Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-07
THE RICHMOND DIspATCH-sUNDAY. DECEMBER Z, 1890.

roll, and tumble Of the bar. His trans.
lstion OF Homer's Iliad is said by the
critics to be superior to any other IN its
faithfulness and transmitting all the
spirit Of the original. IL is written in
the English pentameter, the verse OF
he Paradise Lost and OF the Earlier
English poets. It is far superior
TO Popes celebrated translation,
which is hardly more than beau
tiful paraphrase OF the original.
his son, the late George Wythe Mum
ford, held through long life distin-
guished and useful place in Virginia his
tory. Having been for long time clerk
OF the House of Delegates, he was
nominated by Benjamin Watkins Leigh
and elected clerk OF the famous Virginia
Constitutional Convention OF 1S29-'3O,
which contained among its members
two ex-Presidents and one future Presi-
dent of the United States, and all the dis
ting1iished Virginians who at the bar, the
bench, and the forum, inspired by their
illustrious predecessors, transmitted their
spirit to the subsequent history OF the
Old Dominion. The last Of the line,
who died few days since, was Mark
Alexander of Mecklenburg.
Mr.. Munford was then made Secre-
tary OF the Commonwealth, which posi-
ton he continuously held until the dis
solution OF the Confederscy. In 1850.
when the Constitution OF 1851 had made
so many changes in the Constitution OF
1920 and its Legislature, Mr.. Mum
ford prepared tho Code of 1860, and after
the war and its consequent changes be
prepared the third edition OF Mr..
Robinson's Code of 1S49, which is
known as the Codo OF 1873, and which
has been recently superseded 10y the
Code Of 1887. The most valuable con-
tribution to tho history of the State
is found in tho preface to the Code of
1873, his "historical synopsis OF
the laws and Constitutions Of the State
OF Virginia" which shows from the re-
cords all the efforts made by the State to
preserve tho union of the fathers OF the
Constitution, their failure, the history OF
the Acknowledgement of tho State and the
Constitutions of Wheeling and Alexan-
dris, and tho formation OF the present
convention, its adoption, and our adj
mission into the Union, from which we
had been separated by our secession and
the territorial condition into which we
were placed by our conquerors, who
by thus act abandoned their first posi-
ton that we bad no right to secede and
then acknowledged that We had seeded.
Colonel Muniord before the war had
a summer residence in PowhataD. Rock
Spring was the birthplace Of the famous
Joseph Mayo, who was for lifetime
Mayor Of Richmond and the author OF
Mayo's Guide. He was satirically
called byJohn VI. Daniel in the ErdDi-
ner, the old Pub. -Func and "the old
Tycoon"
Colonel Munford after the war bought
an estate and lived in the county OF
Gloucester for some years, but returned
to Richmond, was for some years clerk to
the Committee Of Courts of Justice in
the House OF Delegates, was then made
chief clerk in the Auditors office with
his friend William +. Taylor, so long
Auditor of Public Accounts, which posi-
ton he filled worthily as he had in all
he ever held before. He was man OF
fine presence, OF genial countenance he
was fine public speaker and accom-
plished writer. During the war, after
the term OF Governor Letcher had ex-
pired, his friends made him candidate
for the Office OF Governor OF Virginia,
and although Governor Smith, who had
been previously Governor and having
added to bis reputation made by pub
lie life Of half century. a war record
as general, was elected-yet Colonel
Munford got large vote and nearer to
Governor Smiths than any OF the cam
didates.
His surviving sons are Rev. William
Munford, of the Episcopal Church, and
General Thomas /. Munford, who was
general of cavalry in the late war.
w. y. u.