Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-08-27
From the Dubuque Daily Times
DEATH OF BEN N. SAMUELS,

From the Dubuque Daily Times.
DEATH OF BEN NJ. SAMUELS.
The death of this prominent citizen
occurred at two o'clock ON the morn
ing Of Sunday, the 10th inst.
Ben NJ. Samuels was born in Park
ersburg, Wood county, Virginia, on
the 2lst of December, 1868. He en-
tered Lexington College in the same
State, from which he graduated with
the honors of his class in three years
thereafter. He Immediately COM
menccd the study of law with Judge
Samuels, in Woodstock, and was ad-
mittcd to practice at the bar in 1874.
He emigrated to Iowa in the fall of
lS4T, and commenced the practice of
his profession in Dubuque. He soon
gained reputation for ability and elo-
quence, and his practice became very
extensive. He became noted as an
advocate, and the defence in the most
important criminal trials in the county
was entrusted to him. In 1855 he en-
tered the political arena, having for
years been Democrat, and was cleo
ted member of the Legislature. About
this time he served as member of
the Common Council of this city. He
soon became a prominent leader of the
Democratic party in Iowa. His bril-
liant oratory, his noble looking person,
and his genial social manners, won
for him popularity that has been Ell
joyed by but few of his party in this
State, and in 1857 he was unanimous
ly nominated for Governor Of the State
by Democratic Convention.
The year before the Republican par
ty had trimphed in this State with
over seven thousand majority conse-
quently his prospects of success were
discouraging But his sanguine mind
thought his election possible, and he
entered the campaign with brave
front. His form was tall, his person
well shaped, and his appearance on
the platform imposing. He possessed
splendid voice for either forensic de-
bate or political speaking. He had a
remarkable command of language.
His manner was deliberate at FIRST,
but as he warmed with his subject, he
became impassioned, his gestures We
hement, yet always graceful, every
word came out clear and full, (he
never paused for one, and he delight
ed in beautiful SMILES and illustra-
tions. Of course, with all these quail
fcations, his name went before him,
and wherever he was announced to
address the people, crowds flocked to
hear him. His election to the guber-
material seat was moral impossible
ty, yet he secured many votes that
would have been given to his oppo-
nent had he not run, and he came
nearer being elected than any other
man in his party to State Office since
the Republicans came into power lie
at that time probably gained the repu-
tation of being the most eloquent
stump speaker in the State.
A United States Senator was to be
chosen at the following session of the
Legislature, and Mr.. Samuels received
the vote of his party in the Legisla-
ture for the office.
In 1860 Mr.. Samuels was elected as
one of the delegates to the Charleston
Convention, and was, we believe, Chair
man of the Iowa delegation. The ex-
citement in the convention ran high
Eloquent speeches were made, but
none were more eloquent than the one
he made when he introduced the only
pacifying resolution which received
any attention in the body. He attract
ed the attention of the delegates, and
the New England men invited him to
go with them and address their con-
stituents. Here he reached his culmi-
mating point. From those days may
be dated the commencement of his
wane. He attended the Baltimore
Convention, stood by Douglas there,
and stood by him throughout the cam
paign of 1860.
In 1860 also he received the nomi-
nation of his party for Congress. Of
course he knew defeat was inevitable
under the circumstances, and he did
not make any great efforts to avert it.
Time passed on until some eighteen
months ago, when his health began to
decline. Consumption the destroyer
of his family, seized him and ultimate
ly carried him to his grave. Yester-
day afternoon he was buried. A large
concourse of people assembled inside
and in front of his residence on Iowa
street, and listened with great inter-
est to the remarks which Rev. Geo. w.
Brindle, his spiritual adviser during
his approach to the tomb, had to make
concerning him. A long train of
friends followed him with the solemn
music of band, to his resting place.
He had his faults. He also had a
great heart. He was magnanimous
to every body but himself. He did
not agree with the Union men on the
war question. But he also had thor
ough contempt for northern-born peo-
Pile who did not sympathize with the
Federal Government. lie once told
the writer that if Virginia had only re-
NAMED in the Union" would to God
that she had" he said" he would
have advocated the cause with his
whole soul but as it is" sad he, 1
despise the Northern men who wish
the South success. | find that they
are either political demagogues or in
born aristocrats and tyrants."
But Ben NJ. Samuels sleeps in his
grave. There let his body rest-may
his many virtues carry his soul to
hca'cn. .-----