New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-07-17
Chapman Johns on.

Death is busy among Us. He cuts down ID
fancy in its beauty. Manhood IN It's glory ana O'o
Age IN its dignity and honor. The unusual NOR
tally is not limited 70 any section nor produced
BY any single disease. One day we near that the
last President has just lain down - bis ma rest
next. II is the oldest remaining widow OF an OK
President. Our gallant soldiers who have dared
death through forty years at tue mouth Of every
sbotted cannon pointed at our country . has IRON
the st. Lawrence n the Pacific, are falling last
before the unerrDg shafts Of the foe who 10 nevs'
defeated A woman who was the mother Of sever
children at the breaking out Of our Revolutionary
struggle has just departed on every side the ie"
surviving veterans Of that struggle are rapidly
dropping of while their grand children and great
Grand children are moved down like grass by the
sy,hs Of the great destroyer. We THINK mere
were never nearly 80 many deaths throughout Inc
United States IN any previous month az W 'ne 'A-'
Very few families have entirely escaped '"e
mortality OF this season, while many nave see"
snerober after member rent away unth the SUI
WYNN. are Indifferent how soon they, 100 may oe
.uomooed to Join the loved departed. 1t Is a
.ss.on Of National affection lot Us not seek y
d,.euise nor belittle the impressive lesson.
In .ucb time, It is not strange that many
.,,insut and honorable men should glide away al
mos, unnoticed; still less that some Of the truly
Great who have Stunned through life the glare OF
no,oriety should sink into their graves unchron-
,cled and unsung. CHArNAs JOHNSON, our read
ers have heard 10 no more. But who " Chapman
Jobnsonf How large ashare OF hisfellow-citizens
knew that such man ever existed He wasnevef
.p,s.ident n General. n Governor, an Embassadof
nor eyen Member Of Congress he was oniya pro
fund Statesman devoid Of tie lust to shine or
rule '-silling 10 serve the People, but incapable
Of fawpipe on them or wheediing them to vote ior
him. OF course, they preferred more Pish'' as
siduous courtien-Kings are not singular III this
tsste--and left him 10 the quiet and heathlui en-
ioyments Of private life. He was occasionally
elected 10 and served IN the House OF Delegates
Of his State, and bore memorable part IN The De
bates Of the Virginia Constitutional Convention OF
Iso9-30 There he stood forth the leader oil the
Western interest, as II was called, though repre-
ssnting an Eastern constituency, because the
West was demanding and the East Withholding
Justice. Power was ono side, Right on the
other The East had a decided preponderance in
the Legislature lana oil course IN the Convention J.
and was fully resolved to keep It, though the
West had the far larger number Of Free People
Power of course prevailed, but Right made noble
battle, which must secure an ultimate triumph
Property Representation and Property Suffrage,
and especially the overbalsncing OF 600 Free
men by the votes accorded to 10000 Slaves who
yet are not permitted to speak much less vote has
bat a short time left 10 hold over in Virginia
There are not few yet left who remember Mr.
Johnsons thrilling Address TO the People OF Viz
einia Ia behalf of the anti.Jackson State Con
vention of 1873. Can ss much be said OF any
other manifesto Of a partisan Convention held
more than twenty years ago. The warnings Of
that Address were UNDECIDED by Virginia and by
the Nstion--unhee ded because unheard by the
larger number but they enbody lessons OF Wis
dom which generations yet unborn shall have
reason - study and revere.
Mr.. Johnson was the last OF the old school OF
Virginia lawyers and statesmen-,he school Of
Marshall, Pendleton, Shelley, Leigh, &c. he
with b. w. l. eigh aud r. c. Stansrd have stood
for years at the head Of the Richmond Bar. MIR
Leigh preceded him to higher Bar by lev
months.--lt is hardly necessary 10 add OF such
man that Chapman Johnson lived and died a de
vout UNIV svering Christian