Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1881 — SENATOR VOORHEES. [ARTICLE]

SENATOR VOORHEES.

♦ "Tribute o.f tliM Eloquent Indtana Sen* ritor to the boAti President* ] At-a large meeting of the citizens; hi Terre Haute, gathexed *o express: gtheir sympathy and sorrow over the = a National bereavement, Senator Voor-j a trees sholto as follows: Mb. Mayor—l can not remain silent, on such an occasion as this. All that; is mortal of him, who a few ho.urs: ago was the living nead of the m«t; powerful Government ou the globe.' now lies cold and still in death. The sounds and emblems of mourning are encircling the earth to day. Through-, out the boundaries of the Republic! the bells are tolling for’ the illustrious) dead, and foliowing the track of the sun, wherever the dread intelligence: finds the American flag, whether on j the stately squadron, or coasting) schooner; whether over the proud Em|bassy, or the humble Consulate, there, lit will drop at half-mast, and its bril lliant folds will be shadowed with ■crape. And with American sorrow) iWill be mingled the sorrow of the whole.; civilized world. Every nation will bo; a.mourner at this saddest of all ftiner als in American history. The Presi-' •dent of tire United States died in pub •?: lie, with tlie world looking on from' 3hour to hour, counting his pulse beats, hiud his brea hings, and in ail the long; [tragedy he faced death so well, bore; Ihimself so manfully, without murmur’ |of complaint or word of vengeance ithat civilized.nations of every clime; laud kindred will stand uncovered as Inis funeral train carries-him back to |his beloved Western home. 1 Sir, I knew James A. Garfield well, land except on tiro political field, wo Shad strong .-ympathies ’together. It. lis nearly eigiuci-n years since wo first, linet, and duting that period I bad theIrronor to- serve seven years in the. House of Representatives with him; I have been asked in this hour of uni-: gversal grief to place some estimate, lupon his character. The kindness of ibis nature and his mental activity Iwero his leading traits. In all his intercourse with men, women and ehilI* Iren, no kinder heart ever beat in human breast than that which struggled on until 10:30 o’clock Monday night, and then forever stood still. There was a light in his face, a chord in his voice, and a pressure in his hand which were full of love for his fellow being. His manners wero ardent and demodstrative with those to whom he was attached, and he filled the private circles witn sunlight and with magnetic currents. He had the joyous spirit of boyhood, and the robust intellectuality of manhood, more perfectly combined than any one I ever I knew. Such a character was neces sarily almost irresistable with those who knew him personally, and it accounts for that undying hold which, under all circumstances, bound his Immediate constituents to him, as with 'hooks of steci. Such a nature, how -level, always has its dangers as well As its strength and its blessings. The Adud heart,and the open hand never accompany a suspicious, distrustful . mind. Designing men mark such a for their own selfish uses, H , urd General Garfield’s faults, for he ) aad faults, as he was human, sprang ■more from this circumstance than From all others combined. He was ■prompt and eager to respond to the wishes of those he esteemed his friends, whether inside or outside of his own political party. That he made some mistakes in his long, busy caIreer is but repeating the history of every generous and obliging man who! has lived and died in public life. They) are not such, however, as are record j led in Heaven, nor will they mar oil weaken the love of his countrymen.' The poor laboring boy, the self-made 1 man, the hopeful, buoyant soul in the; face of all difficulties and odds, con-J stitute an example for the American! youth which will never be lost nop grow dim. t The estimate to be, placed on the intellectual abilities of General Garfield must be a very high oue. Na ture was bountiful to him, and his improvements were extensive and solid. He was an industrious, judicious student, and his rapidity of thought, and activity of mind, were at times amazing. He grasped a subject as quickly as any man who ever took part in the public affairs of the world. He had that fine mental courage which shrinks from no investigation. His Acquirements were consequently rich and various. If I might make a comparison, I would say that with the exception of Jefferson and John Quincy Adams, he was the most learned President, in what is written in books, in the whole range of American history. This, in my judgment, will be the rank assigned him by the historian of the future. The Christian character of General Garfield can not. with propriety, be omitted in a glance, however brief, at his remarkable career. Those who knew him best in the midst of his ambition and his worldly hopes, will not fail now at his tomb to bear their tea timony to his faith in God and his love for the teachings of the blessed Nazaiene. Though upon thejsummit of human greatness, he avowed his Master’s cause and accepted the Kingdom of Heaven in the spirit of a child. His chamber of death adds one more conspicuous illustration of the solemnity and peace with which a Christian meets his fate. As the earth with all its honors, its loves and its hopes, receded and disappeared, he was comforted by sights and sounds which this world can neither give nor take away. It seems but yesterday that I saw him last, and parted from him in all tlpe glory of his physical and mental! manhood. His eye was full of light, I his tread elastic and strong, and the! world lay bright befoie him. Hej talked freely of public men and pub-J lie affairs. His resentments werelikel sparks from the flint. He cherished!

