Mr. POMEROY. Mr. President, I feel it my duty to arrest the business of the Senate for a brief period, while I announce the death of my late colleague, Hon. JAMES H. Lass, of Kansas, who departed this life on the 11th instant. Death has been of frequent occurrence during the period of which I have been a member of this body. I believe no session has passed in which we have not been called to mourn the loss of some one of our number. And this session has been peculiarly marked in that respect. For we commenced it in mourning for the death of one of the distinguished Senators from Vermont, and the voice of that touchin and most appropriate eulogy had scarcely die away in the murmur of our grief before we were called to bury his colleague who had mourned with us so sincerely. Mr. President, the duty devolving upon me at this moment is both melancholy and painful. It is peculiarly so, because we coli template the death of one who struck the life fountain with his own handl In the midst of opportunities of usefulness; surrounded by a most interesting family; reelected to a position congenial to his tastes and gratifying to his hopes, in a moment “of temporary aberration of mind, ” he “loosed the silver cord, and the golden bowl was broken.” I shall refer but briefly to incidents in the life and character of in late colleague, and confine myselfchiefly tot ose which have fallen under my own observation. The history of his life in his native State, and during the Mexican war, I shall leave to the Senators from Indiana, who are more familiar with the record. My 1st acquaintance with the deheased Senator was in the spring of 1.855. He had just removed to Kansas, and taken up his residence with the NewEngland colony which had settled the town 0 Lawrence the year before. He had voted for the Kansas Nebraska bill as member of the HoRep from Indiana in the Congress of 1854. He considered that act transferred the struggle which had agitated Congress and the country from the halls of legislation to the Territories of the U.S. And as Kansas was fore most to enter the field of contest, General LANE came out, as he said, “ to see fair play" upon the principles of the organic act, and did not, at 1st, identify himsel with any party. An attempt was made to organize the democratic party, but without success. There was, indee, little contest, until the convention at. Big Sprin s in September, 1855. The political strugg e of parties which were not only to decide the fate of this young Territory but of all the rest, whether for freedom or for slavery, then commenced. General Lass was chair man of the committee on resolutions at that convention, and reported a platform which became the basis of the Free State party. He then, and ever after, was fully identified with the Free State cause, and was determined to share its fortunes in all its vicissitudes. And as difficulties increased and the contest deep ened, he grew in strength and earnestness until he was deemed equal to the emergency. No man knows until he is tried what he is capable of doing or of suffering; and certainly General LANE surpassed the expectations of his friends by his one and foresight during the trying events which marked that period. He appled successfully with every obstacle and ecame master of every situation. When clouds darkened his pathway and for the moment he seemed prostrated, he would rise with renewed strength and vigor. Adversity could not conquer him; he only yielded to the in snaring delusions of prosperity. He was a man of wonderful udaptabilities, and seized every occasion to turn events to a good account. Whilc, technically. he was neither a scholar nor an orator, yet he was learned and eloquent; for he had close] studied men and knew every avenue to the umnn heart, and could arouse its deepest emotions. With his impassioned eloquence before the people be swayed multitudes who would ban upon his lips with breathless emotion, whilethey regarded his voice as little less than the breath of omnipotence. I could not be true to history or to my own convictions if I did not here, and now, say that from the beginning to the end of our struggle in Kansas General Laws was true to the cause of freedom, and true to the pioneers who strug gled with him to save our Territory from the crime and treason of human slavery. I forgive many faults in one who has such virtues. Lawrence became the bulwark of freedom in Kansas, and LAM: was the chosen leader. He was elected to the 1st Free State convention to form a constitution at Topeka, and was chosen the presidingofficer of that body. Under that constitution he was 1st elected, with governor reeder, to the Senate of the U.S. While General LANE was at Washington urging our admission into the Union under that constitution, as a settlement of our difficulties, a conflict at home between opposing forces seemed inevitable. By the greatest prudence and foresight alone was a collision between the U.S. military forces avoided, while as a result, Lawrence was sacked and burned. General Laws then left Washington, and with wonderful activity and energy wentthrough the northern and western States raisin, men and arms for the settlers in Kansas. y the 1st of August, 1856, he had collected his little army and marched the 1st party of armed settlers through