Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-01-22
Col william H. TerrIll.
Editorial Cor. of Wheeling Register.l

Editorial Cor. Of Wheeling Register.]
DUNMORE, w. VA, Dec. 13. 1877.
With the death of Col. William II.
Terrill. who recently died at the home
of his son-in-law. Col. Geo. A. Porter
field, in Jefferson county in this State,
has passed awav one of the most re.
markat lie men, Virsinia ever produced.
He was the intellectual peer of any son
of the Old Dominion and possessed the
highest literary accomplishments, yet
was without particle of ambition. In
early life he served one term in the Leg
islature of his State, which was the only
public office he ever filled, except that
Of prosecuting attorney for the county
of Bath, position he held for thirty
seven consecutive years. NOtwithstand-
ing his self-exclusion from public life,
there was no man more widely or more
favorably known in the State of Vir-
ginia than Col. Terrill. At the bar and
at the hustings he stood pre-eminent,
and as many gifted speakers as Virginia
possessed in those days, there was but
few cared to meet him in debate. He is
said to be the only man who ever got
the better of Extra Billy Smith in po-
ltical discussion. Extra Billy" was
the dread of all the stump orators in his
day. but on certain occasion the friends
of Col Terrill prevailed on him to meet
the distinguished stumper. Smith led
off, Terriil followed, and so successful
was he in destroying the argument of
his antagonist that when "Extra'l came
to reply he broke down and threw up
the sponge.
During the war Col. Terrill was the
power behind the throne in Virginia.
He was the warm persopal friend of
Gov. Letcher, and spent good portion
of his time at the Executive mansion,
when Letcher was SO honorably filling
the position of War Governor.
Some Of the most finished State papers
of American history were those ema
mating from the Executive office while
Gov. Letcher controlled the destinies of
the Old Common wealth. Col. Terrill
was their authos, as he prepared all the
State papers of that Administrations
But so unambitious was he that it was q
matter of no consequence to him wheth-
er he got credit for it or mot. If he
could serre friend, o. could have an
hours social enjoyment with a jolly
crowd, he was happy.
have said that Col. Terril1 was with
out ambition. yet If he took pride in
anything ii was in the discharge of his
duties as commonwealth's attorney. He
was native Of Madison county, Vir
ginia, but soon after he was admitted to
the bar removed to the Warm Springs
in Bath county, where he continued to
reside until few months previous to
his death. For thirty.seven consecutive
years he was prosecuting attorney of
Bath county, and was acknowledged
the most able prosecutor in the State -
He never permitted his personal rela-
tions to interfere with his duties. On
the contrary it is said that his ability as
q prosecutor was more fully displayed
in case where a young man. the son
of an old friend, was indicted, than in
any other. It had been said that Mr..
Terrill would not make vigorous pros
ecution against the young man, because
of the intimate reiations existing be-
tween himself and the father. This
came to his ears, and being exceedingly
sensitive about such matters. the whole
force of his intellect was aroused, and
the result was that the prosecution was
conducted with more power and ability
than any previously known in the
courts Of the State.
It was once the fashion in Virginia
for the prosecuting attorney to deliver
the charge to the grand jury instead of
its being done by the Judge as is now
the case. The famous Mr.. Pettigrew,
of South Carolina, who was exceeding
ly fastidious in his manner and dress,
was visiting the Warm Springs during
the summer season, and was shocked to
see Col. Terrill charging the grand jury
with pipe in bis m94th,
He possessed q
PERSONAL APPEARANCE.
He was six feet two inches tall, weighed
about 2S0 pounds, and was very straight.
He was extremely urbane and dignified
in his manner, but his dignity could re-
lax as gently and with as much facility
as ice thaws beneath the warm rays Of
the sun, when he came In contact with
set of jolly good fellows. Visitors at
the Warm Springs for the last few years
will remember the peculiar staff with
which he always walked 1t was as tall
as himself, with handsome silver knob
on top of it. When asked why he used
such peculiar walking stick, he would
reply that it was all that was left him
from the wreck of fortune, which, to-
gether with most of his family, had
been swept away in the conflict. He
was possessed of rare fund of anecdotes
which he would relate; in the most in
imitable style, and wherever there was
jolly sociability his presence was always
ready with joke, andicould give hu-
morous coloring to the gravest subject.
He was in Washington City immedi-
ately after the war. A;number of prom
inent Republicans who had known and
loved him in ante bslluna days, were
prompt to call on him. and were pro-
fuse in expressions of sympathy for his
misfortunes during the war, and all of
them offered their services to aid in an
effort to remove his political disabilities.
The Colonel dropped his lower lip in a
way which those who have ever seen
him will be sure to remember, and with
a chuckling laugh peculiar to himself,
replied that he didn't care anything
about the removal of his disabilities, but
he would feel obliged to them if they
could suggest some plan by which his
liabilities might be removed.
A WAR EPISODE.
1 remember one little incident Illus
trating the convivial disposition OF the
great lawyer and how. he could unbend
from the dignity WHICH sat SO naturally
upon him, and play the boy again, al
though at the time he was approaching
his three score and ten. 1t was In June,
1852, when he was serving temporarily on
the staff of Gen. Elzey. Jackson's corps
was making its famous march from the
Valley of Virginia ON its way to strike
McClellan's rear in front of Richmond, q
Inn