The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-02-28
The Late A.w. Venabie.

press at hearing Of the death Of ABgAa ":
yEsApLs. Of North Carolina, formerly OF
Virginia. He was.a native OF Prince Ea-
ward county. He was true Virginia gen.
tleman. He was easy, and independent, ana
m AMY in bis department, exceedingly kind'
social. and frank In his disposition. and won
derfully voluble as we'll as graceful 10 MS
con yersation. He came to prominence 10
public life during the Jackson dynasty, was
true southern politician, and although MS
strict construction shoes were often nntleo'
in the main he plumbed the track, ana was
considered by Mr.. R1rcH1s his personal
friend as one after the straightest sect.
Mr.. yENAB1E was q gentleman OF hue per-
s,nal appearance-tall, straight, symme.ri'
ca, Of fair complexion, and graceful IN Dis
bearing. He often wore an ample coat "l'a
side. pockets, and smoked a clay pipe Win a
1cno stem. like that used by General JACK
soS. which gave to fireside social intercourse
on air of imperturbable ease and serenity. DE
was one of the most manipulating gen.
tlemcn of his day. He was decided parti'
san. such as there were in his day, ana
gentleman of high tone.
He was SO genial and good humored,
nevertheless, that there was never want OF
ioviality where be was We considered him
a sort of public benefactor. Men live longer
and have more energy for being in good
spirits, and few men In their day have MN
is,ered so much to the cheerfulness ana
brig Illness of the social circle as Mr.. VEEA'
BILE. He was to high Virginia soco.polltlcal
circles what Colonel CRocKETT was amongst
the rouxher society OF the far West. he
was bold and unreserved, and in auecaote
and in all social gayety he was not TAR from
the lead at any time. He was so famous for
bis huency-and always the gentleman
In bis Wordiest hours-that when he was
in Congress the wags gave an ex-
travagant touch to many stories con-
corning him. A story then quite current
was of a conflict between the deceased and
a" talking man from Kentucky-probably
an ancestor of PROCTOR KNoTT-upon which
a wager was laid. The contest took place at
BARhuM's, IN Baltimore. The two gentle.
men were placed in room, and their friends
witnessed their rivalry until late hour,
when they retired, locking the competitors
within. In the morning, upon entering the
room those friends found the kentuckian
dead and VEEABLE whispering in bis ear )!
It was a sort of exempli6cation of the esti'
nation put upon Mr. VESABLE's converse
tional powers.
We trust no friend OF his may deem this
map propriate in an article alluding to bis
death. We hold it not out of place in such
a notice to allude to the not dscreditable Pc
culiarities as we'll as the virtues of the de.
ceased. Of the latter he had many. a kinder
man We never knew, nor one who dispensed
hospitality with more graceful hand. de
bad charming amount Of practical mother
wit, and that acquired in a society OF
which, for it's indebtedness and its charm.
ing virtues, we shall never see the
like again. Mr.. VENABLE always displayed
this whether conversing or speaking. His
speeches sparklcd with it and gave pleasure
to bis hearers. In his latter years bis spirit
and his conversation were subdued and OBJ
structed by physical ipfirmities which gave
bis wide circle of friends much concern. In
his death has passed away one more of those
noted Virginians who were the representa-"
tives of one of the grandest periods of the
State. He was worthy OF the age in which
he lived.