Part 3 (1/2)
Possessing neither the keen wit of his colleague, McKenzie, nor the profound hu narratives than any e Mountains
The incident to be related ested the witty reply of Senator Proctor to the Vice-President when invited by the latter to come into the devotional exercises: ”Excuse me, I am _paired_ with Blackburn on prayers” This equals his reply when asked by Senator Hale what he thought of Senator Chandler: ”I _like_ him, but it is an acquired taste”
Upon the occasion of the retirement of the Rev Dr Butler from the Chaplaincy of the Senate--a position he had filled retfully of his retirement The speech of Mr Blackburn, for beauty of expression and pathetic eloquence, was unrivalled He spoke most tenderly of the faithfulness of the venerable one in and out before us; of his daily walk and conversation; how, like the Blessed Master, his only thought was of doing good; of how he had often invoked the Divine blessing upon us and our loved ones, and lifted us as it were in his arrace The orator seeh his lips were indeed touched with a live coal from the altar The counterpart of the scene that followed his closing words had never been witnessed in legislative assembly All were in tears It was even said that venerable Senators, who had never shed a tear since the ratification of the treaty of Ghent, actually sobbed aloud, and refused to be coth, amid silence that could be felt, an adjournment was effected, and the Senators passed sadly out to their homes
As he passed the Chair, Senator Vest, in undertone, remarked to the Vice-President, _”Jo never saw him!”_
The next day, in the absence of his successor, ”the blind chaplain,”
Dr Butler again, and for the last ti in manner most solemn and impressive, the Lord's Prayer At its conclusion, Senator Blackburn, who had been a most attentive listener, came forward to the desk and remarked to Vice-President Stevenson: ”I tell you, sir, I like that new chaplain of ours
What a splendid prayer! There is soinal_ about that o, when first a candidate for Congress, Mr Blackburn attended a public execution--in co”--in one of the counties in his district Being a gentleress, he was appropriately invited by the sheriff to occupy a seat with the prisoner and his spiritual adviser upon the gallows At the near approach of the fatal hour, the sheriff, atch in hand, amid the sea of upturned faces, stated to the prisoner that he had yet five e if he so desired to address the audience The prisoner meekly replied that he did not wish to speak Whereupon Mr Blackburn, stepping proentleman does not wish to speak, if he will kindly yield me his time, I will take this occasion to reularly nominated by the De told in the presence of Mr Marshall, the opposing candidate, the latter remarked that he remembered it well, and could vouch for its truth He then added that when Mr Blackburn proposed to speak out the prisoner's time, the latter turned to the Sheriff and inquired who that was To which the officer replied, ”Captain Blackburn” At this the prisoner, who had a scenes of his arrest and trial, and even up to the present moment, with his open coffin beside hi deep e me first, _and let him speak afterwards!”_
When, in the tide of time, will the House of Representatives witness the like of ”Sunset” cox? Beginning a Congressional career, which was to terminate only with his death, when scarcely of the constitutional age, he was in close succession a representative froreat States,--in his early manhood from the Capital district of Ohio, and in his e, the reat State of New York
Mr cox was gifted as few men have been in this world His literary attainh order, and some of the books of which he was the author will no doubt furnish instructive and entertaining reading for able student, and seee for his province” His accurate knowledge of the history of all countries and times was a marvel, and, all at his instant coround in the les in which he took part Woe betide the unfortunate antagonist whose record was other than faultless He was a born debater, full of resources, and aggressive to the last degree He never waited for opportunities, but sought theencies he was often put forward by his political associates for the fierce encounter with the great leaders upon the opposite side of the Chamber
He ithal one of the most kindly of rity could know no temptation It may truly be said of hiht, He never can be shamed”
His syo down to the sea in shi+ps” For years he was the earnest advocate of a thorough life-saving system Much of the present efficiency of this hu efforts He had travelled to all countries, and even to the islands of the sea He was of sunny disposition, and believed that ”whatever places the eye of Heaven visits are to the wise man ports and happy havens”
Mr cox was one of the htful of associates
With him and Vance, Knott, and Randolph Tucker as coht would flee away like a shadow His as of the rarest order He would have been on ternized kinshi+p with Sydney Sed ret he had on earth was that there were no more commandments to keep; what few there were he kept so easily As illustrating his readiness and elasticity, whatever the eency, two instances, out of the ht session of the House, areat confusion, the roll-call was ordered The first naiven
The clerk, failing to hear the response, immediately repeated, ”Mr
Archer,” to which the latter, in tones heard above the din of ain answered ”Aye” Instantly Mr cox exclaimed: ”Insatiate Archer, would not one suffice?”
A new member from a district far to the ard entered the House
His advoirdupois was in keeping with the vast territorial area he represented As a wit, he ithout a rival in his section
The admiration of his constituents over the marvellous attainments of the new member, scarcely exceeded his own Only the opportunity anting when the star of the gentleo down and his own be in the ascendant The opportunity at length came Mr cox was the victim of the hour; the recipient of many compliments much more fervid than kind The seven vials of wrath were opened upon him A vast storehouse of wit, ancient and modern, was literally exhausted for the occasion Even the diminutive size of the New York ement
The speech causedits delivery, and its author with an air of self-satisfaction rarely witnessed even in that body, resumed his seat Mr cox at once took the floor No attempt will be made to do justice to his speech
The manner, the tone of voice, which caused an uproar upon the floor and in the galleries, can never find their way into print
Referring to the ill-mannered allusion to his size, he said ”that his constituents preferred a representative with brains, rather than one whose only claims to distinction consisted in an abnoric tones he then pronounced a funeral eulogy over his assailant, and suggested, as a fitting inscription for his tombstone, the pathetic words of Byron,
”'T is Greece, but living Greece no more!”
Soon after the nomination of Tilden for President, Mr cox was invited to attend a politicalat the State capital, and address the Democracy of Vermont When the scarcity of Democrats in the Green Mountain State is taken into account, the significance of Mr cox's reply will readily appear His telegrae, but ”if the Democracy of Vermont _will drop into my library_ any afternoon, about four o'clock, I will address the of aand so favorably known to the House as the Hon J Proctor Knott of Kentucky, I a tribute of Judge Baldwin to an honored associate:
”I nib my pen and iive the more delicate touch which can alone show forth the character of this distinguished gentleman If I hold the pen in hand in idle reverie, it is because ly upon a picture I feel incapable of transcribing with fidelity to the original; and therefore I pause a inal, before it is obscured by the rude counterpart”
It orth while to have known Proctor Knott, to have been his coteuest at his hearthstone In the highest sense of the expression, he was a gentle in the words, ”Old wood to burn! Old wine to drink! Old friends to trust!”
He was as fah he had written them His quotations, whether in private conversation, or in public speech, were always timely There was little in the way of the best literature, ancient or ifted Prentiss: