Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-02-09
For tic ENQUIRER.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

tho short mud hurried paragraphs announcing his
death. propose, rs briefly as possible, 10 give thr
leading uciisa:s ri his liieto sketch some ot tho
prominent sceucs in which lie bore an elevated part,
and n pay the tr5u'. which is due alike ths bril-
liant displays of his commanding intellect and 20 the
more valuable fruits of MS umobtrusye out beeii-
cent ustfuncss.
John S. Barbour was the son of Mordecni Barbour.
u soldier OF The Revolution and officer at the me-
morable sioge of Yorktown. in HI obituary noilc"
Of MUrdecai Barbour, il was said with truth that he
possessed all the high and noble traits Of his species
was in every SENSE an honorable and just man, ana
accomplished his chief desire in being useful III every
relation Of life" His son. John s. Barbour was born
in the cou":y Of Culpeper on the Sth OF August l9o
Of his early history know little beyond the fact
,ha, his education was limited, from his father. pccu-
mary emburrassnens, which soon left him il this re-
curd to his own cIeronS with such aid as other Ic!"
tiyes could give him. lie was the pupil! for short
time, OF ho somewhat famous oSv'e, Celebrated i"r
hi. teaching especially OF Cocuiion, and who mum
! bored among his scholars many who afterwards be-
came distinguished men in Virginia and other Soath
crn Sn:es. Mr. Barbour was at w Wiam and Anry
College but IL single session, that OF lSUS-9. Alter
this he resided for years with his irlcal and rcln
tive, tho late Governor James Barbour, and studied
law under his direction. One who knew hun well du-
ring this period nf his life, has often mentioned 4" me
that Mr. Harbour most intense student III tnat
| lime, rs he was indeed throug ghout MS whole ne lie
wou! often snatch few hours ot sleep III the oven
ing, and, when Others retiring ~ rest, would rls"
and trim his lamp and spend the night III STUDY
Even in youth he wore thoughtful brow, was deeply
couen!pative in his character, and secluded in his
! habits, though not from social enjoyment
Ilis health a last begun fail under This eXccssiHcnp
plicaon and the breaking ont of tho war III Sl he
threw aside his books and enlisted os private soidr:-
but WAS speedily promoted 10 the position of ndic
camp TO General Madison In the ramc year he was
elected to the Legislature from the county OF CG
peper--waS active i'll supporting the war measures
! and always rccucctcd with pridc and pleasure his
efficient support Of energetic but unpopular
| ia
none ot his speeches, while in the House "t Dele
gates, have been preserved. have often heard them
mentioned giving rich promise "i his after distinc-
! tion. He continued in the Legislature with the IN.
ternssion nf three or four 'rssinnIl unit! ls3 %:
his standing there il il sufficient 10 Ray that he was
chairman OF tho committee Of Courts uf Justice. h"n,
now, the first position in the organization Il" that
body. As parting testimonial, the committee paid
him the unique compliment of II Vote Ot thanks for
the energy and ability with which he hal discharged
the duties of his position-a compliment TO bo valued
and remembered, coming as il did from such mon Us
Baldwin, Doddridge Gordon, Gincr, Morris, Rivcr,
Shcilev and others OF the an!nc sthmp.
Mr.. Barbour now called to take his stand upo;!
the broader theatre of national lrgisation In 1873
he VIA elected the House Of Representatives from
the Fauquier district. His competitors were Thomas
Marslull EsG., worthy son ot the great Chrl jug
ticc and Mr.. Brown the recent Governor OF Florida
Mr. Barbour had fearful odds against him IN the Ia
leuts and influence of his opponents. bnt aiier nj
animated contest was elected by majority u; only
r.
polls. proclaimed himself n candidate for the hex!
election but in 1925 Mr.. Barbour's majority wat
swelicd To two hundred. nnd thcncc'orward ne "a'
returned by sweepng maiori;ics, often without oppn
ston, until his voluntary retirement III 1883. IL VII
moi be improper, hope eay here that III spite O
warm political contests have good rchson to believe
that q cordial personal friendship i"handed down
from sire to son, existed between Mr.. barbour ana
Mr.. Thomc. MARSHALL which was only severed by the
melancholy accident which terminated the ex!atehce
| nf tbp latt,r a. nrushel gentleman.
As IN important interlude IN his public career, l
turn to tho election of Mr.. Barbour 10 tho c"ustitu
tonn convention of 1929. In mis- speeches before the
people on this subject he took ul.ra-consnrvntirc
grounds, only OH the Basis question: but upon all
others: contending even for the restriction nt III"
right of suffrage to ircGholdcrs. H.: was, indeed
''the very CorOiauus OF the hustInss, anu II waa
generally believed t Gothing but his great personal
popularity and his vigorous prevented the de-
feat OF the conservative ticket. He was returned
eldest the ticket and "a nn evidence OF the com.
mon view of his agency IN securing lis success i
may mention that the carlcaturcs Ot The day repre-
scnted him with colleague zach shoulder, an'l n
third perched upon his head. In this connection |
remark, that ..rlct conservatism upon al ques-
tous III. basis vf Mr.. Barbours whole social
and political philOs0pIy-a fact indicative oi HE
tirnucss and integrity, particularly when renlcn.
