The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-04-27
virsinia I.sgislaturs.
MONDAY, April 26

| ~ ~N0A ~ - Psst ~~s
Senate.
No business was transacted in the Senate,
to day, beyond the adoption Of resolutions ex.
pressive OF the sense Of the Senate upon the
occasion Of the death Of r. g. Rives, ESQ.,,
member of the House Of Delegates. from
Prince George County. The melancholy duty
Of announcing his death was performed BY Mr..
Daniel, the Senator from Prince George Dis
| trict, who offered the resolutions appropriate
| to the melancholy event as soon as the Senate
convened.-And then the Senate adjourned.
House of Delegates.
| After PRAYER, by the Rev. DR.. Early, Mr..
| billiard, of Sussex, rose and said
| Mr.. Speaker, rise to discharge one of the
most painful and melancholy duties have
ever been called on to perform.
| Sir, that vacant chair, (pointing to a chair
near him) the solemn silence around me, and the
sad countenances OF his many friends. bespeak
| our loss and anticipate the mournful annuncia-
ton that Robert G. Rives, Esq, our valued
and esteemed friend, our active, intelligent and
energetic brother-member, is no more.
| He Lreathed his last, at his residence, in
Prince George County, on Saturday, the Oath
| inst.
Sir, could medical skill, the heartfelt wishes
OF his numerous friends, and the tears and
prayers of his devoted family and relations
have avaled, he had still lived but the great
Dispenser of events has willed it Otherwise
And now his widow has to bewail the loss Of
a devoted husband, his children that of kind
parent, and his con6dng constituents that of
truly faithful and efficient representative.
l will not attempt, MIR. Speaker, to enumer-
ate and portray to this House the sterling
| qualities and many virtues of our departed
friend. Had the language to do so, my feel
ings on this occasion would unfit me for the
task but, sir, from the long intimacy which it
has been my fortune to enjoy with hun, | can
not forbear saying, that in him were happily
blended those noble qualities which adorn and
dignity human nature. Benevolence offeeling,
steadfastness Of purpose, integrity and purity
| of character, were some of the traits which
| characterized him those exalted qualities,
combined with perceptive mind and patri-
otto devotion to his country, justly entitled
him TO the confidence of his constituents, who
elected him to the Legislature of Virginia for
| the last five successive years. And now that
| he has been called from this to spirit land,
| they can but lament his loss and cherish his
memory.
Mr.. Speaker, could not have said less-I
| forbear saying more but | move that the
House adopt the following preamble and reso.
lutions
1t having been announced that Robert G..
Rives, ESQ.,, late member of this House, de-
parted this life, at his residence, in the County
of Prince George, on the Oath inst, and his as
sociates here assembled, deeply impressed by
his many virtues, his long tried and valuable
public services in the Legislature of Virginia,
| his distinguished qualities in all the relations
| Of private life, and deeply sympathising with
his afflicted family for their irreparable loss, do
| resolve,
| LIST. That, as a testimonial of respect for the
memory of the deceased the members of this
| House will wear the usual badge of mourning
for the space of one month.
End. That a copy of these resolutions be
| forwarded by the Speaker to the widow and
family of the deceased, as a testimony of sim
cere sympathy for their bereavement.
MIR. Wallace of Petersburg, then rose, and
with much emotion, amid the unbroken silence
of the House, made the following remarks.
lrise, Mr. Speaker, for the purpose ofsecond.
ing the resolutions which have been offered for
the adoption of the House by that member of
this body whom the deceased loved and re-
garded as brother. But few DAYS ago, and
our lamented friend mingled among us, one of
our most active and energetic members. He
then left us for his residence, and but nine DAYS
have elapsed since his departure, and now 1.-The
knell, the shroud, the mattock and the grave"
tell the sad end of human life. That end speaks
volume. 1t tells us that we. too, are the PEN
siOners of an hour
q" The vision of moment made,
Dream of dream! and shadow of shade"
There are some circumstances, Mr.. Speaker.
connected with the death of our friend which /
feel 1t my duty TO dwell upon, because l can
look to them with melancholy pleasure, From
the time he was taken sick he thought his in.
disposition would end his existence, and when
two days before his death his friends and aged
mother bent over him and asked him as to his
hopes beyond the grave, he told her that since
1884 ne had been firm believer in the iustness
and goodness of God and the truth of the Bible.
and had endeavofed to conform his life to its
precepts; that he had q full assurance of his
faith, and had no fear but soon his soul left
the body it would wing its flight to the Maker
who gave it. Before bis death he mentioned
| the text, chapter ahd verse, from which he
wished his funeral sermon preached, and after
dlsposIng of earthly matters, met death with
the hrmness and composure of christian. II
| is from such scene that those who loved him
best can gather their hig hest-their only con-
| ISOLATION.
As has been just observed, Mr.. Speaker, our
deceased friend was an active and useful MEM
Der of this House. vigilant chairman of one
| OF ITS most useful committees, be guarded the
| public treasury with the most scrupuIous f..
oelity. A man OF ardent temperament that
knew no cold medium of expression, his m.
ture never permitted him +" to hint suspicion or
| hesitate dislike" The bold and uncompro-
missing advocate of truth, wherever he thought
| ne saw the right ne stood manfully up for IL.
| opposing that which he considered wrong with
equal zeal and energy. In this Hall, Mr..
Speaker, we will miss him from his accustom-
| ed labors; he will appear no more among us.
and the seat filled by him for five consec utiye
years will know him no more forever. His
FELLOW county-men will regret an enterprisng
and devoted citizen, who ever warmly support.
ed e., truth and opposed deception and wrong
his nelghbors will miss a sympathising friend
and counsellor. His biothers and sisters will
mss one around whose memory clusters the
sweet associations of childhood and family nj.
lection.
But there is a hotter, more sacred circle
shii, an inner sanctuary, where his loss will
DE more deeply felt and mourned. He was the
support and stay of his family. The wife Of
ms bosom VIII mourn the friend and companion
OF her sorrows and her cares, her solace. her
prop and her strength. Her little children. as
they gather around her knee, will miss the