of service in this body the senate
has been three times called upon u
pay its tribute of respect to the
memory of a deceased representa-
tive from Georgia, and in each case
it has fallen to my lot to speak the
last official word to be uttered OF
them in the halls of congress.
Each of these representative was
a victim of a sudden death. One OF
them lost his life in a tragic acct
dent, while each of the other two fell
under a sudden and unseen stroke
of death. with no preceding illness.
The first of these was Chas. F.
Crisp. who had as speaker and
through recognized leadership
reaped the highest honOrs in the
house of representatives, and at the
time of his sudden death had through
a popular primary election been al
ready practically chosen to seat
in this chamber as a senator from
his state.
The second of these was Rufus r.
Lester. then the longest in service
from Georgia in either senate or
house, who, in his tragic death, clos
ed a most distinguished and useful
career in the representative branch
of congress.
The last, whose loss we now
mourn, James NJ. Griggs, was a
younger man, cut off in the very me-
ridian of his life, in the midst of
full development of all his powers.
He was with US during the present
session of congress. In December
last, at the beginning of the session,
he was in his seat in the house of
representatives When, few weeks
later, the holiday recess was taken
he went to his home in Georgia,
there to meet with his kindred and
friends in the joyous Christmas sea-
son. And there, before the close Of
that season, cOnsecrated to festivity
and loving greetings and unrestrain
ed pleasure, while all hearts were
still beating high with joys, sudden
Iy, as a bolt from the sky, the light
of his earthly life went out in the
darkness of unending night.
l had known him personally from
his early young manhood. He was
born in LAGRANGE, where | had pass
ed my schoolboy days In my ear
lest meeting with him he had
excited my interest by telling
of the house in that town
where he was born, one that
I knew as we'll as the home of my
former family physician, a cottage
which set back some distance in a
garden hidden in the foliage of trees
and shrubbery, and midway between
it and the street gate was a little
brook spanned by a rustic bridge.
| remember him we'll, just out of
college, a ruddy-cheeked, blue-eyed,
light-haired youth, full of enthusi-
asm and eager expectancy. At that
time l was a member of the legisla-
ture of Georgia, and it was during its
sessions that | met him at the capital
of the state and grew to know him
and to mark him as one of the COM
ing young men of the commonwealth.
Even then, boy as he was. eagerness
for political life, with its varying
fortunes, had already stirred and
quickened his pulses. Through the
mists of the years, the vision of
which stretched out before him, i'm
agination beckoned him on to the
arena of political contention, and his
eager ear caught the echo of the
future strife in which he saw himself
an active participant. Through this
natural bent 80 it was that although
then efferescing with youthful spirit,
nevertheless he sought and enjoyed
the companionship of more mature
men who were in public life. His
interest was marked in their talk
of political battles fought and cam
paigns to be waged.
And this brings me to note at this
point curious paradox in his make
up and development. 1t is that,
while early development of his bent
for political life caused him, when
scarcely more than a lad, to seek
the companionship and association
of older men, his youthful tastes
and spirits, his love of fun and frolic,
remained with him not only then