The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-02-22
TIVE DAILY nIsPATCH.
DEATH OF MR.. TUNsTAIL.


DEATH OF MIR. TUNSTALL.
Il gives us the most deep and poignant sor-
sow to announce that WHirMgLL r. Tus-
srAIL Is no more. He died on Sunday digit
last. at 10 o'clock.
Mr. Tunstall was native Of the county of
Pitssylvsnia His father filed the Office of
Clerk Of the Circuit and County Courts of
Pittsylvania, and the same station had befn
filed by his grandfather. We are not pre-
else in our recollection of dates but we think
il was between l6 and II years ago, when
Mr.. w. p. Tunstall. then a young man, was
first elected to represent his native county of
Pittsylvania in the House of Delegates. Upon
that theatre he soon distinguished himself BY
a peculiar, nervous, inspiring eloquence,
which no man who once listened to 1t can
ever forget 1t was the eloquence of deep
conviction and powerful emotions, glowing IN
every feature, sending its electric current
through every nerve and organ, and at the
same moment rousing into active energy
every faculty of mind and body. The whole
man, intellectual and physical, seemed to
speak Subsequently, Mr.. Tunstall was elect
ed to the Senate of Virginia, but resigned,
after holding that position for about year.
the House of Delegates, and we well rscol-
lect with what pleasure the sound of his
trumpet tones was again hailed in that body
1t was at period when Virginia was not en-
tirely decided in her policy upon the great
and vital subject of internal improvements,
that Mr.. Tunstall appeared once more in the
legislative halls, and gave the aid of his stir
ring and eloquent voice to that mighty move
ment by which the Commonwealth has sha-
ken offthe lethargy of former years, and is ra-
pidly returning to her once proud position of
power and fame. No one contributed more to
this glorious result than w p Tunstall, whose
love of Virginia was a passion, whose mind
was fully stored with important facts and
details connected with the whole subject of
internal improvements, whose State pride de-
lighted to manifest itself practically, and to
show its faith by its works, whose elasticity
and energy of spirit nothing could overcome,
and whose eloquent tongue could give the
most full and effective utterance to the deep
feelings of his heart Mr.. Tunstalrs advoca-
cy of the Danville Railroad proved him one
of the first orators of Virginia, and the tri-
umphant success of that road under his ad-
ninistration showed that he was as great in
action as in speech.
On the oath November, 1s47, Mr. Tunstall
was elected President of the Richmond and
Danvillc Railroad Company, and he held that
office up to the time of his death. He dis
charged the duties of this new and response
BILE trust with an ability, efficiency and fdel-
ity which won universal admiration His
whole soul was in the prosecution of that
great work, and all the energies of his head,
heart and hand were given to its interests
with devotion which has rarely been equal
led and never surpassed.
MIR. Tunstall has persisted in the prime OF
his years and usefulness, and his early death
has cast a deep gloom, not alone upon the
desolate home which his bright and Joyous
spirit once illumined and enlivened, but upon
thousands, not allied to him by blood, whose
hearts he had captivated by the irresistible
spell ofhis kindly, genial and generous nature.
his death affords another impressive lesson of
the shadowy and unstable character of all
worldly things. This dream of Iife,-how
transient and unsubstantial its brightest Vi
sions, and how inscrutable its problems, but
for the Divine Interpreter, who has ex-
planned every mystery and alleviated every
woe in the sublime declaration,-
II am the Resurrection and the Life"