The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1888-01-07
JNO. NJ. BARCLAY DEAD

II was Will ueep QrleI JllaC we
last week, saw heralded in tht
press, that Hon. Jno. M. Barclay
OF Washington, d. c., was dead
lle was one of our warmest
dearest friends.
The deceased was born and rear
ed in The District Of Columbia
graduated from a law school there.
and migrated to Fort Wayne, Indi
ana, where he was soon elected
j. Z. The year Lincoln was elect
ed to Congress, Barclay concluded
to make visit to his parents, and
en- route to the Capital, made the
acquaintance of the embryo states
man, who became very much at-
tached to b., and assured him that,
were 1t possible, he would secure
hrn a position in government ser
vice, and through Lincoln's lnhu-
ence, he did secure for young Bar
clay, the position Of journal Clerk
of the House Of Representatives.
Barclay soon attained a reputation
as parhamentarian second to no
man in the country, and to-day,
" Barclays Digest" is used as au-
thority in Congress and all legisla-
tive bodies in the country.
Barclay was not disturbed in his
position for many years. He was
not only popular, but there were
none pretent;ous enough to aspire
to his place. Finally, IN 1875, the
Democracy attained majority III
Congress, and a Kentuckian named
Smith was chosen Clerk OF the
House, a position to which the
journal Clerk is subservient. Dem
ocratic and Republican leaders
alike, voluntarily plead for the re-
tention of Barclay, and the prom
ise to retain him was given, but
Barclay hearing of it, gave notice
that he was getting too old to ed
ucate new retinue of clerks, but
il two Of his most valuable and
competent ones were continued to
hIm, he would continue as chief
of the bureau. The promise was
given, but broken. One by one,
his clerks were removed, and fl
nally the last one of them, the sub
s!itute being a man who spelled
"ieurnal" with "g". This was
too much, and Barclay wrote out
his resignation, removed his pri-
vate effects, and has never crossed
the threshold Of his old office
since. The regret at his vacating
was general. Increase in the value
of property placed him in mde-
pendent circumstances, and he died
leaving a married daughter wild
owed child. and a son well Dro.
vided for
His face and figure will be much
missed by the denizens of the Ma
tional- Capital-the prettiest city
of the country, He has moved
to another city, the city of the
dead-a city never agitated by out
side disturbances. 1t is not light
ed by night, and no bell or whistle
disturbs It's meredlan hours. The
citizens come, but nevergo. They
make no calls, give no entertain
Inents, in fact never leave their
houses. Could he appear again to
his old friends, with what force he
could say, " Here have (we) you
no continuing city --"The dust
shall return to the earth as it was,
and the spirit shall return to the
God who gave it"
Barclay was a gentleman of com.
manding presence, being several
inches over 6 feet in height, and
built in proportion. In political
literature he was an encyclopedia.
His heart WAS a warm one, reach
ing out to political opponents as
to adhcrents. AS pall-bearers,
distinguished Democrats like unto
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