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

W
from two auspicuous stand-pomts-
from poverty on the one hand and from
power on the other-and in each case
the picture was distorted by the medium
of morbid physical and mental ma
ture. Proud, with the pride of an
acute and bold intellect, he fancied, in
his days of penury, that he was con
temned and neglected, when he knew
he had that within him which was to be
neither neglected or contemned. Af-
ter he had proved this, after he had be-
come famous, prosperous and powerful,
he despised men because he fancied
they envied his prosperity, feared his
power and hated himself. "Man pleased
him not; no, nor woman either;" be-
cause his sad experiehce and still sad
der bias had taught him to suspect the
purity of all motives. A little genuine
humility. and d moderate degree of sue
cess, achieved in some other way than
by attacking and evetpowering antag
onists, would Have made him a hap
pier, wiser and better man. He dread
ed power in others, because, as he con-
fessed to me, he knew its bancful effects
upon himself. He had no faith in men
because he knew how terrible would be
the consequences if no obstacle stood
between men and the accomplishment
of their secret desires. He startled me
one day by saying "How long do you
think you would live if your enemies
had their way with you? Perhaps you
think you have no enemies, who hate
you enough to desire to kill you. You
are greatly mistaken. Every man has
his enemies. l have them by the thou
sand, and you have them, too, though
not so numerous as mine. Neither
your enemies or mine would run the
risk of numbering us tn open day; but
suppose they could kill us by simply
wishing it? l should drop dead in my
tracks before your eyes; and you, quiet
and unknown as you are, would fall a
corpse III Main street before you reached
home"
He owned that this horrible thought
had been put into his mind by some
writer whom be had that day been
reading. But it was precisely such
ideas that fastened themselves in his
memory. He brooded over them Until
they became part Of his very being.
No wonder he was morbid
Here must stop, for have told all,
or nearly all, | Know about this remark
able man. The narrative has spun out
under my hand to a length very much
greater than intended when begai.
to write. But have willingly allowed
myself to so on, knowing as l do that
every word about John NJ. Daniel will
be read with interest in every Southern
State. 1t is to be hoped that at some
day those who were his intimate friends
will do perfectly what 1 have done
most imperfectly, for lack of knowl-
edge on the one hand, and because of
countless Interruptions on the other
Written piccemeal, this sketch claims
no other merit than a faithful account
of my acquaintance with its subject,
and an estimate, which l deem to be
just, of his character. 1 trust it will be
viewed in this light, and that it may
not provoke one harsh criticism. If
Messrs. p. III. Ay lett and II. II. Wynne,
or Doctors Rawlings and Peticolas,
could be induced to attempt what [
have undertaken, then the Southern
public would have what so many desire
to see, a full length portraitute of one
of the most gifted and brilliant men
ever born on Southern soil.
A few words about his death and l
have done. Late in January 1865. he
was attacked, the second time, with
pneumonia. Treated promptly by skill
full physicians, his disease abated; he
rallied, and was able to sit up and at
tend somewhat to his duties. His re-
covery was deemed certain. But, as
the evert proved tubercles were devel-
oped both in the lungs and in the mes
enteric glands. The patient gradually
grew worse and was at length compelled
toreturn to Ills bed. The slow weeks
ofwinter wore themselves away. How
they passed, cannot tell, for, although
l made frequent calls at the house on
Broad St. | was always refused adj
mittance. The latch-key remained
unused in my pocket. Only his physi-
clans and most intimate friends were
admitted to the sick mans chamber
On one occasion; rs was told by Ken
lucky member of the Confederate Con-
gress, he sent for the Hon. r. M. L.
Hunter and one or two other promi-
nent politicians, and told them his can
did opinion-that the Cause was hope
less and that the only course left to us
was, Reconstruction on tile best terms
we could make"
So long as his strength permitted him
to take an interest in any earthly thing,
he had the welfare of the Southern peo-
pie at heart, and his latest effort seems
to have been to secure by negotiation
what he was persuaded arms could not
achieve. Those who outlived him can
decide for themselves whether the con-
querer would have kept the faith which
might have been plighted at Fortress
Monroe better than that which was so
solemnly pledged at Appomattox Court
House.
AS Spring approached, his symptoms
became alarming. Ere long, it was
whispered on the streets that his situa-