VOLUME 2.
Interesting Narrativei
Some davs ago wo noticed the anival
hereof Lieutenant Hartley, of the U. S.
Signal Corp*, oue of the men who accom
panied the brave and lamented Colonel
Dahlgren in bis famous raid around
Richmond, and who was near him when
befell. Every man of this expedition j
was either kil'd or captured, and Lieu- i
tonant Hartley is the first officer who has j
been returned from confinement. He is J
now engaged in writing a narrative of the i
expedition, the " - portion of which wit 1
•rive today t
VvrTMiLP.on. Dec. 20, 18P.4.
'EDITORS GAZKTTE : 1 propose to
you a lew particulars of the er.ped'.tion of
Colonel Dahlgren to Richmond in Febru
ary-and March ot this year. It is well
known that ail that pariy were either
killed or capture l ' Ujat Colonel Dahl
gren was killed at tbe head of his com
mand, and that his body was mutilated by
a commissioned officer in the rebel army.
Lieutenant Hart of the 7th Aa. Cavalry
cut off his finger to get a small gold ring,
a gift of a sister at that time dead. Hut
1 will give the different items as they
happened as near as I can. On Sunday,
February 2*th. 1864, a detachment made
up from* the 2d New York, sth New
York. Ist Vermont, l»t Maine and sth
Michigan regiments of cavalry, under
command of 1 hie Dahlgren, left the liead
quar'ers of the 3d cavalry division of the
army of the Potomac, to proceed to Rich
mond and act in conjunction with a large
force under General Kilpatric against the
citv; the object of which was to liberate
the 1 'iron prisoners confijcd in Libby
prison Castle Thunder and Rclle Isle, and
in the many other prisons in and about
the city.
The route of Colonel Dahlgren s ioree
consisted ot about lour hundred men, was
to '-el into General Lee's lines at Elie's
Ford, on the Rapidan river, flank Lee's
ii.mv, strike the Virginia Central Rail
road at Frederick Hall Station, and de
stroy a lot of Artillery at that place ; cut
the Railroad and telegraph wire, and
then take the road to Goochland Court
House, and strike the .Tames river at Do
ners Mills, where we were informed by
the guide there was a ford that we could
cross the James. Here our force was to
be divided, one part to cross over and
strike across the country to the Appomat
ox river, at that point where the Danville
Railroad crosses, destroy the bridges and
then strike for Richmond by way of the
South-side. It was there we were to lib
erate our enlisted men confined on Helle
Isle, secure the bridges and cross into the
city. The other part of our force was to
go down the north-side of the live, des
troying all the mills and public property,
also the Lynchburg and Richmond canal.
At the same time General Kilpatrick,
with a large force of cavalry and artillery
was to attack the city on the Brook pike.
It was thought by making three simultane
ous attacks on the city in different places
they could not prevent some oue from
cutting through, and the succcsy of one
pavty would insure the success of the
others and tin- accomplishment of our ol>
jeer, viz: the liberation of the prison
ore.
Our party started from Gen. Kilpat
rick's Headquarters, at 7 p. m., Februa
ry 2s';h. and arrived at Elie's Ford, about
to i p. iu. —TLerc Lieut. 11. A. 1). Mer
ritt, sth New York cavalry, was sent over
the Rapidan, with fifteen men to capture
the'picketpost and reserve, which hedid in
a very handsome manner, capturing the
entire post, thirteen men and oue com
missioned officer. The whole was done
so quietly that there was no alarm raised
aiong the enemy's lines. This made an
opening sufficiently lo let our column thro'
« aud also General Kilpatrick who was fol
lowing *fter. We then crossed and took
the road to Cliancellorsville and Spott
sylvania Court House, and then turned to
the light aud !»uk the road tovrard Fied
eric Hall Stall on. We cauie in sight of
:fhfe s;ation about 3 p. m., Monday 29th,
sbut fiodiug there lia'l been a brigade of
infantry sent to t-'.ie station, the Colonel
decided not to make an attack with what
■-force he had, but to turn off to the loft
jind CTOs-i the railroad south of that point.
-So after making a dasli lo a bouse about
four hundred yards of one of their camps,
we captured a Court Marshal iu session,
consisting of eight commissioned officers,
Col. Jones, Ist Maryland Light Artillery,
and two Major's among the number.
