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    ON THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF HENRY WINTER DAVIS
    BY HON. JOHN A. J. CRESWELL



    ORATION
    ON THE
    LIFE AND CHARACTER
    OF
    HENRY WINTER DAVIS,

    BY

    HON. JOHN A. J. CRESWELL.

    Delivered in the Hall of the House of Representatives,
    February 22, 1866.

    WASHINGTON:
    GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
    1866.




    PREFACE.


    The death of Hon. HENRY WINTER DAVIS, for many years a distinguished
    Representative of one of the Baltimore congressional districts, created
    a deep sensation among those who had been associated with him in
    national legislation, and they deemed it fitting to pay to his memory
    unusual honors. They adopted resolutions expressive of their grief, and
    invited Hon. JOHN A. J. CRESWELL, a Senator of the United States from
    the State of Maryland, to deliver an 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 increased warmth to patriotic
    emotions.

    The hall of the House was filled by a distinguished audience to listen
    to the oration. Before eleven o'clock the galleries were crowded in
    every part. The flags above the Speaker's desk were draped in black, and
    other insignia of mourning were exhibited. An excellent portrait of the
    late Hon. HENRY WINTER DAVIS was visible through the folds of the
    national banner above the Speaker's chair. As on the occasion of the
    oration on President LINCOLN by Hon. GEORGE BANCROFT, the Marine band
    occupied the ante-room of the reporters' 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 Secretary McCulloch were present. After prayer by the chaplain, the
    Declaration of Independence was read by Hon. EDWARD MCPHERSON, Clerk of
    the House. After the reading of the Declaration, followed by the playing
    of a dirge by the band, Hon. SCHUYLER COLFAX, Speaker of the House of
    Representatives, introduced the orator of the day, Hon. J. A. J.
    CRESWELL.




    REMARKS

    OF

    HON. SCHUYLER COLFAX,

    SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.


    Hon. SCHUYLER COLFAX, Speaker of the House of Representatives, said:

    LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: The duty has been devolved upon me of introducing
    to you the friend and fellow-member, here, of HENRY WINTER DAVIS, and I
    shall detain you but a moment from his address, to which you will listen
    with saddened interest.

    The world always appreciates and honors courage: the courage of
    Christianity, which sustained martyrs in the amphitheatre, at the stake,
    and on the rack; the courage of Patriotism, which inspired millions in
    our own land to realize the historic fable of Curtius, and to fill up
    with their own bodies, if need be, the yawning chasm which imperiled the
    republic; the courage of Humanity, which is witnessed in the pest-house
    and the hospital, at the death-bed of the homeless and the prison-cell
    of the convict. But there is a courage of Statesmen, besides; and nobly
    was it illustrated by the statesman whose national services we
    commemorate to-day. Inflexibly hostile to oppression, whether of slaves
    on American soil or of republicans struggling in Mexico against
    monarchical invasion, faithful always to principle and liberty,
    championing always the cause of the down-trodden, fearless as he was
    eloquent in his avowals, he was mourned throughout a continent; and from
    the Patapsco

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