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I We publish below the following
beautiful poetic tribute to the meniory
of General Breckinridge, from the pen
of Mrs. Rosa Vertner Jeil"rey. The
poem is worthy of the sublect:
_ IN MEMGPRIAM.
p John C. Brvckinridgc.
nv ROSA VERTNER JEFFREY. `
Go, rm°rm·i the broad, black banner
Of .a Nation’s grief to—day; ·
Float the badges of her mourning
Down the golden deepsof May.
Tell in niournfulfmartial music
- Of a Nation’s idol dead;
Of a brave sword sheathed forever;
Of a knightly spirit 1led——
Statesman, crater, and hero,
Passed away ere set of sun,
Though at morn his path was blushing
With the honors—-he had won.
On a darker sky at noontide,
\Vrit in fire——we read his lame--
Circled still by dewy laurels}
\Vorn unscorehed amid the flame.
Through proud triumphs never boast-
‘ ful, `
Ever patient in defeat;
To mourn for him, with harn1ony—
A Nation’s heart should beat. _
Blue or gray—it matters little ;
Soldiers, bow beside his grave;
For ye saw him stand in battle,
And brave men must love the brave.
Even those who fell before him
Solemn requieums do toll ; a
For across the Stygian river
Never {lashed a nobler soul.
Pagllie line of that dark waterjwu I
He has met them all to-day;
For the roll our Master’s calling
Marks no li11e ‘twixt blue and gray.
Marshalled there once more as brothers,
; Far above that battle-tide, _
l Where the blue was turned to vur ile
. . _ _ l l
1 And the gray in crimson dyed.
l As we once rejoiced together,
l ’At his glory in its prime, ’
‘ Let us shrine his stainless honor
l , . »
1< or our people and our tune.
As an orator, inspired,
Earnest, eloquente—yet when
His lips were sealed, such sil?ce
Shained the speech of wea {er men.
On the pathway of an exile,
Dark and cold——of joy bereft-—
A shadow of its greatness V
Has his kingly presence left.
And a lesson in this story
Through its light and shade appears;
Let us. read—the grain of Egypt, —
W. Uofhned for three thousand years.
Lost fO1' ages—will, if taken
From a 1num1ny’s shriveled hand,
And pla nted-—-spring to liarvest,
For the reapers of the land.
Let his valor, patience, prudence, ,
i Like the germ of I’haraoh’s corn,
I Live fer. ver for free nations,
And their freeinen et unborn.
i Y
` I would snatch an eagle’s feather,
\Vhile his proud wing fleeks the blue,
To chronicle the story
Of a man so great and true.
I would dip that cloud-nursed ipinionl
In the fountains of the sun, i
To tell of hero, statesman,
Friend—all noble——all in one. Q
Ring a mea.sure—grand, heroic,  
To his fa1ne—but let the dove l
Lend her plume to trace our sorrow,
And her wail to tell our love.
Liaxrxorox, May 20th.