This was aiso doue by Lieut. MerriU, aud
without raisiug auy alarm in the camps of
the enemy.
We then took a circuitous route and
crossed • the Virginia Central Railroad
about four miles south of the station, ta
king ihe load toward Coochland C.
H. We traveled on through dense pine
forests, the mud nud rain where it was so
pitch dark that you could uotsee the muu
at your side; but we kept onto about 3
p m Tuesday, wliou we were compelled
AMERICAN CITIZEN.
to come to a halt, as gome of '.he men
were fretting lost in the dark. At the
place wlicra we halted wecap'.uredsix wag
ons loaded with forage, and rations for Lee's
army, which we p*oceeJed to use inn
manner not agreeable to the ownegi, but
our horses were not very hungry and our
men also, an 1 sol Yiers are not very par
ticular as 1o 112o rmer ownership, possession
being p.ine points in law, and they used
ilieu) accordingly. Here we rested till
and then started again. After
go '.it; about three mi It:.-- we came in sight
of the Jamc< River at Dovciu Mills, on
the farm of the rebel Secretary of War,
Mr. Sodden^
Thus far we hail not met with any op
position, and were now where no Union
troops had ever been, and the astonish
ment among the people, particularly that
iteresting portion known as contrabands,
was laughable. Here our force was to be
divided and part cross the river. The
Colonel accordingly made the disposition
and assigned the different officers their
troops and orders. Himself intending to
go with the part that crossed the James
River.
It was here that we found out we had
been misinformed by the guide. Instead
of a ford at that place it was deep enough
to run a large steam ferry boat at the
lowest stage of water. The guide was
asked why he had misinformed us, but
he either could not or would not give us
any satisfaction. This made the Colonel
carry out his part oi' the contract with
Irui, which was that he was to hang him
if he failed in one point to fulfill what he
had promised. lie hadby .hisdecepiion,
destroyed the whole design of this ex
pedition, and we were a great way iu the
enemy's country, with the lives of the
whole party in danger. The Colonel at
once determined to take the whole force
down the north side of the James v'.ver
and make an attack on the west side of
tiie city. After disposing of the contra
band guide the column started for the
west side of the city, having burned the
Dover Mills, Star Mills, and blown up
one lock on the Richmond and Lynch
burg canal. All mills of every kind, and
all steam engines, no matter for what
used, were destroyed. We came insight
of the outer fortifications about three
o'clock in the afternoon, and there hal
ted to feed and rest, intending to make
the attack just after dark.
Accordingly, just as night closed in,
the advance was made quietly to within
a few hundred yards of their outer rifle
pits. They then opened a brisk fire of
small arms on our line, which we did not
return—but the chary was sounded, and
the whole line, with drawn sabres, rush
ed on them and made them leave for a
more healthy locality. 1 his advantage
was promptly followed up, Colonel Dahl
gren and .Major Cook leading the charge,
our boys using their carbines, revolvers
or sabres, just as the ease demanded.
The enemy were driven from oneliue to
another, and from one fence to another,
till they were driven back four miles and
a hall, to their inner line, where, receiv
ing heavy reinforcements, they made a
stand, and the Colonel, finding they had
at least four to one, ami not hearing any
firing in the direction of Kilpatrick, nor
seeing any signals, deemed it prudent to
retire, which was done in good order, (he
enemy not venturing out to pursue. We
lost some men kille and wouuded, among
the latter Lieut. Harris, Fifth Michigan
Cavalry, shot through the sliolder.
We then took a circuit round tlie city,
crossed the Fredericksburg llailroad at
Hungary station, and thence to Brook
pike, where Kilpatrick was supposed to
be. I had been sent ahead with a small
parly to try and open communication
with Gen. Kilpatrick. but I failed to ac
complish the object intended, lor after
proceeding down the 13 ook pike to with
in three miles of the city, we captured a
contraband coining out of the town. He
told us Kilpatrick had turned off the road
down the I'eniusula, and that their forces
were on the road in his rear. I then
turned back and met Col. Daltlgren about
seven Ales Irom the city. When Igave
the Colonel all the information I bad
gained ho considered it the safest to take
the road to Gloucester Point, as all the
forces in King William and King and
Queen counties would be likely to be af
ter Kilpatrick. We accordingly started
for Ilatiovcrtown lerry, where we arrived
about 8 a. m., March 2d.