the State of Iowa into Nebraska and Kansas. The invaders fled from our soil before the presence of organized and armed emigration. At this opportune period governor Geary became the executive officer of Kansas; a man who faces the music and never turned his back upon the foes of his country; who then, as now, was a noble leader in a noble cause, soon, I hope, to be honored by Pennsylvania as he has always honored her. Under his administration Kansas had a brief respite from the angry strife, and men of both political parties united injoint efforts to promote the prosperity of the Territory. But the interval was comparatively brief, and the resignation of Governor Geary was soon followed by the Lecompton convention, the history and character of which are familiar to all. Senator LANE entered warm] into the canvass of 1860, and found in Mr. Lincoln a personal friend. In April, 1861, he was elected a member of the Senate of the U.S., and took his seat here at the called session of the 37th Congress, meeting for the 1st time July 4, 1861. That was at the be ginning of the late rebellion, a foreshadowing of which he had seen in Kansas. During that short session he urged and voted for the most vigorous prosecution of the war, and in some measure comprehended its results. He closed one of his speeches on the 18th of July by this most distinctive announcement, “that slavery should perish rather than that one inch of this Union should be parted with.” I believe he was among the 1st, if not the very 1st, to enlist colored soldiers in the Union Army, for on the 4th day of August, 1862, he commenced the organization of the 1st colored regiment of Kansas; and although they were not received and mustered into the military service until 13th January, 1863, still in the mean time, when some were discouraged, he would not consent to the disbandment of the regiment, but authorized Colonel Williams, then in command of this regiment, to draw upon him for their support until the Government accepted them t us pledging his privote property for the support of this regiment. I ‘init l cy were accepts and mustered, whieh piece ent was followed by the enlisting and mustering of the Massachusetts fi fonrth, and then to swelling the ranks of the nion Army to the number of over 250,000 colored troops, thus, and for the 1st time, allowed to strike the redeeming blow of their own freedom! Senator Lane rejoiced in every triumph of our brave Army, whether on the sea or on the land, and seemed to feel a profound personal mortification and defeat at every national reverse. My late colleague was a member of the Baltimore convention in 1864, and, with the late Senator King, of NewYork, took a prominent part in the deliberations of that body, and did much toward securing the result arrived nt. Now, nlasl both by Slfllllflf rash acts have closed their eyes to the light of day, and are dead to the issues they helped to inaugu rate. Just previous to the late presidential election I witnessed the devotion of Senator LANE to the cause of our country, and his complete identification with the soldiers of Kansas, who were suddenly called to march to the border of the State to repel the invasion of the rebel General Sterling Price, who was then marching through Missouriwith conquests and victory. In that contest, to save our State from fire and pillage, General LANE counted nothing too dear to offer for her defense. But with musket in hand he shared the labors, exsure, and conflict with the private soldier; t us endearing him to our people, he was a 2nd time elected to the Senate. And the present Congress was the commencement of his 2nd term. But I shall not dwell upon the recent events of this session. They are too familiar to all. It seems but yesterda since he was going in niid.out among us. Nor shall I allude to the course that he took during this session, so painful to his friends. I prefer to turn my face to the brighter side of this extraordinary picture of human life, and let the shady side pass from view. I would step backward and throw the mantle of charity over all that I cannot approve. For the grave is silent. Death stereotypes all human actions and efforts, and allows no 2ndedition to issue. The work of life is sealed and the record goes up on high, as well, also, us down to posterity through coming years. What is mysterious now may be revealed hereafter. At present we hardly know what to commend or what to condemn until the day of final disclosure. My late colleague leaves an interesting family in the deepest sorrow, to say nothing of friends, to mourn his loss. But I trust that He who is the God of the fatherless and protects the widow will shield and protect them, and in coming years, when the s adows of life are lengthened, they may find paths of usefulness and honor, remembering that"Thnt life is long Which answerslife's greatends." Mr. President, I offer the following resolu tious: Resolved.That the membersof the Senate have learned with regretand sorrowof thesudden death of lion. James H. LANE, late a Senfrom the State of Kansas. Resolved, That as an evidenceof respect to the memor of the deceased, and of sincere sorrow and sympathyfor his bereavedand afflictedfamily, the Senatedo now adjourn. Ordered, That the Secretary communicate these proceedingsto the HoRep.