Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-02-12
From he Richn1ond Times.
nEATH on MIR | EIEI(

could exactly fit
From he Richmond Tines
DEATH OF MIR LEIGH.
We have the painful duty of recording the death %
one of The most eminent citizens Nginia. On Friday
night last, at about eleven ocock the Hon. Benjamin
Watkins Leigh expired al his residence in this city
We shall not assume the sk. which will doubtless be
accomplished by Others much competent its per-
orInance Of reviewing the life Of Mr. leigh and proper
y estimating The influence Of his various talents and
publican virtues upon the history and policy Of our
State and the country at large.
At an early period of his career. he became dstn-
gnished ornament Of The profession It tie law. The
Legislature justly anpTeciang those qualities Of
ness, simplicity and ciearneSs for which his mind was
ever remarkable. assigned to him the oncrols but I'M
portant duty Of readusing the whole civil Jurisprudence
OF the State. and the result q his abos produced
the celebrated Revisa Of 1919 a work which has beu-
ded his name lnseparaby with the laws of Virginia. 10
the practice Of his profession. before the highest Courts
Of the State. Mr. Leigh enjoyed a reputation and
rarely equalIed. Intimately versel in the statutes
which almost he said to have been the work Of his
own hands, and reigious!y scrupunus in the ,rmatin
and statement OF his opinions. parties from quarter
Of the State eagerly sought his counS,l-Iwrye vol
Of reports, Of the before the Court Of Appeals
attest well tie confidence reposed i'll him by that high
tribunal, as his own familiarity with tie principles
tIbshed by lis decisions.
The mos; remarkable epoch in tie life 0f Mr. I.cah
undoub edy the Virginia State Convention of 1929.
Jn. Never before, since, did there assemble. any
one State Of the Union. b,ly constituted Of 50 large il
number of able and iusruns men, Presided over ~
the vrtu1us and single minded Monroe. emil Ihlened by
the sage counses of Madison and Marshall, It's deihTa-
tons ellcng the highest abilities Of such Giles,
Rand lph. farewell, Dodlrige. Chapman johnson,
Slanard Richard Morris aud Phillip Barbpur il
tanned member who could be Justly regarded lis
leader as Beniamin Watkins Leigh. No important pro-
position debated Of which he not esteemed lie
principal and most formidable opponent advocate ana
no OF these eminent men eXerted s. large Infu
ence as he in giving shape the constitution which was
then constructed.
In the political affairs Of tile United States Mr. Leigh
acted an important part, although he long in
public life. The history of our republic will gratefully
record his conneXion with the settlement Of the
be dispute between South Carolina and the National
Government. He distinguished member Of the
Senate Of the United States about the time Of the FIR.
nation of the Wing party, nopposition to The policy Of
General Jacksnhs administration. lis refusal to obey
the instructions Of the Legislature Of Virginia, tile
ground that it was not within its prpvi u rive them.
excited OF the most angry political contests that
tonk Place in this State and raised against him storm
q btler dennnciaion from which his Of duty
would n1 Pernil him TO shrink Having maintained the
gfounu he assumed, lie took early ion demon
strae his integrity of purpose and his indifference to
political advancement BY voluntarily rrsgnng the seat
in the Senate, the retaining Of which liaJ cost him 50
much ubloqny.
In the spring of 1910 Mr.. Legh's delcacy Of feeling
dll'c prevented MN ION dccclnr an HOllT, which,
otherwise would have materially affected his his
tory and the destiny Of the country lie presided over The
deliberations Of the National Wing Convention which
assembled, in that year, at Harrisburg. Pennsylvania.
for the purpose Of nominating the Wing candidates for
the Presidency aud Vice Presidency The choice Of lie
Convention having fallen upon General Harrison f1 the
first office, ii the general sentiment of the bdy that
the nomination for the Vice Presidency should be con-
fered upon citizen Of Virginia, and it is known tat it
was rendered 10 Mr.. Lrieh But. moved by modesty
more honor M C,r,
he feared that. he President the Convention
would be indicate for him and he therefore positively
declined, to accept the nomination at his Lands Ii was
then bestowed upon Mr. Tyler. who, we need moi re-
mark, called to the frs; Executive Office within
month after The commencement Of General Harrison 5
administration. Had Mr.. Leigh been less ryiIy scru-
pulons, on point which would never have sugprsteI
itself 10 the mines of most men he would doubtless
have been remembered The worthy successor Of Wash
ingon Jefferson and Madison. in The highest and mos,
honorable station known amongst men
} MrLegh's political opinions those Of the Old Re
publican school Of Virginia, and following them I'D 10
their results, he was, The line or his death zeal.
) ously attached 70 lie Wing party His mind vas ofa
peculiar order emnenily logical. discriminating and
just In the Virginia Convention. his q quence was
marked by force, enthusiasm, bodness, and even i'm
petuosy In after lie II assumed Gfereni ciara.te
which was due perhapSe to the lor discipline of legal
investigation and argument. His speeches char
"c'eZn ny me s'iicPS' simplicity and concsensss, ard
were whoy dNes'r Of The usual ornaments Of oratury
i" lew yeas preceding his decpase, Mr.. Leigh
hheu MS Professional labours almost exclusively office
!, pract.ce
In his DEATH the people of Virginia will feel that
Of the most distinguished If thusewho have gsen
to her honoured name, has passed away from the
OF life. Ii behoves those no rising up fill their
Places TO emulate the patient abour and high integrity
by which alone they attained their enin4nce
The judges of the Court Of Appeals, and members
held meeting on Saturday, and adopted resolutions ap
propriae to the occasion Of the desease of Mr. Leigh
His remains were conveyed, yesterday to ST. James
Church, where the funeral sermon was preached