There we bad some trouble in crossing;
but finally about 10 a. m., the whole par
ty was over in safety. We then had to
flank a of the enemy, which
caused us to lose about two hours, but
we passed them in safety and took the
road to Babney's ferry, on the Mataponi
river, where we anived about 3 p.m.
Here we bad a slight skirmish, but cross
ed in safety aud started in the direction of
Stevcnsvil'.e, intending togo by way of
King and (juccu Court House.
"Let us have Faith that Right makes Might; and in that Faith let us, to the end,dare to do our duty as we understand it"-- A - LINCOLN
BUTLER, BUTLER COUNTY, PA„ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1865.
About four p. m., we came on some of
Captain Ragsby's company 112 King and
Queen county cavalry, near a church
where they had Msembled for drill. They
formed oil the road, but one charge scat
tered them that we could not seem them;
they hung on our rear, and killed one
mail; they losing two. We did not stop
the column for them at all. but pushed on
across the Anseamaueock crock, when
we halted to rc9t and getsomething tocat,
it being now dark. After a halt of about
an hour and a half, we again started, but
had not gone over a half a mile, when
the advance was halted in the road by
the videts of the enemy's cavalry. At
this Colonel Dahlgren, Major Cooke and
myself rode to the front to see what was
the matter, when we were ordered ;o sur
render. At this the Colonel presented
his revolver and demauded a su render of
the party iu the road. This they refused,
when ho attempted to fire, but his pistol
missed—the cap exploding. Instantly
almost, a volley from about three hund
red carbines, shot guns, and squirrel rifles,
was poured into our left flahk from a dis
tance of about twenty feet. Col. Dahl
gren fell, Ave balls having passed through
his head and body. This caused a mo
mentary confusion, but .Major Cooke,now
the senion officer, ordered a fence on our
rightflank thrown down, and rallied the
men in the open field In await their com
ing out to attack us the second time;
but it was soon evident tha. they would
not attack ns in open ground; but as they
had five or six to our one, . hey could
await daylight and pick us off oue by one.
as we passed along through the coun: ry.
A consultation was then held, and it
was determined to break up .he whole
force, now" reduced to about seventy-five
men, and every one try to make his es
cape to Gen. llntler's lines, on the R.ip
pahannock river. Accordingly, the men
were ordered to fasten their sabres iu the
ground, raid tie their horses to them to
keep them in lino, aud every [one slip off
as quietly as possible. We succeeded : n
getting through their lines, and walked
till daylight, when we concealed ourselves
in a pine tliicket, to sleep and await the
next night. Just at dark (March 3d)
we started out again, takinga nor haaster
ly direction for the Rappahannock river;
and after traveling through the woods for
about three miles we came to a log-cabin,
and making a careful reconnoissance o!
the place, concludid it would be safe to
stop and get something to eat. Un fortu
nately a negro saw us enter the house,
and went to his master, who lived close
by, and told liiui; and he andsouie others
came iu on us and captured all our pt.ity
taking us to his house, where we were
kept till tee next morning. Then, after
relieving Lieut. Merrill and myself ot
our watches, ho turned us over to Capt.
Magrudor, who was to take us to Rich
mond.
We arrived at Richmond on Saturday.
March sth, at 7I P. M. AS our treat
ment when we came to Libby was slight
ly different from that of others who have
served in that interesting place. I will
at an early day give it to the publie, that,
they may know how to appreciate lie
high military and moral tone that pre
vails among 'lie chivalry 112 the Cotton
Slave Confederacy, os which our mutual
frscud.lefi' Davis is the great.
lam. Very respectfully,
LIEUT. 1?. BARTLEY,
Signal Officer U. S.A.
Special Income Tax.
At present scarcely anything is enlist
ing so much interc.sl among the business
community, as the Income Tax aud the
enforcement of ihe law. This interest
promises many advantages to the country,
and looks directly to a more diligeni ad
ministration of the !nw, and an increased
revenue. It is not too much to say that
it has resulted principally from the pub
lication of the tax lists in some of the
principal cities of the country, whereby
oppor: unities were afforded I'or a more per
fect scrutiny of the opcraiien of the law
and the fai;hfulness of individuals in ma
king their returns. Among the rcsull-sof
the discussion thus provoked and the facts
is an important circular by Com
missioner Lewis which sets forth and en
forces in plaiu language the duty not only
of officers connected with iheadministra
tion of the law, but of every citizen." li
is as follows:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF INTERNAL REVENUE,
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9,1865.
