Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-10-08

hIah judicial station In his native State, when
he compsred the comparative ohscurity OF Mr..
Lr,os With the celebrity of some of his brethren,
who had shone in the national councils, quoted
people, who generally cent their worst men
abroad, and kept their best at home.
) Unlocking over the list of names, which were
called over and over again, day after day and
month after month, till every one became ais
gusted with the sound Of his own name, some
awful blanks appear. Nearly one;Dm 81 me
original members are in the grave! Now we
would infer a priori that such body, composed
mostly Of elderly men, would soon pass away:
But, as If human anticipations were set at
naupbt. those have died, who, for the most part,
were strong and active, and who had ialr
prospect Of attaining healthy old age. we
might prepare ourselves for the loss OF Monroe,
Giles, and We might add, Doddrise anu nan am
dolph; but who would have thought that the
recording angel had written the names of Fitz-
hugh, Campbell, Powell, Morris, Cloyd, Wilson,
Macrae. Green, Taylor, Mennis, Bates and Bay.
~. in the book of death7 men whose chances Of
life seemed not only as good as those OF their
colleagues, but equal to those OF the same num-
Der of men to be found any where's Yet the old
and infiTm are left to weep over their ashes!-
When we consider the diminution of numbers,
the comparative health and youth of those who
have died, and the lapse of years since the ad-
journment, which may be supposed to bear up
on all, but particularly the aged, We almost turn
away from the conclusion, that, If proper
Tomato degree Of mortality await the survivors,
in Eve years not more ttas one half viii remain,
and in ten years from this cate, at the same ra-
to- scarcely dozen.
The mortality is greater in kind and extent
than ordinary calculations would have allowed,
and II seems to us almost startling. And the
wonder is not diminished, when we consider
the mortality Of the members OF the Virginia
Convention of 'SS. The number Of that body,
as gathered from the ayes and noes on the rati-
fication of the Federal Constitution, was for
that instrument 80. and against it rs; which
makes the whole number to be 1863. Now, with
our knowledge Of the names Of the survivors,
we can recognize only three living, viz: Mr.. Ma
olson, Judge Marshall, and General Cooke
Judge Stuart was the last who died. Perhaps
some eye more severe than our own may detect
here and there a survivor; but they will not
the two Conventions was forty years and three
months; say 40 years; and the number OF the
first was 1853, and the last Sc. Of 1853 the num-
Der of the first strike off for the survivors as
above, and the name Of Judge Stuart, who died
since the adjournment Of the last Convention;
and we have l6l who died in the space of 40
years, that is year; which is at the rate OF 20
as we have said, Of 96 members; and in the
space Of five years, l6 have died, or Speaking
Of the original members) counting Judge Dade,
who resigned and Doct. Reid, who died, without
having taken their seats in the body, Is have
paid the debt of nature;-that is Is out OF &c.
which is not far from year, and nearly one
fifth Of the whole number. Thus it appears
that the mortality Of the late Convention nearly
equals that of the Convention Of 'SS; and when
the relative numbers of the two bodies are con-
sidered, almost doubles it in the same space Of
time
We began at the beginning, and will end with
the adjournment of the Convention. IL the be-
ginning was a scene Of emotion the conclusion
was still more so. The tide of party ran strong
and full during session of more than three
months and every one in and out of the Con-
ventien fstt more or less during the time the In
tensity Of excitement. But the time was come,
when old and young--friends and enemies--were
about to part to meet no more. No eye could
have discovered the cloud of death that hung
black above them; but we had almost said that
imagination had gathered a cloud even darker
than the reality. For no one thought Of the
strong and vigorous, but every eye seemed fixed
on few old men Of exalted talent and public
worth, who would soon leave us and be no more.
And when the Convention adjourned, all press
ed to shake by the hand these venerable men OF
the past age. We anticipate, however, little.
On the last DAY OF the session. u was carry u
mored that Mr.. Randolph would present the
usual resolution Of thanks to the chair; and this
tended to heighten the animation Of the scene.
We need scarcely add that Mr.. Randolph per-
formed this duty IN his happiest manner. Soon
after, when MIR. Leigh moved the adjournment,
Judge Barbour, the President of the body, rose
and pronounced one of the most appropriate
addresses to which we ever listened. 1t was
full of just sentiment and elevated patriotism,
and touched the heart of every one who heard
him. When he concluded his valedictory, the
motion was put, and the Convention adjourned
sine die.
+Our calculation may not be mathematical
ly correct; but we give our data, which will en-
able any one to form his own calculations
FOREIGN PAUPERs.-We concur in the opinion
expressed in the following extract from the
New York Daily Advertiser: