The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-02-06
NO. a..

Having made the law his principal study and
profession, and believing that the best road
, TO success in life was in one pursuit, he stuck
to 1t until he was far advanced in life. The
, writer hazards nothing when he expresses
4 the opinion that there was q time in Mr..
, Peyton's life, when with less push than 9TH
, er men who rose to distinction have made,
and have given up the forum for the rostrum,
the light that he would have shed would
have covered large space.
Mr.. Peyton was by un iversal consent a
! lawyer from the commencement down to
, the latest statutes. As counsellor he was
| always ready to answer touching any legal
questions as a speaker at the bar, always
pointed and direct, combining himself directly
} to the points in ISSUE. His manner was lofty,
his gestures graceful hardly ever INDUCED
his fancy, or attempted oratorical displays
never spread too much sail for his ballast,
but Just enough to keep him In the direct
line of argument. His speeches were made
to and for the court and jury, and not for
: outside consumption and comment. AS
high compliment to Mr.. Peyton, when
young man he received from the late Judge
Archibald Stuart, the appointment Of At
torney for the Commonwealth for all the
counties composing the judges circuit. The
Judge knew too much of mankind to confer
such an appointment on one incompetent or
unworthy OF the important position. In
this the venerable judge was not disappoint.
ed. The earliest recollections of the writer
are associated with seeing the venerable
judge and his fine looking Attorney for the
Commonwealth passing the public roads
from court to court, commanding the respect
of all good citizens, but a terror to evi
doors.
Mr.. Peyton was continued in the office of
| Attorney for the Commonwealth after the
death Of Judge Stuart by appointment from
the late Judge LUCAS P. Thompson. He
also held the same appointment for the
County Court of Augusta, and continued
to hold both until 1889, when he was
elected to represent the counties of Angus
ia and Rockbridge in the Senate of Virginia,
| which position he held until he was overta-
| ken with sickness from which there could
be expected no recovery, when he gave up
| his position and retired to his home, Mont
gomery Hall, where he died,as before stated
April, lS47.
AS husband and father no man better
stood up to his obligations. Having married
a second time when somewhat advanced in
| lifo no bo fathor Of lorro ,,;lxy Of
children. Seeing, as he did, that in the ordi-
nary course Ct nature, he must leave number
of his children Of tender years, ample pro-
vision for them was a matter Of great So
licitude. In this he was successful-he left
them in comfortable circumstances.
In his dealing with his fellow-man, Mr..
Peyton was scrupulously honest. The word
honest might express everything. Mr.. Pey-
ton was exact in discharging his obligations,
and men who practice upon that idea with
reference to their obligations generally ex-
pect others to do likewise. He required
nothing that was not clearly right, and he
was not the man to tamely submit to a VIC
lation of his rights. His hospitality at his
always well supplied mansion was gener-
GUS, cordial and elegant. He was lover of
law and order, and Of pure religion. The
writer is not informed whether or not he
became an inside member of the church be-
fore his death. He was, however, what we
may call an outside pillar OF the Episcopal
Church Che Church, believe, of his ances-
tors and contributed literally of his means
in not only the support of that church, but
to the building up of other churches and
objects calculated to extend the Christian
Religion. He was ia favor OF a sound pro-
gress mot much of reformer) and gave
helping hand to all enterprises calculated to
improve.
will now close this communication with
an Illusion to Mr.. Peyton's generosity, and
illustrate that by giving an incident that &C.
Cured many years ago. Such incidents are
so few and far between, and when they Go
occur they ought to be recorded on paper,
as memory must fail.
At the June term of the Circuit Court of
Augusta county, 1889, a young man who had
procured his license to practise the law, pre-
sented himself at the Stanton bar, then
well filled with able and experienced law
yers. Our young man had broken down at
another pursuit, and had upon him the cares
OF growing family. An important crimi-
nal trial was coming on. Mr.. Pey ton was
the leading and principal counsel in the
cause for the Commonwealth, the last of his
life. Those two whole-souled and generous
| tbo LOT TrIo n d.
win and Thomas J. Niche, then at the bar,
and in full practice and appearing for the
defence. Messrs Baldwin and Niche seeing,
no doubt, the shard struggle our young man
was making, kindly proposed to him that
if he desired to make an appearance at the
bar, to select any of their cases and appear
with them. Awaiting himself of this invi-
tation, he proposed to them that he would
select the Grim inal case then coming on
That he would take no part in the exami-
nation OF the testimony, but would simply
make short opening speech for the defence.
The arrangement was assented to and the
: young man took his position. After thus
entering into the cause, he met with a gen.
, tleman of the bar who had attained consid-
cradle distinction, who said to him that he
thought that he was venturing too far-a
, failure would be most disastrous. This was
exceedingly discouraging to the young law
! yer. It was however life or death, sink or
, swim, and he must 60 forward. The testi-
mony gone through with, the argument
came on. Mr.. Fultz, who was assisting Mr.
] Peyton in the prosecution, opened the cause
. for the Commonwealth. Then came the
, trying time on our young lawyer, when he
arose and delivered his speech Of about 35
minutes. Whether he had been of any ser.
, vice in the cause or not he could not tell. he
! did not feel however that he had made fail.
ure. When turning around to take his seat
Mr.. Peyton in the most pleasing manner
. extended to the young man his right hand
took the hand Of the young man and shool
$ it m ost cordially, and in the presence of
i crow ded Court House, remarked in his EN-
is phatic way, 'Sir you've made good speech
a very good speech" Between Mr.. Peytol
- and NJ fhor -. II