The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1864-12-07

had become great y,derangcd, subsequent
to the war Of 1872, and uncharto'Cd
banks, as we'll as irresponsible indisid'
uals, were flooding the country With
their paper promises, Mr.. McFarlaId,
for the purpose Of local protection and
to exclude 4 worthless paper currency.
Was induced 70 issue his own notes for Il
time, which, while continued, were rs
acceptable to the community, and rs
much relied upon, as the notes Of the
Bank Of the United States afterwards
- ..uv" .vitIGuu7 vary yr1ruSnlzeu-I''
him many Of the most useful qualities Of
a public agent, and often solicited him
to become their representative in the
Legislature. His domestic habits and
characteristic modcsty rendered him
avcrsc to the strircs Of political life.
lie, however, finally yielded to the
wishes Of his friends, and occasionally
served us a member Of tic House Of Del
cgatcs. In this position, he mainly de-
voted himself to the internal improve.
mcnt Of the State by railroads and canals.
lie was the special friend Of the Batl.
more d Ohio Railroad, in lis inception,
under its first President, Philip Thomas,
aud took the most active intcrcs; in the
effort then made to procure the passage
Of that great work, on i liuc from llar'
per's Ferry, up the Valley Of Virginia,
and to terminate on the Ohio river,
through the valley Of the Great Nan
awha.
When, in 1882, the Bank Of Virginia
decided to locate 4 Branch Bank at
Charleston, as if b. common consent,
Mr.. Mcfarland was selected as the man,
Of all others amongst us, best suited to
become its President. Tha, office he
continued to hold, by reelection. and
wi,hor, opposition, do~n t" the time Of
his death. nearly onc-third Of Il century.
How well he managed the Institution
committed to his. care. Is at;cStcd, not
only by his long continuaace in Office,
by the voluntary action Of the Stock.
holders and Directors, but also By the
public fact that during the period OF his
Presidency. down to the breaking out Of
the present war. this Branch Ia, dee! lar.
cd an average piviieul Of II per ccnt.
per annum on the CapiIai assigned 20 It,
Good Judgment anil financial skill, cou'
,l.l with <crrpuioGs accuracy and Hd"i-
Si,y. have characterized his whole aIm'n
i,tratiuu Of tic Bank.
The subject Of this notice was nc: a
learned uan, in the scholastic sense o.
that term. lie had not University
education. But he possessed vigorous
Intellect. which had been cultivated and
enlarged 10y extensive reading, b. close
observation and long experience. He
owned 4 we'll selected library, and in the
rclayalions o! business delighted to com
munc with the great thinkers Of the
world. lie wrote with case aud pcTSp!-
cuitv. Blessed with an unusually re.
tenuvc memory, he was 4 chronicle o!
the events Of his day, public and private,
and was often rcsortsd to for the solution
Of questions obScurcd by the r!iSts OF
time. In addition to a memory 50 tcna'
cious, he kept regular Diary, running
through nearly fifty years q his life,
which unfortunately VAS consumed with
many Of his valuable books and papers,
in the burnin. Of the Banl; building, in
September, 1852. Now that he is gone,
this Diary, the work Of his own hands.
containing the record Of cvcut: as they
trans p;rcd, and Of his daily thoughts,
would bc an Invaluable treasure 10 his
family and friends.
Mr.. Mcfarland had his pcculiar;lies.
bu, they were his own, ard sat wei! upon
him. Those who knew him we'll wcuId
not have desired tha: lie Ehoull be with,
out them. Under an exterior sometime,
Of apparent co!LncSs, rc carried warm
and generous heart, This apparen; cold
ness was doubt aud inquiry, not rcpnl,
sion. Real merit never appca:cd to him
in vain for succor and relief. Nor Gid
he wait for the appeal. The poor and
destitute have often been administered
! to, 10y this good man, wi,hcu: known g
from whose hands the bounty came. liz
delighted to give his aims in secret; and
we have the premise that 4" He that Scct
| in secret will reward him openly when
1T shall be announced iii the great day o
reckoning that inasmuch as ye did il
to these little ones We did itunto me-
Mr.. Mcfarland Was not member oil
any church. lie was, however, rcgu'
lar attendant on divine worship, where
his attentive face and venerable form
will lie sadly missed. lie was liberia
supporter Of preached gospel, both a
home and abroad. Ia his own house
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