The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-11-03
ANIEYENTFUL5CA.
CLOSED IY THE HAND OF DEATH

Deceasc OF lion. Charles James Faulk,c .,
nj Sinriinsbnrg, Oh Saturday aIoraiu,..
An Interesting sketch OF Ills Life
ala nnd Distinguish cd publlc Services.
Special DI'paieh TO The lnhllisactr. t
MnrlSsnunu, ". Va, Nov. Lion
Charles J. Faulkner, who has been lyin,
dangerously III at his residence III tii
city for some time, died G:5O o'clock tli,
morning, surrounded by all the mcmber
OF his family. ' {f.1
ar. Faulkner vas Born III the pictures
que old town OF NlarIinsburs, in whicl, hi.
life has been'spent md where he was de
stinel to see the lust Of EARTH. The pre-
else date of his birth has never been deli
nitely given, il indeed he knew It him
self. 1906 seems TO have been the wear
dc has been SO long public figure that
he has generally been thought older. Al,
orphan ut eight years ofugc, the son OF 4.
major Of artillery who had LEFT him moor
hc found u friend IN aplysician oi'Mar
tinsbnr,. The ambition which has marked
his life must have seized him carly, 70,
he applied himself wl,h true Scotch. Irish
diligence. Though lac was no. brilliant,
he was plodder. lie knew TINT lie Ind
his oSn way to make, and he was deter.
minel to make il. Having completed his
collegiate education he chose the law
then the favorite vocation OF Southern,
youth who aspired TO public career. liz
was quite young when he entered the
fam JUS law school Of Chancellor Tucker,
at Winchester. Here he showed wonder.
full industry and soon made his way to tho
bar. Now q man and ready for law bust.
ness, he took an active interest in politics
in Berkeley county. .a,.lI :. :,
| IN PUBLIC LIFE.
fle was just coming into local notice
when the work OF the Constitutional Con.
vention OF 1880 came before the people.
Feeling ran high. Mr.. Faulkner favored
the new Constitution. lie championcd ii
on the stump anil displayed great powers
OF reasoning and force in debate. Not
content with this he worked among the
people, anu Berkeley county gave the new
Constitution handsome majority. Mr..
Faulkner accepted n nomination for the
House OF Delegates, was elected, and took
his seat in lS32, just after President Jack.
son, in response to the rebellious attitude
Of South Carolina, had issued his "pro.
clanation of force, inserting the supreln.
acy OF the United States. In view OF the
question which was 'lisiurbingthe country,
Mr.. Faulkner offered in the House Of
Delegates and advocated in 4 strong speech
the emancipation of children born in
slavery after July !, 1910. The speecl, at
tracted great attention and WIS much used
by the abolitionfsts OF the North.
a BOUNDARY LINE COMMISSIONER.
Retiring from the Legislature in 1889,
and declining further service in that body.
Mr.. Faulkner was appointed commits
sioner on the part OF Virginia to report on
the boundary line question between yir-
ginia and Maryland. He reported at
length and saved to Virginia portions Of
the present counties OF Hampshirc,
Hardy, Grant, Pcndlcton and Randolph.
In the same year lie married the daughter
of Genera! Boyd, the cultivated w0nun
whose many graces Of character have
added to the charm Of his home for half n
century. He now devoted himself with
renewed zealto tho practice of his proies-
sion, enjoying rcmuneratcve return.
nErunslNG TO TIE LEGISLATURE. 2
In 1871 he.was elected to the. State Sen
atc, resigniny the next year because his
practice demanded his attention. In 1878
lie was again elected to the House OF Dele
gates, 4 bill introduced by Mr.. Faulkner
passed the Legislature, was transmitted to
the Senators and Representatives OF Vir.
ginia in Congress, and was Mt least the
basis Of the Fugitive Slave Law OF 1850.
He gave valuable aid to the revision OF the
Code, (which occu pied much OF the time OF
tue Legislature during that session, A
member OF the Constitutional Convention
OF 1850, Mr.. Faulkner raised his voice
against that discriminating policy which
had taxed Western Virginia for Tie ,tene.
lit OF the rich East. He laid down the
proposition that representation should be
based OIL the free white population, not
on chattels, and with argument and clio.
|
speech that ran through two days. He
carried his point, against Henry a. Wise
and other able debatcrs. :3..l5 IL.
A NATIONAL LEG IsIAr0n, ~. ~ N
Mr.. Faulkner had added largely to his
fame in the Constitutional Convention.
In the following year, 1851, the country
being disturbed by the compromise meas
ures OF 1850, Mr.. Faulkner was brought
out as an independent Union candidate
for Congress against Henry Beldinscr, Of
Jefferson. The majority against MIR,
Faulkner was considerable at the start.
Public feeling, already aroused, was fur
ther intlancd by Mr.. Beddineer and his
friends. Mr.. Faulkner and his opponent
"livided time" through the district, and
the Berkeley statesman won the seat in
Congress. Mr.. fuu'kner's speeci, il, the
House OF Representatives on the conupro.
mise measures and the relation OF parties
thereto attracted general attention, and
was widely circulated as y campaign doc.
ument in behalf Of Franklin Pierce. More
than l25,000 copies OF tho speech we're
printed-in that tay an Unprecedented
edition. Mr.. Faulkner was now fully i'll
the Democratic fold.5. He stumped the
district for Pierce and it was carried. .slIr.
Faulkner served lonr terms in Congress, in
his second being made Chairman OF The
Committee on Military AlIairs. When
know-Nothingism raised its head Mr..
Faulkner did his best to break it.
MINISTER TO FRANCE, Gs
A delegate in the Democratic National
Convention Of 1856, he supported Bucllan-
an, and diditso effectively that he was
made Chairman OF the Democratic Con-
gressional committee. There wa, good
reason to think that President Buchanan
would invite Mr.. Faulkner to ac-
cOpt the portfolio OF Wari his Cabinet.
That dignity fell to John L. /, Floyd, but
the, French mission was offered. to Mr..
Faulkner, and by him declined because