John Albion Andrew
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‘ HO' JOH' A'BIO' A'D'EW . HA M .M . o Bos on . By 'A M' E ' B' ' ' , A , f t THE pen of the biographer and the to n gu e of the orator have lon g since given their tributes to the memory of John Albio n Andrew ; but it is fitting that the pages of the o fiicial organ of that society of w as n his hich he w an honored president , should contai a recognition of virtues ; a tes timonial of the high esteem in which he was held ; a a portrayal , inadequate though it be , of his character . Of him as w m m an , a citizen , a la yer , a magistrate , and a states an ; of his ser e vices in the varied station s he w as called upon to occupy , others hav written and sp oken with that detail which a truthful record demanded and s w as the year pass on , and the principles for hich he lived and w n labored , ith all the generous devotion of his great heart , shall ripe u r into a rich fruitage , his eminent abilities , his high integrity of p ' p ose , and his un inching energy in the assertion and maintenance of w n h human rights , ill be increasingly apparent , and co tinually furnis s fre h m aterial for the historian , and fresh enthusiasm for every lover w was of his fello man . It may be truthfully said of him that he not for a day , but for all time and as great men and their deeds never w w n gro old , but al ays brighten as the light of years falls upo them , w w o s so he ill ever be a living po er , a brilliant example for all patri t who w shall follo him . w w w a n ow in it In vie of hat has been done , and of h t is process , would be inexpedient in this place to enter upon any biographical w e details , or attempt hat would of necessity be but a meagre estimat w . of his life and character ; the more appropriate duty is to thro , p er w w h chance , an additional ray of light upon a fe prominent events hic s have pas ed into the history of our commonwealth and of the nation , w w to reveal some hat of his inner nature , and discern the orkings of s that ever active mind , the impulses and emotion of that lofty soul , consists of remarks made ata regular meeting of the ' ew- England Historic- Genealogical 'oci ety . 2 John A lbion A ndrew. ever at rest from labors for the good of others until his G od call e d w w fi n d f o f him to a high er sphere , h ere he ill th e ull realization every f fi hope , the ul lment of every promise . It is comparatively easy to write of the publi c efforts of our great men ; to pass judgment upon tho s e word s and deed s whi c h touch th e s s w s living is ue of the times for the w orld has its verdict al ay ready , c and external life cannot escape the scrutiny , the criti ism and the open Opinions which fall thick and fas t in the path of th o s e who o ccu c py positions of honor . B ut it is another thing to learn orrectly , and m appreciate rightly , the ruling otives , th e fundamental principles w f w w u pon hich this external li e rests , and by hich th e outer orld is is reached and m oved and yet , in this instance; the latter th e more 1 c an d pleasant , for the reason , alas too rare , that nearness of approa h , w s closer study , only bring more strikingly to vie tho e noble , governing w e s w traits which ere so pre minently characteri tic of Governor Andre . a w c s s He w s kno n to the public as an energeti man , earnest and per i t i c w ent n the advoca y of the rights of all men , herever and when ever imperilled ; he was known to his friends as a man o f deep con i n s u sce tible n atu re s vict o s , of a generous and p , thoroughly con cientiou s w in all matters of a personal or public nature , and never eary in well w — w s n o n doing , hether the labor of love or of duty and they ere y y ‘ w — w as fo r s his f n s mous terms ith him his profes ional brethren , rie d , a ff a sick soldier , a su ering sl ve , or a hardened convict . Rectitude of w w as w purpose made him impartial hen there rong to be righted , pain of body or mind to be alleviated , any good dee d to be performed . s him n o f w Rank and po ition made better riend , dre from him n o him deeper sympathies , incited to no more earnest action . In his m n w as ind , judicial , and yet tender in its ature , there n o call to action stronger than an injustice to be remedied . Therein lay the true s ecret of his untiring zeal in every c ause looking to ward th e elevation o f his w s s c c fello s in any or all the pha e of life , so ial , civil , p oliti al , educa io n al . m t , moral and religious He considered th e all as parts of one ” w s harmonious hole , and in their distinct condition he never lost s w s ight of their mutual relation and genuine oneness . Thus it as w w as an d w as that hile he honored respected by the public , he hon his f w his ored , respected and loved by friends the ormer kne him by his s s o w s deeds , the latter by motive and deeds ; that hile the ame w as h w as ff s judgment of the man reac ed , it by di erent meth od . ’ ‘ Governor Andrew s o fiicial connection with the ' ew - England His - was toric Genealogical Society of so short duration , that a large pro p ortion of the members had not gained that per sonal kno wledge of ’ his qualifications for the offi ce of pre sident which s o o n would h ave been theirs , had he lived to carry into operation the comprehensive John A lbion A ndrew. 3 l n ten p a s he had in mind for the institution . And yet , the year and m s his c 1 8 66 1 8 6 7 onth of presiden y (January , , to October , , inclusive) gave the s o c iety joyful anticipations of a brilliant future for its history his m s n s who w w under ad ini tratio . Tho e kne him but slightly hen he fi s s s his ffi w r t a umed the duties of o ce , soon learned that the la yer and the statesman w as al s o the ardent student o f history an enthusiastic who w fi rm was lover of his country , hel d ith a grasp all that was in w precious in the past , all that possible the present, hile he w w n looked on ard , and up ard too , for a still more glorious realizatio w f e of a Christian nation , here civil and religious reedom shall mak sk h who w him the y radiant with promise for the race . T ose kne more i l ew- ' ' ntimate y can echo the words of John Jay ( N ork , ovember W e recognize in Governor Andrew all that is most excellent in the traits usual f l b ' ew- E b n w of ss o y attri uted to ngland , le ded ith a breadth thought , a largene a im an d an abs n c f n c r s c c s , e e o anything like provi ial o e tarian prejudi e , that rai ed him to the full height o f the American ideal ; an d will make his name honored w s of c s be as an s s an d c ss c ex herever the hi tory our ountry hall read , illu triou la i ” a f f mple o the noblest phase o the American character . It certainly w as fitting that one who entered so largely and nobly ’ who b into the most eventful , historic period in our country s annals , y w s h fo r ord and deeds made istory all coming time , should be at the o f s w s s head a ociety hose very exi tence re ts on a pure love of country , and a de sire to perpetuate her hi s toric records in their general an d c ' s individual haracter . An d th at he entered into the very pirit of thi o h c s was w s rganization , and h ad hig and omprehen ive , and yet , as al ay o f c ws ffi true him , pra tical vie and plans for its greater e ciency , is evi d 2 f 1 8 e s d o 6 .