Complaint. continue to be received at
this office that many persons liable to in
come tax fail to make full returns. Those
complaints have become so geueral that 1
deem it a duty I owe to the public ser
vice to cajl the atteution of assessors to
the subject, that they may exert the neo
ssary diligence to remove, if possible the
cause.
Any tax paver who renders untrue re
turns commits a triple offenso: first,
against the countiy which he defrauds;
tceomUtf, against his neighbor, whom he
injures by casting upon him a larger share
of the public burden than he ought to
bea v ; and, thirdly, against the law wli .cli
is violated both civily and criminally and
which demands for the act a doubling of
the deb', as a recompense, and punish
ment for the crime ns a retribu ion.
Erroneous ret urns are due sometimes to
ignorance, sometimes to carelessness and
inadvertence, and sometimes, also, to a
deliberate purpose to defraud the Govern
ment. When their correctness is suspect
ed, assistant assessors ought not to hesi
tate to make the necessary inquiries, in
order to ascertain the truth. Otherwise
their duly is no! performed.
Delicacy under such circumstances
must be laid aside, and respect for wealth,
influence, or social position must yield to
the higher obligations of official responsi
bility. Honest men when properly in'cr
rogatcd will not iu general refuse to af
ford satisfaction to government, officers,
and the dishonest should not be suffered
to escape under pretense of sensibilities
too nice to endure a disreprutable imputa
tion without offense. A cheerful submis
sion to a proceeding which a due execu
tion of the law requires, is demanded in
times like these equally by patriotism and
good sense, and an appeal to those pos
sessed of such qualities will seldom fail
to produce the desired response. If any
errors are believed to exist, it is not nec
essary to assume, in the first place, that
they have been committed wilfully; but;
on the contrary, it may be well lo_ advise
the tax-payer to amend his return, and to
accept it if he avails himself of the op
portunity. If he refuses to do so,section
14th of tqe late act authorizes a mode of
proceeding, which, if vigorously pursu
ed. will evigcrc the truth.
Tax-payers who are not cognizant of
their responsibilities ought to be inform
ed of them and those who are unable to
make out their returns, ought to be kind
ly instructed aud assisted by the assistant
assessors ; but wilful and incorrigible
f'enders should be made to recognize the
power of the law in the prompt and sure
visitation of its penalties. Let assistant
assessors understand that it is their busi
ness not merely to take returns, but to as
certain whether tljcy are correct, and when
they have reason to believe them incor
rect, to act as already indicated. When
an increased assessment is sworn down
untruly, the case shou d be reported to
the assessor, who should, when probable
cause appears, institute an investigation,
aud make it searching and thorough.
A false return, even though accepted
without alteration and the tax paid, had
binding effect on the Government. When
the fraud is discovered, the Assistant As
sessor may make the proper increase, aud
if the lax payer shall swear down the as
sessment on the iuercased return, he may
be proceeded against for perjury; or,
which is the better way, instead of the in
crease being made, an investigation may
be had under section 14, the just amount
of the duty ascertained, and an hundred
per cent, added to it by way ol penalty.
If au Assistant Assessor is destitute of
the needed intelligence or vigor, his place
ought to be supplied by oue better fitted
for it, and if the number of Assistant As
sessors appuiutcd is not sufficient to work
the district, the fact should be communi
nicated at' once to this office.
The special income tax, if fairly assess
ed and collected, will produce more than
Bljr>,ooo,ooo. It depends on the Assessors
and their assistants, mainly whether the
expectations of the department and the
country, on the subject, shall be realized
or disappointed. •
Very respectfully,
Jos. J. LEWIS,
Commissioner.
In tlie .spirit of this circular between
one and two hundred of the most wealthy
eitizeus of Cincinnati have signed iind
published the following document:
WHEREAS, Much dissatisfaction xists
in our city and viciuity on account of the
apparent inequality of the returns of in
come tax; and
WHEREAS, it is the duty and interest
of every good citiaen, in the discharge of
his conscientious obligations to himself
and the Government, to bear a fair aud
equitable portion of the burthens of tax
ation.
