Year: 1867

Death Of Hon. Charles w. Russell.


A private telegram from Baltimore,
received on Saturday by one of our
citizens, conveyed the sad tidings of the
death Of Hon. CRARLEs w. RUSSELL.
Elsewhere will be found an eloquent
tribute TO his memory, from the pen Of
one who knew him long and well. To
the fitness and beauty of that memorial
no words of ours can add. Neverthe-
less, his exalted worth, his manly vir-
tues and his honorable fame, qualities
that have made his name . source Of
pride TO all our people, render it proper
that the hand of friendship should not
present the only offering to his memory.


Few men have lived in our midst, the
intelligence of whose death would pro-
duce an effect so sad, so profound and
so general, as that of his departure
whose sOrrowful fate we to-day record.
In habits, in mode of thought, in dis
position, and in talent, he represented
The best elements of West Virginia
character. Among the people to whose
service he devoted so much of
his life and energy, he was uni
versally accepted as an cxem-
plar of goodness, of greatness and
of usefulness. For time, it is true.
the tide of events separated him from
all visible expressions of regard on the
part of the masses, whose esteem he
long ago wea. Now that the dread
event, before which all mortal enmities
are hushed, has ended his earthly ga
reer, the recent past will be forgotten,
and the lofty merits and generous deeds
in which his excellence appeared, will
alone remain to ballow his name.


The suddenness Of this calamity will
add to its bitterness. But few days
ago, and all INDUCED the belief that the
object of so much solicitude would soon
be restored to the vigor of perfect
health. Then, without warning, came
"the last scene of ALI" it closed with
that dark, dread hour "when all of
genius that can perish dies" The
knell, the pail, the bier, proclaimed
what grief forbade the tongue to tell.
Yesterday looked upon the worst ago.
nies of bereavement. 1t witnessed the
anguish of widowhood and orphanage,
as father aud husband, aud with him
hope, joy and peace were borne from
sight and hidden under the mould.


''ris strange and startling thing to think


How often mortality stands on the brink


Ofits grave without any misgiving;


And yet in this busy world OF strife,


In the midst of human business 40 rife,


There are daily sounds that tell us that life


Isdying and death is living"


Thus ends the earthly destiny of
pure and eminent man. No more will
the Kindness of his noble heart cement
the attachments that cO-exist with life.
No more will the influence Of his great
ness be felt among his fellow
men. No more will the triumphs
Of his genius attract the admirs-
ton of appreciative minds. The
hand that was ever open for the per-
formance of generous deeds is palsied
and cold. The brain that was ever
busy in working out the evidences of
brilliant intellect is motionless forever.
The last page of an honorable life-his-
tory is written and the volume is
closed. The dead and the living can
never commune save in that shadowy
realm where memory rules. Thither,
often, will thought turn and linger, in
sad, yet sweet contemplation. Recol-
lection will consecrate the good name Of
the departed and perpetuate his great
ness and his virtues. But TO all save
his memory, the last adieu must be
spoken. Committing the noble dead to
the realities Of eternity, We remember
that


There's One who ruleth all things well,


And in His hands We leave the past,


And simply, sadly say, Farewell y