Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-05-22
From the Washington Union.
DEATH OF VIM. H. ROANE.

From the Washington Union.
DEATH OF WIN. H. RoANE.
Virginia is now mourning over the
loss of one Of her mtst distinguished
sons. William Henry Roane breathed
his last at Tree Hill, .lbout two miles
from Richmond, on Sunday morning,
at l O'clock He died in about TIE
18Th year of his age, leaving behind
him but one child-a young daughter
10 inherit fortune, his softer viz
tues, and his name. Her mother was
the sister of James L ons, Esq, the
present delegate Of the city. He left
no children by his first wife, who was
the sister of William Selden, Esq, the
Treasurer ofthe United States. His
half-sister is the accomplished wife of
Mr.. Macdonald, ex- Governor of Geor-
gia.
Mr.. Roane was among the most en-
inent men Of the State; and perhaps
il is scarcely too much to say of him,
the most popular man IN all its broad
borders. He had almost every quality
to endear him to his people. He
had all the ardor and enthusiasm in ia
vor of popular rights and Of the rights
Of the States; all the firrnness, energy,
and enthusiasm, which distinguished
his celebrated father, Judge Spencer
Roane; ard he occasionally threw out
some ofthe eloquence and genius of his
lllustlious grandfather, Patrick Henry.
He was bold thinker and fearless
speaker. He seemed to possess an
almost instructive attachment to the
cause ofRepublican principles, and he
adhered to them with the tenacity of
hooks of steel. Sometimes he would
surprise his audience with the boldness
of his propositions, and then remove
their difficulties with flashes of argu-
ment as sudden and resistless as a
stroke ofhghtning. He had an ardor
IN his character which was sometimes
too excitable, but which showed in it's
excess, the honesty Of the man, and
the devotion of the politician. With
al, he was Republican; in his man
ners, stern though he sometimes was,
yet he was equal in his department to
all classes Of the people, afiectionate in
his disposition, and always hospitable
in his house. There was no staunch-
er Republican in the Union than VIII
liam H. Roane; none more honest in
his lile-none more patriotic in hisfeel
ings. Is it any wonder, then, that
such man should be blessed with
troops of friends'' he should
have lived in honor, and that he should
have departed hence, amid the tears of
his countrymen?
W. II. Roane enjoyed the conf
dence of the people throughout his
life, and the public honors ofhis coun-
try, in no ordinary degree. He was
twice memberof the Executive Coun-
Gil of Virginia, a Representative of the
King William district in Congress,
Delegate of the county Of Hanover in
the General Assembly, and Senator
Of the United States. No man who
heard his powerful and eloquent speech
in yonder Capitol, in reply to his col
league, Mr.. Rives, in 1898, in which
he threw out all the fire Of his charac-
ter, and the beauties of his genius, can
ever forget it. 1t was the crack speech
of the session, and placed Mr.. Roane
at once among the most effective spea-
kers of the Senate of the United
States. For several years, though he
was retired from the halls of legisia-
tive bodies, yet he was always alive to
The political interests Of his county,
He declined the honor of presiding O.
yer the Baltimore Convention of May
last, yet no man contributed more to
pour oil upon the agitated waves: and,
by the Union of his friends and the
vigor of his course, he promoted the
success Of The measures which have re-
suited in the election of Mr.. Polk
He was the President of the electoral
college of Virginia, which gave him
her vote in Decemberlast. Soon after
Mr.. Polk came into power,he declined,
with much grace and dignity, the lu-
,rative Office Of postmaster Of the city
IF Richmond.