Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-12-10
DAILY AND TRfWEERLY By
rreAR SNOwDEN-
MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 10. 1877.
ALBERT TAYLOR BLEDsoE, whose death Is


announced elsewhere in to. days Gazette, was
boro in Frankfort, Kentucky. November 9'
1909 When about twelve or fourteen years OF
apo his remarkable mechanical ingenuity. 10
seeing through and initiating puzzle, attracted
the attention Of Governor Lstcher. OF hen'
lucky, who said This boy shall have ca
detship at West Point 10 his sixteenth year
he went to the Military Academy through the
Influence of the Governor He graduated there
in 1880, and for year or two he served 10 the
army as Second Lieutenant. in the irregular
frontier warfare with the Indians. At the ex,
piratioo of the time due from cadets to the
United States service, he began to read law,
which was his chosen profession, 10 the office
Of his uncle, Mr.. Samuel Taylor, of Richmond
In 1884 be took the Assistant Professorshp OF
Mathematics at Kenyon College, Gambler, D.,
where be also studied Theology, and 10 1885
he was ordained to the ministry of the Protes-
tant Episcopal Church. He then took parish
10 Hamilton, Ohio and a! the same time the
Professorship of Mathematics in Miami Uni
versity.
10 1886 be was married. and 10 1887 went to
Lexington, KY. where he became the Assistant
to the present Senior Bishop Of the Episcopal
Church. Some question, at this time, arose
10 his mind, in regard to the teachings of the
Prayer Book on the subject Of Baptismal Re,
generation, which fioally Induced him to resign
the ministry. He then offered himself to the
authorities of the Methodist Church. but was
refused admittance on account Of some views,
which did not quite accord with the belief of
that denomination. Through his whole life
his views thong h always Independent, were
nearer those of the Methodist Church than Of
any other.
Leaving the ministry he began the practice
of law in Carrollton, ILL.,, and afterwards carried
it on in the Supreme Court of Illinois, at Spring.
field, and for short time in the Supreme
Court at Washington.
10 1S45 he published ian Examination of
President Edwards Inquiry into the Freedom
of the Will" which has been for many years
out of print. Iu JS4S he applied for and OBJ
taued the Protcssorship of Mathematics in the
University Of Mississippi. IL 1853 he pub
lished bis "Theodcy, or Vindication Of the Di.
vine Glory, as Manifested 10 the Constitution
and Government of the Moral World. which,
after being raj scted as sift by sevcra! OF the
most astute publishers in the United States on
account of the unpopularity of the subject. went
through three editions Of 1000 each, iu four
mouths Subsequently many other editions
were called for and printed.
10 1854 he accepted the Professorship of
Mathematics 10 the University of Virginia.
While there, 10 1857, he wrote his "Liberty
and Slavery" After the completion of the
volume he vas smittcn with brain fever, and
lay for several weeks, lowering between life
and death.
When the war broke out he entered the army
as Colonel 10 the Confederate service, but Preti
dent Davis saying that be wanted the service
of his brain, rather than of bis hand appoint
ed hin Assistant Secretary Of War. He served
about eighteen months, bearing. for much of
the time, the entire responsibility Of the De-
partment, 10 consequence of the i'll health of
his superior officer. During this time he re-
tanned the possession of bis mathematical pro
fessorsbip.
In 1868 be resigned on account of impaired
health and went to London in order to pursue
his studies of the Constitution of tho United
States. He returned iu 1865, and soon after
wards published lin 1861 bis book, is Davis
Traitor, or was Secession a Constitutional
Right Previous to the War of 1861 ?" 10
1865 be wrote 'Tne Philosophy Of Mathemat-
ics," completing it in the space of three weeks,
and soon after published it, and 10 the same
year he began the publication of "The Southern
Review Baltimore, Md, to the editorial du.
ties of which he has devoted himself since that
time.
From the time that he left tho ministry of
the Episcopal Church he remained lay mem.
Der until 1871 when he began occasional preach
ing 10 the Methodist Church, and soon after
wards became member and then o preacher
of that denomination. 10 that same year the
Southern Review was accepted by the General
Conference of the NJ. E. Church. South, as
its organ. though it always expressed the views
Of the editor himself, and was never subject to
any supervision from outside.
On the 7th of November he felt the oncom.
ing of the illness, which soon Frustrated him.
and his first words on coming home were, MY
time is come" Without tremor at the thought
Of death, but with an unspeakabe horror of
OUTLYING his mental powers. he lay down,
TO die. 10 very few days all care, anxiety
and dread fell away from him. and be lived on
with only sweet thoughts and pleasant fancies
fitting across bis mental vision, till he sunk
into calm and gentle sleep, which lasted almost
unlnterruptedly till he breathed his last at eleven
O'Clock Saturday night. December Sth.
DR.. Bledsoe was one of the most vigorous
thinkers OF the age. and being firmly convinced |
of the correctness Of his own opinions was dis
tinguished for the boldness With which he an. |