Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-02-20
FRIDAY MORNING, FEB. 20, 1879
HON. A. III. II. STUART.

With Alexander III. Fl Stuart who died
last Friday, there passed away almost the
last in this great country of the type OF pub
lie men who made it great. Men are not
measured well by those close to them. To
Mr.. Stuarts political entoarGge around
his home he was a good man to represent y
them: to the country at large. he was great
man whose intellect made its impress On
his times and on the Nation. He was not a
typical American statesman, but the ideal
one-the ideal in his intellect, his virtues.
his broad scope Of political vision. There
was not much of warm coloring in any OF
these-he WAS not Il peoples man iii the
popular sense He neither touched ell
bows nor touched hands with the people.
lie knew his own value rs 4 leader rs accgl-
rately as any man we ever knew in political
fe, and while all he WIS and all he had gain
ell by experience OF study, was at the ser
vice Of the people, he did not ask them to
take it. For he was a lofty man both III
mental and physical stature, and stopped
to nothing. Had he been different he would
have been in the United States Senate from
Virginia twenty years ago, and would have
proved one of tile grandest figures that
Virginia ever sent there, splendid as has
been her galaxy Of Senators in her early
days. This reserve cost him much, but ii
cost his State and country more. If Fate
ever moulded a man especially for the
Senate in it's highest days, ii had so mould
ed Stuart. 1t is said OF Inn that
with more boldness he could have accom-
plished more. \ life SO crowded with use
IulEess and hOnorS as his can hardly be re-
ferred to as one that could have accom-
politician and doubtless means he could
have accomplished more for himself: Mr..
Stuart did not Jack bOldneSs. No boldeI
political enterprise, none more in the shape
of a forlorn hope was ever devised Oh carri-
ed out than his conception and conduct OF
the Committee OF Nine. He confronted
and bore the ridicule of the thoughtless,
the suspicion Of the ignorant, and tile en-
NIFTY of the reactiOnary clement of his own
people with a courage, a patience, and an
illCl luelu pd1
allel. Beneficent as were its results to the
people of his State, it WAS unpopular from
the beginning and the last thing a man with
the least trace of demagoguery in him would
have undertaken. II was work done sole
ly for the people Of Virginia. There was
little for him in its success, if it succeeded.
for he was then past three score years, and
thtra vas all the glory Of his past to lose if
ii failed. The term timid can not be APP
piled TO him or to any of the men who were
engaged with him in that scheme Of deliv-
erance for Virginia. Looked at from all
sides it WAS the greatest work Of MI
Stuart S life, both from a State and Nation.
al point of view, and it should he recorded
other public act Of his life.
The closing days Of MI Stuart S life were
Il fit ending of it. After age had rendered
him infirm, he did not withdraw from tht
walks OF men, but in the hours he spent
daily at his Office he was open to commmu
nication to all: ever ready with advice te
those who asked it on public or private
matters; Il patient listener to petty griev-
stnces and Il wise counsellor.
In the memorial tribute of the Stauntol
bar prepared by Mai. T. c. Elder, his init
~-saltte friend, is a most excellent persona
picture OF Mr.. Stuart. And in thememoria
contributed to this week s Spectator by Col
John c. Shields, foI sixty years a close I o
iitical follower Of tie statesman, 10 whicl
Tor many Years past had been added
warm personal friendship. is al adnlirall,
sketch of his political life Both can b,
read with profit and pleasure