Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-06-10

munlcatlOn from the superintendent oil PUBLIC
Printing, submitting estimates Of deficiencies in
the public printing; which, on motion, was re-
ferred 10 the Committee of Ways and Means and
ordered 10 be printed.
LEGISLATIVE ACTS OF NEW MEXICO.
The SPEAKER also laid before the House
communication from William S. Messervy Secre-
tary Of the Territory Of New Mexico, transmit
ting, in compliance with the requirement of the
fourth section Of the organic law of that Territory
two copies Of the laws passed by the Legislative
assembly of the Territory of New Mexico at its
last session, begun on the 9Th day of December,
1853, and closed on the I'd day of February, 1854
Referred to the Committee on Territories.
DEATH OF HON. JOHN +. sNoDGRAss.
Mr.. FAULKNER then rose and said: Mr.
Speaker, Rt the request of some my colleagues
and with the concurrence Of all oflhem, rise to
discharge the melancholy Office Of announcing 10
this House the death of Hon. JOHN FRYATT SHOP
GRASS, late a representative in Congress from the
eleventh district Of Virginia. This painful and
unexpected event occurred in Parkersburg. on
Monday, the 5lh day of the present month, il is
said, while engaged in the trial of on important
cause in court. The deceased left this city on the
evening OF the 3oth Of May 10 pay brief visit TO
his family, and 10 attend some of the courts of his
district He babe US adieu on that day. TO all
human eyes, certainly TO mine, in better condi-
ton of bodily health, than he had at any time
enjoyed since he first assumed to discharge his
duties in this hall. This was subject Of remark
and congratulation both by himself and friends on
that day. And yet in the brief space Of one week,
we were shocked by the intelligence that he, too,
had contributed another trophy to the remorseless
triumphs OF the grave.
This, Mr.. Speaker is the fifth occasion, since
the commencement of the present session Of Con-
gress, that some surviving member of this body
has been called upon TO perform that duty which
have risen to discharge TO my departed friend.
KING, ATHERToN, CAMPBELL, MUHLENBURG, and
SNoDGRAss, have all in the brief period of few
months passed from the fretful scenes of public
life leaving nothing behind them but the men,
DRY of their virtuous deeds. The North and
the South, the East and the West, have each in
their turn been called upon to contribute victim
10 the common destroyer Of our race and 10 min
gle their griefs at the fall of some lofty column
that graced this temple of Representative Free
dom. Sir, we have in all this much to admonish
us of the vanity and emptiness Of all human
honors, and of all earthly aspirations-much to
bring with impressive force TO our minds, awhat
shadows we are and what shadows we pursuen--
and to chasten our thoughts for a higher, purer,
and more permanent inheritance in regions be-
yond the grave.
Mr.. SNoDGRAss was native of the county Of
Berkeley, and Stale of Virginia, born within two
miles of the place of my own birth and present
residence. He was one of an extensive family
residing in that portion ofVirginia-a family whose
ancestors were among the early settlers Of that
picturesque and productive valley, and some Of
whose descendants still occupy their ancestral
homes, engaged in the quiet and ennobling pur-
suits of agricultural life. He was born on the Cd
day Of March, 1904, and was thus in the 6fiy-frst
year of his age at the period Of his death.
My acquaintance with The deceased commenced
at an early period Of my life-immedately after
my return from college. He had then finished his
course Of preparatory study, under the guidance
and instruction Of General Boyd, an eminently sue
cessful member Of the Virginia bar; and he had
commenced the practice of his profession as law
YER The cheerfulness and vivacity of his temper
at that period Of his life, before disease had pre-
maturely furrowed his cheek, and saddened the
expression of his face, made him general favore
enthusiasm with which he dedicated himself to
the labors Of his profession, aided by an anxious
circle Of influential friends soon gave him a COM
handing position in the practice of the courts
He pursued his profession in his native county
some five or six years, when, contrary to the adj
vice and wishes of his friends, he removed 10
Parkersburg a prosperous town in western Vir-
ginia situated on The Ohio river, where he con-
tinued to reside TO the period Of his death.
In his new location in western Virginia he
rapidly achieved for himself an honorable profess
sonal fame. In those days, and presume il is
TO great extent now, the life of circuit court
practitioner in that portion of Virginia, when in
full business, was one of great endurance and
toll His theatre of practice necessarily large
few facilities for rapid and comfortable travel
M
portant causes involved the complex and recon-
dite refnements of the law Of real estate rendered
douby and trebly obscure by the fuctuaiing and
inconsistent statutory enactments of our State for
the last seventy years This field of practice
reared body Of acute and subtle practitioners in
the law ofsreal actions, that might have done
credit TO the court of common pleas in England
during the palmicst days of Hargrove or Fearne
Against this formidable array Of intellect and
skill, Mr. SNoDGRAss determined to enter the con-
test for professional emiEence and emolument
And II is no mean praise to say that he maintained
high and elevated position amongst his rivals
at the bar--rising daily in the confidence and es-
TEEN of his fellow-men, and realizing, by his ar
duous and unwearied labors, fortune sufficient
TO relieve his widow and infant children from all
dependence upon the cold and unfeeling charities
of this world.
Mr.. SNoDeRAss had no fondness for the noisy
and exciting scenes Of political life. His nature
instnctvely recoilcd from Its bitter and senseless
animosities, and he looked with horror upon its
treacherous and deceptive quicksands. Eminently
domestic in all his tastes, he found his greatest
solace in the society Of his own family circle and
in those holy cares of home, education and in
struction, by which parent best fulflls the obi
cations imposed by nature and by God The law
was his favorite field of usefulness and employ
ment. With all its numerous and refined dstinc.
tons he had become familiar. In its unmpas-
stoned contests it was his delight TO minge. To
excellence in that department he had disciplined
all his faculties, had fashioned all his habits of
thought, and concentrated all the energies of his
mind. There he felt himself at home. and there
he found a premature grave. And vet sir, not.
withstanding his strong aversion TO public life, &C.
casions did occur, in which, from the confidence
reposed in the soundness Of his judgment, and in
the infexibility Of his principles, and in conse-
quence of the strong appeals addressed TO his
sense of duty as citizen, he was constrained TO
abandon, for time his favorite pursuit and ac-
cept of service upon higher theatre Of action.
The FIRST Of these occasions TO which allude.
was the convention which assembled in Richmond
in the fall of 1850, to frame new constitution of
government for the people Of Virginia The public
mind of that Slate had long brooded in suen dis
content the evils incident TO the then existing
government, and nothing short of radical and
fundamental change in its whole structure, could
satisfy the progressive aspirations of people who
felt that their energies were held in subsection by
artificial restraints, Inconsistent with the true
principles ofrepublican freedom and equality. II
was well known that great Observation-Disclosures
all the organic principles of popular government,
with all the necessary safeguards for the protec-
ton Of property-involving sectional transfer OF
political power from the east TO the west-would
engage the deliberations of that body, and find
solution in its action. Mr.. SNopeRAss was a
member of that convention. / also had the honor
Of a seat in that body, and will not revive by
any review Of it, proceedings, those exciting and
absorbing topics, which at that time SO fearfully
aQitated the popular he art Of that Commonwealth