The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-01-09
Death Of Hon. John Minor Bolts.

Oe2Ch OF HON. Jonn MINOR 6otts.
Hon. JOIN NJ. Boris died yesterday
morning as his residence, rear Brandy Sta
tion, in Culpeper county. Mr.. Boris was
born In Dumfries, Prince William county,
on the 10th Of September, 1902, and was
consequently in the sixty-seventh year OF
his age. He afterwards removed in his
fathers family to fredericksburg. Next
they removed to this city, where he in 1911
lost his parents BY the burning of the Rich
mond theatre. He received toleraoly
good education, which was finished by the
study Of the Law, which he commenced to
practice before he was twenty-one years
old. He made but little money or reputa-
ton as = lawyer. Residing in Henrico
county, he was in 1888, and several times sf-
forwards, elected to the House Of Delegates
from that this) county. In 1889 he was
elected to the House Of Representatives Of
the United States. he was remarkable for
his Independence Tor wilfulness and want
Of Judgment, as some called it), and voted
either in the Twenty-seventh or Twenty
eighth Congress with JoHS QUTNCY ADAMS
and others for the repeal Of the law which
forbid the reception Of abolition petit
tons by Congress, declaring that he
believed its repeal would result in putting
down that continual agitation which was
then kept up in the North on the subject OF
the "right Of petition" He was reelected
to Congress in 1841-the year in which
General HARRISON died and Mr.. TYLER
succeeded him, and became leading man
amongst the opponents Of Mr.. TYLER's ad-
ministration. It was in lS4l that MT.
Boris wrote his celebrated "head him or
die letter." of which he never heard the
last whilst he remained before the public,
and in which he spoke Of having "slepf
with Captain TYLER" In the Twenty
eighth Congress Mr.. Boris was warm adj
vocste of the measures of Mr.. CLAY or the
Wing party-namely, national bank, or
"fiscal agent az it was called, land which
change Of name led Mr.. BENTON to remark
that il was like the name of the steam boat
"Creole," which the negroes had changed
to &" Screechowl"l; the abolition of the veto
power; protective tariff; the distribu-
ton of the proceeds of the sales OF the
public lands among the several States
and 1--WE think the bankrupt law. Most
of these measures failed but Mr.. Boris
never failed to advocate them or their
author when time and opportunity allowed.
In l843 he was defeated in his race for
Congress. He, however, went earnestly
forward in his course, and was one of the
most enthusiastic advocates of Mr.. CLAT's
election to the Presidency in 1874. The
defeat of Mr.. CLAY, caused more by his
opposition to the annexation of Texas than
by anything else, kept Mr.. Boris in prl-
vate life. He never surrendered point,
however, but continued his advocacy of the
measures condemned by the people. In
lS47 Mr.. BoTTs was again elected to Con-
gress. In 1s4s he was still devoted to the
fortunes of Mr.. CLAY, and surrendered
his preference (if at ally with great re-
luctance and at the last moment. Cen
eral TAYLOR, at any rate, was elected
President. In 1849 Mr.. Boris was again
defeated in his contest for Congress, Mr..
seldom having been chosen to succeed
him. In the fall Of the same year, how
ever, he was elected from this city mem
Der of the convention to remodel the State
constitution. In that convention he went
with Mr.. WISE, and some other Eastern
Virginia members, for the "white basis of
representation "a step for which he was
censured by formal vote of his constitu-
ents. Whilst member Of this body, and
when it was proposed to extend the juris-
diction of justices Of the peace to sums not
exceeding fifty dollars, Mr.. Boris raised
the question that this could not be done
because the Constitution of the United
States gave to every man a right to
trial by jury when the amount involved
exceeded twenty dollars, and, self-opin-
donated as usual, would not surrender the
point until DANIEL WEBSTER had written
him letter explaining what the constitu-
tional provision meant. He also demanded
on one occasion of HECTOR DAVIS to know
what he meant by the word " sequacious y
word rarely used, but perfectly familiar
to Mr.. DAVIS. He also, in the kindness OF
his heart, and in patronizing way, said
some very handsome things Of JAMES
NELSON, Esq, now of this city, who was
then very young member Of the conven-
ton from what Mr.. BoTTs no doubt con-
sidered "the backwoods." These little In
cidents indicate, and indicate truly, that
he was careless and indolent In his studles'
kind of heart, and not a bad judge OF men.
After the "American" or know No.
thing" party originated, Mr.. Boris joined
it, and was one of its most distinguished
advocates in Virginia. That party having
received its death-blow in the election Of
Mr.. WISE as Governor over Mr.. FLoURNOY,
it afforded neither to him nor to any other
man stepping-stone to office in this State.
Mr.. Boris continued to act with it, how
ever, as long as it lasted, and supported for
President in 1856 Mr.. FILLMORE, who was
defeated by Mr.. BUCHANAN, under whose
administration Mr.. Boris of course received
no appointment.
In the fall Of 1860 Mr.. Boris supported
the BELL and EVERETT ticket. During
the winter following, he became q candi-
date for seat in what turned out to be the