Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-12-22
"a Chiefs Amang Ye Takin' Notes.

Mr.. Frank Alfriend, who is Richmond
reared young man, having received liberal
advantages in education and culture
adopted literary pursuits as profession
and made himself widely known in writing
the life of Jefferson Davis. For some years,
lie has resided at Washington, and, from
that central point in American affairs, has
been leading contributor to the press Of
our country. Returning recently from
visit purely social and free from political
bearings to the distinguished Elk Confede
rate President, he paused in our goodly
little city to call on the friends of his youth
to be found here, as we'll as to make his
respects to the eminent statesman whose
home is here and whose name and services
to his country are Of the richest legacias our
community will enjoy in all time. We
infer from brief conversation with tie
journalist that he has listened to The re-
hearsal of other than historically written
incidents, and made acquainted with the
leading questions of former days by one
who figured in them when American states
manship was conspiouously displayed. We
need not call the name of the Hon. Alex.
H. II. Stuart, for already the mental eye of
the reader is fixed ON that venerable states
man and patriot, who, with his senior in
years, Ex-Governor Wyndham Robertson,
in the present enjoyment of his retirement
in the beautiful land ef Southwest Virginia,
more than all others Ct the living great
; men of our State, are capable of transmit
ting all that belongs to the eternal Politi-
cal Truths" as Henry A. Wise declared,
was the especial mission of Henry Clay to
teach. Not only in the past, as sketched to
the Washington correspondent, will he find
material to entertain generation of readers
who have come upon the stage of life since
Mr.. Stuart was in the national arena, but
in connection with the present times and
the viseissitudes of political parties as they
are to-day, he will be able to give views
and conclusions from matured reflection,
which if followed, will assure the safety and
greatness Of our country in all it's wide ex-
tent.
Having said this much of our honored
citizen, who in his green old age, finds
time and opportunity to aid in our progress
and material development as well as to ad-
wise and counsel wisely in every matter of
public welfare we feel privileged to say a
little more. 1t was the wont of the late
distinguished editor, Mr.. Alexander Mcse-
ley, who commenced bis career of journal
ism as the associate of the lamented John
Hampden Peasants on the Richmond
Wing, often to refer, in his conversations,
to the surviving statesmen he admired
throughout all the time he adorned with
his genius and his classic pen that great
metropolitan Journal Assuming control of
the organ of the Wing party in the State,
he was il constant communication with the
men and minds directing the course of the
party, and with Mr.. Stuart he always
coupled the compliment as one most safe,
most thoroughly informed, and the most
active in communicating by his counsels
and controlling by his pen, the whole
scope and mode of progress as viewed
either from a tand-point of State organiza-
ton and action or upon the broader field as
he surveyed it at Washington.