The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1867-11-29
A.. FRIDAY MORNING. NOVEMBER 29, 1867.

Upon that principle alone l should ex-
onerate him from the charge. But,
more than that, 1 saw and heard too
much to allow me, for an instant, to
yield assent to every sweeping indict-
ment against the character of the dead
Virginian. Whilst he was yet extreme
ly poor, he went twenty miles to lend
a still poorer friend some money; and,
at the same time, to save himselfan ex-
pense which he could i'll afford, walked
the whole distance between Richmond
and Petersburg and back again. This
does not argue a bad heart. lie bore
his poverty nianfully, denied himself
and "owed no man anything" Such
is not the wont of bad men. know
it gave him sincere pleasure to compose
a quarrel, and, when called upon, he
exertcd himselfenergetically to accom-
plish that end. But bad men prefer to
stir up strife, rather than to allay it,
| know that he made a trip to Char
lottesville for the purpose of buying a
house advertised for sale at auction,
which house he intended to rent cheap
~ to me, in order that might escape
the grinding cxactions Of city landlords.
Ald this he did at my request. Is it
the habit of bad men to undertake
such journeys in the interest of those
who have no special clam on them? |
know that at q time when nearly every
property owner in Richmond seemed
almost eonscienceless in their eXtor-
tions, the houses purchased by John
NJ. Daniel, and fitted up by him at no
trifling expense, were rented to his as
sistant editors on terms most reasona-
BILE. Is this the practice of bad men
That Daniel was not liberal and open
hearted I will admit. But he was not
a screw. He was just; upright in his
dealings, prompt to the minute in all
his payments. His printers, his wri-
ters, all in his employ, were better paid
than those in any, other newspaper
office in the city. II this be the habit
of bad men, what pity it is that the
world is not full of them
That he treated his relatives with un-
kindness, and that the hardships he
endured in the days of his poverty
were no sufficient excuse for this un-
kindness, no one, who has heard both
sides Of the question, will deny. But
| ~ hnth in hOIxr or RI
in mind. One of the evidences of in
sanity laid down in the books is a cause
less hatred of the nearest and best rel
atives and friends. | do not say or
believe that John NJ. Daniel was insane
Nevertheless his bitterness towards
people in general, and towards certain
kindred in particular, betokened any
thing but mental soundness. His body
perhaps was never entirely free from
disease. The tubercular disposition,
with tendency to development in that
part of the system, (the digestive or
gans,) thg disorders of which are known
to affect the mind more powerfully
than any others, may account for many
of those unfortunate peculiarities which
contradistinguisbed him from healthier
and happier men. Had he possessed a
horid complexion and robust organ
ism, who believes that his faults would
have been the same? Temperament is
not an adequate excuse for every fail
ing, but due allowance should ever be
made for its influences.
Added to his bodily inflrmities, there
was want of faith in human nature
and its Great Author. Yet, he was BY
no means an Atheist, but rather a
Deist. L questioned him very gravely
one day concerning his belief in God.-
lie paused for some time and then an
swered very cautiously and vaguely
The impression left on my mind was
that he believed in Great First Cause,
but wished for more light. Touching
the revelation of the New Testament,
he gave no opinion. He seemed, how
ever, to think that really nothing was
known in regard to the "bourne
whence no traveller returns" When
this subject was broached, neither of us
dreamed that he was so soon to explore
that unknown world, which lay dark
and unfathomable before him. But a
few evenings before he had congratula-
ted himself upon the POSITION lie had
gained in the world.
81 am still young" said he; "not very
young either, for l will soon be forty;
but l know no young man who has
better prospects than myself, and few
who have done so well. l suppose am
worth now nearly 100000 in good mo-
ney. The Examiner is very valuable
property, and destined to be much
more so. expect to live long, and, if
do, shall be rich. When l am rich,
l shall buy the old family estate in
Stafford county, and shall add to it all
the land for miles around. l shall build
a house to my fancy, and, with my pos
sessions walled in, I shall teach these
people what they never knew-how to
live like gentlemen.
Such, in effect, and almost in words,
was the picture he drew of his future.
It was the first and only time ever
knew him to indulge his fancy in build
ing air-castles.
may add as one additional proofthat
he was not an atheist; The fact that he
made it rule TO publish in the Exam
iner, on each succeeding New Years
day, poem in honor of the Deity. He