Delivered in the Hall of the House of Representatives,
February 22, 1866.
WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1866.
The death of Hon. Henry Winter Davis, for many years a distinguishedRepresentative of one of the Baltimore congressional districts, created a deepsensation among those who had been associated with him in national legislation,and they deemed it fitting to pay to his memory unusual honors. Theyadopted resolutions expressive of their grief, and invited Hon. John A. J.Creswell, a Senator of the United States from the State of Maryland, to deliveran oration on his life and character, in the hall of the House of Representatives,on the 22d of February, a day the recurrence of which ever gives increasedwarmth to patriotic emotions.
The hall of the House was filled by a distinguished audience to listen to theoration. Before eleven o'clock the galleries were crowded in every part. Theflags above the Speaker's desk were draped in black, and other insignia ofmourning were exhibited. An excellent portrait of the late Hon. HenryWinter Davis was visible through the folds of the national banner above theSpeaker's chair. As on the occasion of the oration on President Lincoln byHon. George Bancroft, the Marine band occupied the ante-room of thereporters' gallery, and discoursed appropriate music.
At twelve o'clock the senators entered, and the judges of the Supreme Court,preceded by Chief Justice Chase. Of the Cabinet Secretary Stanton and SecretaryMcCulloch were present. After prayer by the chaplain, the Declarationof Independence was read by Hon. Edward McPherson, Clerk of theHouse. After the reading of the Declaration, followed by the playing of adirge by the band, Hon. Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of the House of Representatives,introduced the orator of the day, Hon. J. A. J. Creswell.
Hon. Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of the House of Representatives,said:
Ladies and Gentlemen: The duty has been devolved upon meof introducing to you the friend and fellow-member, here, of HenryWinter Davis, and I shall detain you but a moment from hisaddress, to which you will listen with saddened interest.
The world always appreciates and honors courage: the courageof Christianity, which sustained martyrs in the amphitheatre, at thestake, and on the rack; the courage of Patriotism, which inspiredmillions in our own land to realize the historic fable of Curtius, andto fill up with their own bodies, if need be, the yawning chasmwhich imperiled the republic; the courage of Humanity, which iswitnessed in the pest-house and the hospital, at the death-bed of thehomeless and the prison-cell of the convict. But there is a courageof Statesmen, besides; and nobly was it illustrated by the statesmanwhose national services we commemorate to-day. Inflexibly hostileto oppression, whether of slaves on American soil or of republicansstruggling in Mexico against monarchical invasion, faithful alwaysto principle and liberty, championing always the cause of the down-trodden,fearless as he was eloquent in his avowals, he was mournedthroughout a continent; and from the Patapsco to the Gulf theblessings of those who had been ready to perish followe