As President of the Board of Commissioners of Fairmount Park, the decease of this estimable gentleman demands a note in our columns. This event occurred on the 10th of April, he being in his eighty-first year. He was emphatically Philadelphia's favorite son. An eminently successful merchant, he yet found time to devote to public affairs. He served in its City Councils, and there is scarcely an association for educational, scientific or charitable purposes in the city, but has had his gratuitous and successful services. It was always enough that anything was under the patronage of John Welsh, in order to be pushed with enthusiasm by the whole city. When the Sanitary commission was organized, with another successfully practical man of New York as its President, Rev. Dr. Bellows, it was determined to get up a fair in Philadelphia, for the benefit of the army in the fisld. It was to be on a grander scale than anything of the kind in history. A delegation went to New York to consult with him on the details. "I know," said one delegate, "an excellent gentleman, with plenty of time on his hands, who would act as President." "A gentleman of leisure !" exclaimed Dr. Bellows. "Avoid them as you would avoid the pestilence ! Gentlemen, you want no details from me. Go back to your city.

Hunt up your most successful business man, who has not another moment possible to spare. Insist on his presiding in this emergency, and your success will be grand." John Welsh was selected. It was the grandest affair that history has recorded.

And there is the great American Centennial. John Welsh, as its financial President, ensured its great success. Though in his eightieth year, he was again called on by his fellow citizens to lead off on the local committee to receive the combined British and American associations. The American Association for the Advancement of Science has always been a pet with the people. Cities try to outvie each other in making the meetings in their cities successes; but no such success as that which followed the Philadelphia meeting, was ever known. His city has always delighted to honor him; so has the nation. As United States Minister to England, there was never a more faithful or respected representative of the American nation.

As President of the Fairmount Park Commission he served his city in a double capacity. There had grown up in certain quarters a feeling that the people could not be trusted - that in some sense universal suffrage was a failure. Hence, in order to keep certain departments "out of politics," Commissions were established, where the members are appointed by the Judges, or in some other way, except by popular election. The result has been that the most offensively ruled political departments in the city are those which are governed by these separate Commissions. When Mr. Welsh was chosen Minister to England he wanted to resign his position as President of the Park Commission, but so great was the fear that a mere politician might succeed him, that a powerful pressure induced him to retain it during his absence, thus serving his city in the double sense we have intimated.

His home grounds at Germantown were very beautiful, and gave to its owner a great charm to his life. Not ten days before his death the writer of this had a letter from him in relation to his work on his estate, which could not have exhibited greater enthusiasm, though from one in the youthful vigor of life with threescore years before him.

Such lives are rare and seldom appreciated to the full extent, till the light ceases to burn; but the following darkness serves the purpose of making the loss the more vivid, and leads to a fresh crop of useful lives, born of the great example that so lustrously shone before.