Judge Sherman was elected a member of the first Congress under the new Constitution and resigned his judicial station which he had so long adorned with the ermine of impartiality and equal justice. His influence was beneficially felt in the national legislature. He used his noblest exertions to promote the wide spread interests of the new-fledged Republic. Traces of his magnanimous propositions and prophetic policy are upon the journals and many of them incorporated in the Acts of that period. When members differed and exhibited the least acrimony, they were sure to find the peaceful wand of Judge Sherman fanning their heated feelings into a healthful coolness.
At the expiration of his representative term he was elected to the United States Senate of which he was a member when he closed his useful career—bade a long adieu—a final farewell to earth and its toils. He died on the 23d of July 1793 in the full enjoyment of that religion he had honored and practised and which had been a consolation and support amidst the changing scenes of his eventful pilgrimage. He had lived the life of a good man—he died calm, serene and happy. Through faith he triumphed over death and the grave and pressed upward to receive the enduring prize of unfading glory. He could approach the dread tribunal of the great Jehovah—smiling and smiled upon and enter into all the realities of heavenly bliss—enduring as the rolling ages of eternity. Thus lived and thus died Roger Sherman.
He had been a faithful public servant nearly forty years. He had participated in all the trying scenes of the Revolution—he had seen his country burst the fetters of tyranny and become a nation of freemen. He had aided in the consolidation of the general government—she was prosperous and happy. In all the important measures of the state of his adoption and of the American nation, he had acted an important part from the commencement of the French war to the time of his departure to "that country from whose bourne no traveller returns."
As a Christian he was esteemed by all denominations for his consistent piety and expansive charity. With him sectarianism was not religion—for him it had no charms. His philanthropy was broad as the human family—it reached from earth to heaven. He was familiar with the abstruse branches of theology and corresponded with several eminent divines. The Bible was his creed—not the dogmas of men.
In the history of Roger Sherman we have one of nature's sheets of purest white covered with all the sublime delineations that dignify a man and assimilate him to his Creator. His life was crowned with unfading evergreen produced by the rich soil of genuine worth and substantial merit. No ephemeral roses decked his venerable brow. A chaplet of amaranthine flowers surmounts his well earned fame. The mementos of his examples are a rich boon to posterity through all time. Whilst patriotism, religion and social order survive—the virtues of this great and good man will shine in all the majesty of light. His private character was as pure as his public career was illustrious.
Roger Sherman clearly demonstrated that man is the architect of his own fortune. By industry and perseverance in the use of books—now accessible to all, apprentices and mechanics may surmount every barrier and reach the summit of science and take their stations, with superior advantage, by the side of those who have been enervated within the walls of a college. No one in our land of intelligence is excusable for remaining under the dark mantle of ignorance. The sun of science has risen—all who will can be warmed by its genial rays. The means of acquiring knowledge are far superior to those enjoyed by Sherman and Franklin. Let their brilliant examples be imitated by Columbia's sons—our far famed Republic will then be as enduring as time. Let ignorance, corruption, ultra party spirit and fanaticism predominate—then the fair fabric of our Freedom, reared by the valor and cemented by the blood of the Revolutionary patriots—will tremble, totter and fall. Chaos will mount the car of discord—sound the dread clarion of the dissolution of our Union and Liberty will expire amidst the smoking ruins of her own citadel. Forbid it patriotism—forbid it philanthropy—forbid it Almighty God! O! my country men! remember that with us is deposited the rich behest of Liberty—let us guard it with god-like care and transmit it to our posterity in all the loveliness of native purity.
JAMES SMITH.
Men sometimes forsake the path designed for them by their Creator in their manner of speaking, acting and writing. They vainly strive to imitate some noble personage of a higher order by nature and cultivation than themselves and become poor specimens of the Ape. Some young men of respectable talents and acquirements—when they mount the rostrum, endeavor to imitate some orator of notoriety instead of acting out free and unvarnished nature. Originality alone gives beauty and force to eloquence in all its varied forms. Like a piece of marble under the skill of the statuary—a more systematic form may be produced by art but the native material cannot be improved in beauty by the finest art—the brightest paint. Originality must form the base or the richness is lost. No ingenuity can remould the work of nature and retain the full strength of the grand original. We should profit by the wisdom and virtues of great and good men—improve by their precepts and examples—our manner in public speaking, our language, our style of writing—all must be original to render them forcible and interesting. Affectation in anything is disgusting to sensible men. It is a coin that cannot be palmed upon the discerning for genuine. Of all counterfeits this is the most readily detected. Away with this worthless trash. If you have not gold, use silver—if neither, use copper—if you have only brass you need no urging to use that.
James Smith was a fine specimen of originality and pleasing eccentricity. He was born in Ireland in 1713. His father came to this country when James was a boy and settled on the west side of the Susquehanna river nearly opposite Columbia in Pennsylvania. James acquired a good classical education under Dr. Allison and retained a great partiality for authors of antiquity to the end of his life. He delighted in mathematics and became an expert surveyor. After finishing his course of study with Dr. Allison he read law in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, probably with an elder brother in that town and with Mr. Cookson. When admitted to the bar he located in the then far west near the present site of Shippensburg in Cumberland County of that state. He blended law and surveying in accordance with the desire and wants of the frontier settlers. Large tracts of valuable land were held under hasty and imperfect surveys and others were located by chamber surveys. Litigation was the natural consequence. No witness could tell more truth than the compass and protractor of Mr. Smith which were free from prejudice and partiality. Possessed of a penetrating mind he scanned future prospects and secured much valuable land. In his compound profession he had full employment. He was on the flood-tide of prosperity. Not willing to sail alone he took for his mate Eleanor Armor of Newcastle who superintended his freight and cabin stores with great skill and prudence.