Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-02-28

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| love not only of the people OF his State,
but all who knew him. He had lew OF
the arts of the politician about him,
and none of the weaknesses or diseases
of little great men. He was a typical
West Virginian, sprung from her soil,
and a true type of her best manhood.
He loved every inch OF her domain, and
gave to her the best energies OF his
| life. Her mountains and her streams
were TO him not only the scenes OF his
proves with gun and rod, but en-
| braced the homes of the people
who had contributed to his ear
| ly successes, his pastimes and his
| pleasures; and among the "reminiscences
which circle around the Preside gilmore
than one mountain home in his old dis
trict are the recollections that John +.
Kenna had shared their hospitality,
and added to their pleasure by his
genial companionship and the sunshine
OF his presence. These people, mr.
President, mourn not so much for John
Z. Kenna, the Senator, as for john u.
! Kenna, their associate and friend. Inc
official designation which he carried
among men was lost in the relationship
which he bore to them. His frank and
natural bearing, and his freedom from
pretension and egotiSm, was the open
road 10 their respect and affection.
Mr.. President, we find in the Congress
sional Directory brief sketch OF Mr..
Kenna, modestly made by himself,
which forcibly illustrates his character
and career in few words. AT fifteen
! wears of age he entered the Confederate
army as a private soldier, was wounded
in that service in 1868, and was surren-
dered at Shreveport, Louisiana, In 1865.
How pathetic is this brief story? a boy
of sixteen wounded in battle carrying
the musket Of private soldier, and
prisoner OF war at the age OF seventeen.
At twenty-five he was admitted to the
| bar; at twenty-four he was prosecuting
attorney of the great county OF Kama
VIVA: at twenty-seven he was elected by
the bar under statutory provisions
! Judge; az twenty-nine he was a repre-
sentative in Congress; and at thirty-fye
he was Senator.
Such is the brief, outlined history OF
the boy and the man who was justly the
pride Of his native State.
Born in tho State, which accorded to
him her highest honors, on the 10th day
of April, 1913, we find that up to the
| still watches of the early morn, when
| loving hands soothed the anguish OF his
| dying hour, the story OF his life Is
measured by less than forty-tve sum-
mers. But within the cycle OF those
years John E. Kenna mad served as SOL
der, lawyer, Judge, and for sixteen
years as member OF both branches of
| Congress; and at his death, after a
service of ten years in this body, was
still, in age, one Of its youngest mem
| bers.
He was descended from strong race
Of people. His father, Edward Kenna,
was an Irishman by birth, Of command
| ing presence, who emlgrated TO this
country at an early age. His mother
was the daughter of John Lewis, whose
| family was distinguished in the pioneer
! history Of the settlement OF Virginia
west of the Allegheny mountains, made
memorable by the battle OF Point Pleas
ant. His father died early In life, leav-
! ing young Kenna an orphan, at the age
| of eight years to struggle for place in
! the fortunes of life almost unaided.
Through the kindness of friends and
| the partiality and benevolence Of the
late Bishop Whean, he entered st. Vim
cents College, at Wheeling, after his
release as prisoner OF war in the Con-
| federate service, where he remained
| long enough TO obtain liberal educa-
! ton, and was afterwards admitted TO
the bar at the age OF twenty-five years.
Mr. President, said in the beginning
! that | had known Senator Kenna init
mately from his earliest manhood, aud |
recall with pleasurable emotions many
events in his career as we passed togeth-
er along life's pathway.
Soon after his admission to the bar,
in the year 1872, was the candidate OF
my party, holding its regular nOmina-
tion for the Office OF Governor, and In
canvassing his section Of the State (the
old Third Congressional District of
West Vlrginia), l met John E. Kennai in
the early morning OF his splendid young
manhood. l was at once attracted and
impressed by his handsome and COM
handing appearance, his warm-hearted
cordialty, and his impetuOus and gen.
erous nature. He was then in his first
canvass before the people for the Office
OF Profecuting Attorney OF Kanawha
county, and although the day OF cleo
ton was near at hand, and his own
chances OF election by 20 means secure,
he insisted upon abandoning his own
canvass and accompanying me through
the mountain counties OF his district,
against the protest OF some Of his
friends.
recall, as though 1t were yesterday,
many of his speeches on that occasion.
Youthful in appearance, earnest, logical
aud captivating, he made friends and
won the hearts of his audiences. On
one occasion, standing upon the ground
beneath the shade Of wide-spreading
tree, he so attracted and impressed his
audience with his youthful eloquence
| and fervor-and such was his magDe-
tism-that an old mountain friend APP
preached him gradually closer and
| closer until he stood by his side, and
rested his hand upon his shoulder; and
as the young orator made mis- telling
points, his old friend responded by ap-
proving gesticulations even more earn
estly and vigorously than the gestures
I Of the speaker himself.
refer to such incidents, Mr.. Presi-
dent, not only because it serves to Illus
trate the generous, unselfish nature OF
the friend to whose memory we pay this
sad tribute to-day, but because memory
delights TO wander back and associate
itself with the incidents Of the every
dav life OF friends, as we knew them
/ best, and loved them most.
His election as prosecuting attorney
followed, and was his first popular tri-
! umph. His touch with the people soon