Mr. GRIDER. I take pleasure in bearin some tribute of respect to the distin ishe Senator who has lately departed from t islife. I had the honor at an ear y day, in this Hall to be associated with Jacoa Conmuza. Ihad the honor of a personal acquaintance with him and living with him in the same mess. I had opportunities at least of becomin acquainted personally with his tamper, with his qualifications, an with his private and individual feelings, as well as with his public convictions in the position he then occupied, and I felt that it was due to Judge COLLAMER to bear some testimony to that high up reciation which we always entertained as to iiis qualifications in ivory position in which the country placed 1m. Judge Commune. was not a man of display. He needs no eulogy from any individual upon this floor. He has marked his character upon the records of his country. Long in public life, he proved himself competent and true and faithful in every position to which he was appointed. But I need not speak of his record. it is before the country. It is recognized with delight and pleasure, not only in his own neigh borhood, but well understood and gratefully apprcciated in the West. It. Speaker, you have already heard deline ated the variet of position which he occupied; and well may is friends up cal to the public records, and to the conflicts which have occurred in political life, and ask where Judge COLLAMER has been derelict, and when there was ever imputed to him any feeling but one of patriotic devotion to his country, and devotion to the highest interests of humanity. Gentlemen who were familiar with him all know that he was not a man of rhetoric and poetry. He was a man of logic, of argument, of discrimination of integrity, and of firmness. He studied what he said, said what he thought, and executed his purposes with regard, not to the approbation of men upon the right hand or upon the left, but with regard to that appro bation which is better and higher than allthe a probation of his own conscience, in view of at eternal responsibility that awaits us all beyond the grave. Sir, I loved JACOB Collamer. I have seen him in the social circle. I have seen him in the highest circles of this Government. I had the honor to be a messmate of his when Taney and McLean and Story and a host of other distinguished men formed, as it were, a family circle. I heard their interchange of thought and conversation. I had an opportunity to contrast and determine the quality of Judge Conmxsas mind and his attainments; and they were prominent and distinguished. He was always ready, always quick to discern, to discriminate, to enounce, to illustrate; he was peculiarly favored in the quality of his mind for pointed, clear illustration. But, gentlemen as I have said, his histo is upon the reco. Let me make one remar as to his personal qualities. He was gentle and kind and affable to all around him to the humble and poor as well as others. J ndge Connmen had a hand of congratulation to veto every man whom he believed to be an honest man; and yet, while he was thus condescending and affable, he felt that he himself was a man in attainments, in consideration, and in importance, equal to the highest. In the social circle no one was so interesting, so illustrative, with such a fund of aneedote and instruction, and so full of kindness and gentleness. Not an angry word did I ever hear all from him. But, gentlemen, allow me to say that, according to my convictions, we ought to estimate his character more from other considerations which have not, on my part, at least, beenmentioned. He was not only a man of integrity and morality, but he was a Christian man and a Christian gentleman, and in this fact I trust his friends, and especially the home circle, may find the power of submission and the power of being o eered and consoled. A Christian gentleman, as he was, his death, al. though it may be to his country and his family abereavement and a loss, to him it was a great n. I may be excused for stating a fact, for facts are illustrative of character more than words. When I had the honor to be in Congressin the Housewith Judge Connausn, we had a congressional prayer meeting. I remember distinctly that Judge Couansn, as a Christian gentleman, was uniformly there and participated in the devotional exercises. They were offrequent occurrence, and he used to attend, and Judge McLean, and a circle of the distinguished men of the bench and Legislature of that day. I have, therefore, the right to hope and to infer, and to cheer the disconsolate and the bereaved with the enunciation, that though he has left us, and his services are no longer ours, or his kind cheer for his family cire e yet to him it was but a glorious exehange, an in that exchange we may find the highest consolation, not only here in this Hall, but every where throughout the country, and more peculiarly in the family circle. where, I hope, his wife and his friends may be cheered With the bright prospect that they shall, according to Christian principles, meet him again and recognize him as a purified angelno more amidst the conflict and labors of human existence, but pure and holy and blest as the angels of God.