Year: 1864

I Lllc ~ DlOH IedS ue, dG tNS uSttluS last
Thursday evening, formally announced
the death of Governor Reeder.


sHe said VI deem il proper gentlemen
that should formally, announce to you
the death of cur distinguished townsman
Andrew II. Reeder. I was first Informed
of his death on Tuesday morning, a few
moments before releaping for Philadelphia,
and. although / had, been assured asome
days before that he was afflicted with. dis
ease of the heart and, his condition such
that death might ensue at any minute,
the intelligence Of his deeease was to me
exceedingly painful, 1 could hardly reas
lize the fact lthat.one but recently.so full
of physical and mental svigor, just.i in the
prime of manhood, had been 50 suddenly
stricken down iA f3Na - '''''f


We have alest one Of eur ablest and
best men; one of aour ostiloyaliahd pa.
triotic, citizens. smals 500 tszas ysas ty5st


| know that, Gin the midst of life. We
are, in DEATH but too often, perhaps, this
solemn truth IS net fnlly impressed upon
US. Here was its sudden, painful sreali-
cation.


Governor Reeder. had hut reached the
prime Of life. He was not yet quite fifty
seven years of age. With a stropg BODY,
a vigorous, active, powerful mind, a few
weeks ago, apparently witlnmany years
of promise, fall of hope, with areputation
that might we'll satisfy the ambition of.
any man, surrounded by every earthly
blessing, happy in all his social reiati0hs,
with a family he doated. upon and loved
with love as deep. and abiding as life
itself, they in return giving him contin-
ued evidence of their pure affection and
bestowing upon him every household eh-
dearment, full of love for his country,
full of honors, at the very head of his
profession, he has suddenly passed away
forever.


OF Governor Reeder's public or private
acts | do not purpose to speak IN detail.
| may justly say he Tas great and a
good man, and true patriot. His pub
lie career as Governor Of Kansas gave him
national reputation, [ shall not now re-
count that career. [ may say that he
there gave noble evidence that he loved
liberty better than powerful place.
That while President might sever his
official head as Governor, that President
could not swerve him from bis Honest pur-
pose as man. A great party might turn
against him all their bitter deuunciations,
and personal enemies assail butthey could
not drive him back one inch from justice
Firm and immovable as a shaft of granite
he adhered to truth and repelled all his
assailants In that career he has left to
his country's history some of itssnoblest
pages, and to his apQsterity5 a legacy of
which they may ever be Justly proud,


Of him as a lawyer I cannot say too
much When [ was admitted to the bar
in 1S49 he had been member. for more
than twenty years. Since that time 1
have, met him in social and professional
Intercourse, and | am happy to bear. tesr
timony to his great ability as lawyer
aud his great worth as a citizen. For
many years he has been an incessant wor-
ker. Business pressed upon him from
different sections of the couptry-more
than he could atterd to, but whatever he
undertook to do he did, ard did it we'll
l think | do no injustice to others in say
ing that he was as skillful and able law
yer as.any in the country, and the ablest
at our own bar must be permitted to
express my deep feeling for his loss, for |
regarded him as warm friend.


Governor Reeder was everready to for
give an injury. He bore malice against
no man, whatever injury he might have
sustained from him. There were, perhaps
men whom he could dispise, but, he ha-
ted no man.


Above all he was Christian. For
many years he has been a regular attend
dant and worshipper. at the First Presby-
terian Church Of Easton, seldom being
absent from the Sab bath-norning service
when he was at home. He had long ac-
knowledged the Christian j faith and felt
the Christians assurance of a happy i'm
mortality and in his death we.are all a.
gain most impressively reminded of the
solemn warning, ''Be ye also ready"
But a brief period since, We met around
the fresh dug grave of one young 10 years.
Not much later mnay of US joined toi pay
our last tribute of respect to the remains
of one who had passed three score years
and ten. Now We mourn the loss of one
who is stricken down In. the prime of
Life's years. Death does mot snnmber
the names of his catalogue in the order of
our years. We know rot whom he shall
summon next We may well heed this
solemn warning to US Ell = Whether ct
the public sanctuary or at the little sacred
altar which we rear IN our own house
holds, if We see to it that we have made
our peace with the Great Arbiter Of our
case, and live justly, we need net heed


much the time Of the end, nor care much
what the world says of us orthinks of us.
For some days before his death he suf-
fered but little. He knew that any mo-
ment might terminate his earthly exist
ence and felt prepared to meet his fate


lie did wish for one day more Of sufficient
/ strength to 8franue some Of his business