Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-02-13
LOCAL.
EX- SECRE TARY STUART DYING,
PASSING AWAY IN HIS StM
YEAR.


That eminent VirginiaD, Alexander
Hugh Holmes Stuart, lay dying last night
in the house in which his life began
eighty-four years ago.
Mr.. Stuart has been for years frail and
infirm from age, though his general health
has been good. A few days ago after hav.
ing his hair cut he went out to drive and
returned with cold. Pneumonia set il
and on Thursday of last week he took tC
his bed. He gradually became worse and
his daughters who live out of the city-the
wife Of DR.. Hunter Mcclure Of Richmond
and the wife of Rev. r. FL. Gibson, rector
of Christ church, Cincinnati, were tee
graphed for and came. Yesterday morn
ing he became unconscious and last night
was just alive.
THE LIFE OF THE DEAD STATESMAN.
Alexander II. II. Stuart was the son OF
Judge Archibald Stuart, and was born in
in 1907 in the house, on Church street
Staunton, that he died in. He came from
the stock of the Revolution, his grandfather
having been a Major at the battle of Gull
same engagement. Young Stuart received
his early schooling in Staunton, and from
here was sent to William and Mary college
where he graduated. From there he went
to the University of Virginia where he
graduated in law. He then returned to
Staunton and went into the practice Of law
with Gen. Briscoe G. Baldwin, whose
,f+ Ia
wife,
FIRST APPEARANCE IN POLITICS.
His first recorded appearance in political
affairs was in 1882, when the old Wing
party, headed and christened by Henry
Clay, came into view. He was appointed
by meeting of Augusta county held in
Staunton April 30th, 1882, one of the dele
gates to Young Mems National Conven-
ton to be held in Washington city the
following May, to cooperate in efforts for
theelection Of Henry Clay to the Presidency.
At that National Convention he was one
of a committee appointed to prepare an
address to the young men of the United
States. The Virginia State Convention of
the party was held in Staunton in the fol-
lowing June in the old Presbyterian
church, which is now a part of the Angus
ia Female Seminary. In it, by request Of
Wythe county, Mr.. Stuart and Mr.. Niche
represented it.
INTERNAL IMPROVE AIENTS.
He was great friend of internal i'm
provements and in 1886 we find him ad-
dressing meeting of Augusta people in
favor of railroad from Staunton to the
Potomac, for which $65,000 had been sub
scrioed by less than sixty people in this
county. The project was. however, lost
sight of in the heated Presidential election
of that year and not revived.
In 1887 he was elected with VIM. Kinney
to the House of Delegates where he was a
warm friend Of improvements.
FOR CONGRESS-.
In the Spring of 1871, he canvassed this
district with James Mcdowell afterwards
Governor of the State) for congressman and
was elected over his opponent by a hand
some majority. In that canvass, Mcdowell
put to him question by which he sought
to put him in an unpopular light-he asked
him if he was elected would he obey the
instructions Of the people after he took his
seat in Congress. MI. Stuart replied that
he naturally wanted to serve the people who
who would elect him, but eff they ask me
to do anything opposed to the constitution
i have sworn to support, OIL opposed to my
conscience, so help me God [ won't obey
them." The answer was received by the
crowd With great cheering.
A CABINET OFFICER.
In the House Of Representatives Mr..
Stuart's fine person, fine voice, command
ing oratorical power, and great talents at
once attracted the attention of his party
to him, and he was marked as man to be
put up higher. So, when President Taylor
died after a thirty days term and was sue
ceeded by President Fillmore, Daniel Web
ster and the President decided on him fol
Secretary of the Interior and rendered him
the place. He took it, and it was during
his term that Kossuth, the Hungarian pa
triot, was in this country on his mission
for aid. Mr.. Stuart did not think it con-
;sistent with his position to see him. The
Department of the Interior had just been
established, and Secretary Stuart put it into
Working order.
TOO CONSERVATIVE.
Politics ran high in Virginia on the
State Convention of 1850 called to make
many 'ireforms," among which an i'm
portant one was to be change in the con-
stitution SO as to permit the people to
elect the judges and other officers. MI.
Stuart was opposed to all this, and ran fol-
the convention, but was defeated.
THE TROUBLOUS TIMES FROM 1860 TO
1865.
MIR. Stuart was a firm earnest Union
man in his views. In 1860 the talk OF
secession had grown loud throughout Viz
ginia. as well as in the Southern States
On the 18th of November of that year
meeting of the Union men of Augusta wa:
held i'll Staunton over which MI. Stuar
presided. 1t was adjourned to the 26th tt
receive the report of. its committee. II
that report appeal was made to the South
ern States to test the remedies prescribed
fol- their grievances in the constitution
and requesting the Senators and Represen
tatives in Congress of Virginia to do all
in their power to keep Virginia to hel
mGorings as the flag ship Of the Union
The resolutions were adopted unanimous
ly. The same meeting defeated a resolu
tion looking to the calling of State Con
wention. But the meeting was as firmly
opposed to al manner of coercion
of the Southern States. The Legislature
called a convention which proved to be th
secession convention in the end, and MI