With a yiew to accomplish this object,,
the undersigned hereby propose aud bind
themselves, each to the other, to make
such exhibit of their income for the year
1863 as shall satisfy the majority of the
undersigued of the conectuessol their re
turns, and in case of any error, to correct
the same.-
And they further %gfee to present all
returns that ibey believe to be insufficient
to the Assessor of the District, and aid
him in the discharge of his duty.
Wc ( jmblish the above in the hope that
it may be imitated in Pittsburgh. We
feel confident that the officers charged
with the duty of administering the lt'w
will be faithful; but they can be materi
ally assisted by the co-operation pledged
above.
Kever too Old to Lrarn,
Socrates, nt an extreme age, learned to
play on liiusicial instruments.
Cato, at eighty years of age, thought
proper to learn the Greek language.
Plutarch, when between seventy and
eighty, commenced the study of Latin.
Roccaecio was thirty-five years of age
when he commeuccd his studies in polite
literature; yet he became one of the three
great masters of the Tuscan dialect, —
Dante and Petrach being the other two.
Sir Ileury Speluian neglected the sci
ence in his youth, but commenced the
study of them when he was between fifty
and sixty years of age. After this time
he bacanie a most learned antiquarian and
lawyer.
Colbert, the famous French minister,
at sixty years of age, returned to his Lat
in and law studies.
Ludovico. at the great age of one hun
dred and fifteen, wrote the memories of
his own times. A singular exertion, no
ticed by Voltaire, who was himself one of
the most remarkable instances of the pro
gressing of age in new studies.
Ogilby, the translator Homer and Vir
gil was unacquainted with Latin and
Greek till he was past the age of fif
ty-
Franklin did not fully commence his
philosophical pursuit till he'had reached
his fiftieth year.
Accorso, a great lawyer, being asked
why he began the study of law so late,
answered that iudeed he began it late,
but be could therefore master it the soon
er.
Dryden, in his sixty-eight year, com
menced the translation of the I laid ; and
his most pleasing productions were writ
ten in his old age.
Higiii.V Important.
NEW YORK, Dec. 29.
The news from the South through all
sources, public and private, shows .lie ex*
istene'e of great despondency and discon
tent. Jeff. Davis is heartily abused on
all sides, and the misfortunes which have
overtaken the Confederacy,are attributed
to him. The bitter feeling of Georgia
and Alabama towards the Confederacy is
evidently increasing.
A Plymouth, North Carolina, letter
says, the ram Albemarle lies so that part
of the casemate and bow are visible. It
is estimated that it will cost $20,000 to
raise and refit her.
Deserters from the rebel army, who ar
rived at New Orleans, state that the reb
el General Sterling Price died recently in
Texas, of disease contracted during the
late campaign in Missouri.
Hood's ioss in the campaign against
Nashville is estimated at twenty thousand
men, twenty-one general officers and 02
guns.
A French paper says one of the rebel
pirates at St. Nazairo is taking her guns
on board and preparing for sea. It is
thought the Minister of Marine will uot
allow her to leave port.
From tlie Shenandoah.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19.
The cavalry expedition of 500 men
consisting of detachments of the Bth
Illinois, under the command of Col.
Clendenin, and the 18th hnd Kith N.
Y., under Col. Gansevoort, which
started from I'rospect Hill,has return
ed having scouted through Fairfax
and London counties as far as War
renton. They found no largo bodies
of rebels in arms, but brought in 62
horses and 11 prisoners. During Fri
day, Col. Clendenin with his com
mand, dashed intoLecsburg and cap
turod a mail carrie.i with letters from
men in Hosser's command of rebel
cavalry, now stationed in the Shenan
doah, to parties in Loudon county. —
In this expedition the Union troops
did not lose a man.
Dentil of Hon. Robert E. Reed.
Mr. Kelley. v 'r. Speaker, the melan
choly dnty devolves nnon me of announ
cing to the House the doalli of my col
league, Dr. Reed, which occurred on the
14th of last month. The circumstances,
as I understand them, are briefly these ':
Some members of his family being on a
visit to a neighboring town, contracted
varioloid. Most of the household were
taken ill with it. He nursed and attend
ed them almost d:iy and night, complete
ly exhausting himself, until at last he too
was stricken down with the malady iu its
worst form. For four or five days the
symptoms appeared favorable, and the be
lief was entertained by his physician that
he would soon be convalescent. But on
the morning of the 14th a great change
was perceptible in the symptoms. The
disease had receded, and although his
physician applied every means known to
medical science, he sunk rapidly, and died
at ten o'clock that night.