Ter his early poverty, and that he had never been
subjected, whila his character was forming, TO The
conservative influences OF the westher Glasses OF
society.
Mr. Barbour took an active part in most of the i'm
portamt questions before Congress while no was Il
member. propose 10 notice some oi these rGlnI-
SIM aud stating once iDr all that Mr.. Barbour claim
ed TO b. OF the States rights and strict construction
school of politicians, and generally 70 regarded
In his first speech Ill Congress, however, he separated
himself from his more rigid colleagues, and advoca-
ted Internal improvements by the (ieneral Govern,
ment as necessary incident 10 the military and naval
power, and as included IN the clause 'lor the COM
mon defence nul general welfare:
alt'
In this view. however, Mr.. Barbour could we'll claim
ilustrous fellowship with The great Southern states
man, Mr. Calhoun, whu as far back Is 1910, IN
conformity with what he supposed to be Mr..
Madsons views, had proposed 10 BET aside the
bonus and annual dividends OF the national bank
"a & permanent fund for internal improvenentsi-
and with Mr.. Monroe, who, nfter II raciiating
opposition, had taken, in his annual ncsshge oi
| 1924, substantially the same ground with NJ Bar
bour 1t is proper 10 add, that the more deliberate
Judgment OF Mr.. Barbour and his purity was mat tue
constitution did warrant this consructon-thate eS-
perencc proved that it not justified by policy
ihu works OF internal improvement were nefnc!ent-
" prosecuted by the general government, and that
the whole system was one nt corruptnE tenuency.-
In this same speech, Mr.. Barbour noby vindlcated
the principles OF construction Of his peculiar school
II must beg leave he said "ln closing, to express
my regret, that Il gentleman from Pennsylvania
should have deemed this iii occasion 10 complain OF
what he considers the Nrg gnn principles OF constrc-
ton. Sir it is these principles that this Union ID
eminoniiy indebted. They gave being to your con-
stitution and shield TO your national independence;
they staid the wild career ot Inad and tiihless aa'
mis and arrested the E!ant strides oi niroi-
tion They cherished that love OF country which dis
puyed its generous and fearless spirit every then
trc where danger menaced, or where dutT sunmonri:
They gave 10 liberty u resting place among U.S. ana
ditfuscd lis blessings through this lnnd They teach
us to promote public prosperity, Ia cement the bonds
OF Usion and to pcrpetlatc these blessings I" pos
/ teriiy."
| II mention another instance in which Mr. Bar
bour departed for Mt !.y.. ' State" kishi'
doctrines il is ouly because it called forth, perhaps
| the best reasoned speech oi his HE. refer 10 MS
ab!u argument in March, 1896, III favor oi Nc'uie
proposition tn amend the constitution, 30 rs to pre-
vent the election of Pre- ,den from devovng on Con-
rress in any contingency by referring it to the people
for q "scco.l choice u!.hcr ~ break up the
! system of voting by States, by establishing a uniform
system Of districts, and giving vote to each district
absolutely. This question OF the federal electoral
system had agtatcd the public mind in one shnp" or
another, since the rea; contest IN isN, and the
amendment consequent thereon. The subject w., :
course revived and invested with ntenscr and nerrcr
interest after the Presidential contest Of 1894 ana the
election Of Mr. Adams by the House Of Represents
! tivcs. In addition TO Mr.. McDuitc's proposition
and kindred one proposlnS 10 dispense with eiec-
tors aitugether,l Introduced about The same time
into the Senate by Mr.. Benton, III. wi lost. nnd
most absurd schemes were brought forward ongst
Others one BY member from Ohio. that the consti
tuition should be amended as 10 PROVIDE
for the election of President and Vice President by
general vGc, &'r capita, OF the white male citizens
throughout the United States. Mr.. McDufin's
scheme WAS but little better An able debatc "'''"-
ed in which Mcssrs. Archer, Barbour Polk nnd
others advocated the proposition. The two parties II"
the House seemed, tto borrow MacGulcys !usraioh'
like Hamlet and Laertcs, 10 have exchanged Ta-
picrs--ths jackson men favoring, and the Adams
men opposing it violation ot States 1iGu''
The resolutions were passed by vote oi . tirse ~
one. but nothing ever cnie Of ih"n-t''r , ~
h.cnnu,r convinced nn doubt that they were Ill er-
ror. aIr. Barbour. speech tbs occasion was able
and eloquent and he was fortified; -, he thought, by
an m analogous proposition OF Mr. Mads"n,' in l7so-
~; - I H. ,ho, NJ Everett oi Mass achusetts was
r,bt in con,ending that such proposition was vio-
insv of The original compromises of the constitution
Wv. " W tLa af