them not for a nromei t * Speaking one whom be thought had wrong'd Lini, he said to me, that sooner or la- ' ter lie intended to pour coals of lire 7 ,on iris head by -nets of kinduess to ; .some of his.kindred. He did not live: •to do sc, bat rite purpose of his heart [has been placi d to his credit in the [book of eternal life, j Sir, as to the public measures and j jthe. recent vivid occurrences connect-; •ed with his brief Administration I amt -not here now to sp ak. At Other times'; 'and in ano her forum that task muy| ’perhaps be required, but not on this? (occasion of grief and commernora-1 ?tion. General Garfield’s career at thej (head of the Government was sadj and tragic. He drunk a bitter! ‘cup to its dregs. He realized, within! 'his own party, in fullest measure, the! jharsh reward of an honorable andl ’successful ambition, file who arc-ends to mountaiultops shall* find j- The loftiest peuks most wrapped ini cloud anil snow; ille who surpasses or subdues man-1 kind " Must look down on the hate of thoseg a below. Though high above the sun of glory! glow, j And far beneath the earth and ocean| spread, I ‘Round him are icy rocks, and loudly blow t Contending tempests ou his naked head. | And thus reward the toils which to those summits led. 1 But at last he has found rest and (peace, the rest and peace of eternity (to a Christian soul. As President,! ■loving husband and father affection-p late sou and faithful Mend, he will! (walk this earth no more. Ale»! how| ‘pathetic was his death. At the liighf (noontime of life—not quite fifty years i | of age—with a career already made,) ;which would read like a romance in ; fiuiy other couutry,thau this, and with j !a mission just before him in which lit, , jibelieved auu for which ho longed to |iive, he fell by me hand of a wretch jwho had voted for him, and wanted pome poor office in return. And then jthe long struggle with slowly apjproaching but certain death. Whose \ jeye has not wept as the brave mail j j was seen during the last eighty dread j ful days, fighting his last great battle! laud fighting, it in vain? Like the! [strong swimmer in the surf of the seal [striving for thejjshore, he sonu timesW [seemed to be nearing a point of safe i| jty, but with each ebbing wave he wasl [carried further out, until at last hei fivas gone forever from our anxious! gaze ou that tide which breaks alone? lon the high shores of immortality.—P [How gladly would a million of llvcJ [been veutured for his rescue; but itp [could not be. and wo bow our hea<ib| land our hearts in helpless [May God in His loving mercy have! [the bereaved wife and the orphaned®] [children in His holy keepiug. [ I have no heart now to speak of the! [future Administration of the Govern * |ment. I have faith in the Atut-rieanp '[people, and all will be well. They at r |asource of power and of safety with ; themselves, and they can be truste e 3that no harm shall happen to- the Re Ipublic. He who takes the place, un | der the Constitution, of the dead; President has my profound sympathy.? and he vviii have my earnest suppori. in all his efforts to promote the wel f fare and glory of our common and' beloved country.

The survivors of the 17th Indiana: ivoluuteers will bring suit against the* Betty of Indianapolis for $300,000. On, Itneir re-enlistment in 1804 they were goffered S4OO each to credit themselves! ■ to the state capital, but were paid only] |sso. Delphi Times: One hundred and Itwenty-five men and forty teams are ■now at work on the Air Line between ■this city and the farm of James Odell |Mr. Gay, the superintendent of conSstruction, says the work to the lattexj ■point will be completed in about foun ■weeks. | Delphi Times: The contractors of |the Air Line road say that the work ■required on the road from this city to land through the farm of James Odell Bis greater than that required on any ■ twenty miles between this-city and ■lndianapolis. They still assert that ■ the grading to the latter city will be ■completed by November 25th, audi ■that the cars will be running through iby Jan. Ist, 1882.