The sad and unexpected event has caus
ed the profoundest sorrow in the commu
nity where he lived and was much loved
and indeed all over the western portion
of the State, where he was widely known
and universally esteemed. The death of
a good man is a public calamity. It cre
ates a void in society difficult to be filled
again. L, comes home to our hearts with
a thrill o!' sorrow, lor we know how sadly
wc shall miss him. In every sphere of
life and usefulness in which he has mov
ed he will be missed, and iu every rela
tionship in which he has stood towards
*t3. We roec; 110 more the intelligent and
courteous gentleman—the kind and ac
commodating neighbor—the generous,
warm-hearted fViend-*-the useful, trust
worthy and public spirited fellow citizen
the benevolent and whole-souled philan
thropist—and the earnest, sincere and
steadfast Christian man and brother. All
these characters united we have lost in
him whose memory I desire to liouor,
and on whose bier, I would seek to throw
a farewell chaplet of love..
He was the soul of courtesy and gen
tlemanly bearing. All who came within
(he sphere of his acquaintance were at
tracted to him by his suavity of manner
aud geutle, winning disposition. A frown
never darkened his brow, nor a harsh
word fell Iroin his lips. Wherever you
met him, and under whatcverciicumstan
ces. he was always thesamo. Those pres
ent, who were membersof the last House,
will, 1 know, coincide in this statement.
Here, as well as at home, he was loved
and esteemed—even by those with whom
ho differed politically. But it is unneces
sary to enter into any detail of his noble
qualities. His memory needs not a trib
ute from 111 c, for it is one which will ever
live in the hearts of all who knew him.
His deeds speak for hinu and they make
up a record which sholl Hibg do honor to
his name. In every position of trust and
and distinction to which his fellow citi
zens saw fit to elevntc him, ho discharged
his duties faithfully and zealously, and
with scrupulous exactness. In the Con
gress of the Uuited States, of which he
was formerly a member,as well as here in
this House—to which he was sent great
ly Against his own desire, and at much
sacrifice of peisonal feeling—ho was al
ways found in the path of duty, laboring
earnestly and faithfully for the public
good, and never animated or swayed by a
single selfish consideration. Throughout
the whole of the tedious and laborious
session of last winter—though suffering
continually fVom i'l health—he was con
stant and unremitting in his attention to
duly, his seat in the House or place in the
committee room seldom being vacant,and
I havo often known him to drag himself
to his duties when scarcely able to walk
from his room to the capitol. The same
is true of him in every other sphere of
duty in which he moved. To that which
he found to do he directed all the ener
gies of his mind, never swerving nor hes
itating for a moment when his course of
action was clear before htm.
He was the friend of the poor and nee
dy. His car was ever open to the cail of
charity, and his hand ever ready to re
lieve the wants of the suffering. No
trouble or distress was ever brought to his
knowledge without enlisting his warm
sympathy and generous aid. In the
homes of the poor and destitute which
bis benefactions had often brightened, as
well as in his own loved and happy home,
of which he was the idol, he will bo sad
ly missed.
Ho was the devoted and steadfast friend
of every moral and benevolent movement.
The cause of temperance early found in
hi in a warm and ardent advocate, and he
enforced its principles by his own exam
ple, at a time when it exposed him to
much censure and ridicule. But a short
time ago he expressed to me his pleasure
in having lived to see the time when the
doctrines he had so long taught and prac
ticed, almost alone, had become the rec
ognized law of the community where ho
lived. He was also for many years the
zealous friend of the colonization enter
prise, and labored arduously to promote
the success of the scheme, giving freely
his time, labor and means to the cause.—
In this too he was blessed, inasmuch as
he was permitted to witness the almost
utter removal from the land of that evil
which he strove soassidously to eradicate.
And though the violence and bloodshed
which it has brought upon the country
cost him suffering aud bereavement, still,
like a good and true patriot, he consider
ed the cause worthy of the sacrifice.
An ardent lover of his country, he pre
scribed no limits to the obligations he
owed her. His influence was constantly
; exerted in favor of the preservation of the
integrity of the Government. The brave
soldiers of the Union' possessed in bim a
true Iriend. He visited the battle field*
and devoted to them his professional ser
vices—often to the injury of his own
health. He contributed of his means to
emelirateo their condition. He allied him
self warmly to ommission
| and served as a delegate, and no soldier
NUMBER 8
of the Union, either in the field or at
home, solicited his aid or influence in vain.
His heart was in the work, and devoted
to the cause of the* country, and he *s
teeincd no sacrifice too great that he could
make. He adorned the Christian profes
sion by a lite of steady, unceasing use
fulness and attention to the wants of hu
manity, and an earnest, sincere and consci
entious rectitude in all hi* dealings and
intercourse with his fellow men, as well as
by a character for devout attchinent to
morality and religion which few havo at
tained. The Sabbath School connected
with the church to which lie belonged
was presided over by him for a quarter of
a c ntury, and there—as here and else
where—he will be missed.
But in one place above all others in the
wide universe, he will be most sadly miss
ed. In his home. That home, before so
happy. The habitation of conlentment
and joy and love, and the strongest at
traction of earth to linn. When abroad,
the place to which—of all others iu the
world—he yearned to turn his steps. I
well remember with what gladnessof heart
he prepared to return thither at the close
of the wearisome session last spring. I
recall with what Bolicitudelie looked for
ward to the time when, the trying ordeal
'of legislative duties past, he could settle
down once moie in the calm, quiet happi
ness of home, in the midst of his loved
faiuilyjcircle. Alas! there, indeed, the
desolation of his absence will gather like
a deep shadow of gloom. We miss his
friendly face among us here. The inter
est of his locality and the State at large
will miss his care and attention. Enter
prises of benevolence—charitable associ
ations and the poor and needy will miss
his generous aid. The cause of the coun
try, the church, aud Sabbath School; his
constituents, neighbors and friends will
miss him. Hut oh ! none of these will
feel his loss nor miss him so much as the
partner of his bosom and the children of
his love. Theirs is the sorrow which en
dures. Others may forget him. The
places he occupied iu society may in time
be filled again—but the places of hunlmn<l
and father must forever remain vacant.
And though they may feel and know that
the loved one has made a happy exchange
—that he has just, goneirom a lifcwhich,.
however blessed by love, and favored by
fortune, has still much of care and sorrow
to a state of existence whero no sadness
ever enters—still the reflection that here
on earth they will never behold him again,
is fraught with much bitterness and grief.
To them. hisMjrrowlrig brotherandoth
er afflicted relatives, the warmest sympa
thies of my heart go out, and my most
fervent wishes that they may be sustain
ed and soot he J in their sore bereavement
by Iliin who alone can " Speak peace to
the troubled Soul," and in this expression
I doubt not that all of you here, who
knew 'he deceased, most heartily join.
My own share iu th's bereavement has
cost me many a pang of heart, and uiuch
real sorrow. It is brought to my recol
lection, in all its first freshness, by the
place and presence in which I now stand.
I feel a deep sense of sadness and desola
tion here, oven although the familiar fa
ces of many acquaintances greet my eyes,
My bollcague and dear friend is goue. I
see him no more in the scat he was wont
to occupy. I miss the warm pressure of
his hand and kind greeting when I come
here iu the morning; I miss his fatherly
care and wise counsel; I miss the anx
ious interest and tender sympathy which
he always bestowed upon me; I miss the
example of his honest, straightforward,
unselfish course; and oh 1 I miss—per
haps more than all—the incentive to lead
a virtuous, upright lifo, and the influen
ces for good which he always endeavored
to throw around me. My loss is great
indeed, for where can I find another to
fill his place? On whom can I rely as I
did upon him ? Who, with the same
noble heart and generous impulses, the
same tender feeling and eatire self-abneg
ation, shall ever become to mo the samo
confidant and friend ? To him I went,as
to a father, itfall my griefs and troubles,
and never failed to receive his warm in
terest and soothing sympathy.
These losses, Mr. Speaker, are the most,
bitter, and at the same time the most
useful lessons that we learn in life. They
are those which ingress themselves most
deeply upon our hearts. They come to
us in the shape of admonitions which w»
cannot disregard. The friend of our
soul is taken away suddenly in the midst,
of health and strength and hope. It »
an arrow very near to our hearts. It is a
voice of warning in our ears, saying, "Be
ye also ready." We reflect too little up
on the transitory nature of our lives, and
the fact that death may come at any mo
ment. The interests of the world—teh
cares, allurements or follies engross too,
much of our time and attention. We
live as if we had a fixed lease of life, Of