Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-15
B. JOHNSON BARBOUR
"reminiscences Of the Able virginlan
BY j. William Jones.
GRAND CONVERSATIONAL POWERS.
Brillisnt Speeches at the Alumni Isanqucts
In 1850 and Afterwards In 1870
Tribute to Virgins.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch.

the new order OF things I'VE may never
look upon their like again''-to send you
some personal "reminiscences OF him, ospe-
cially in his relations to the University
of Virginia. which he so tenderly loved.
I used as a boy at school in Orange
county 10 meet Mr.. Barbour occasionally,
and several times ! bad the rare privilege
of visiting his beautiful home near Bar
louisville. enjoying the elegant and lavish
hospitality which he dispensed. and be-
ing charmed with his unrivalled CONVEX
sational powers. in which keen wit, genu-
inc humor. admirable tact. and useful
instruction were SO combined as TO leave
an indelible impression on the boy. But
the first time | ever heard Mr.. Barbour
make q public speech was at the great
alumni meeting and banquet at the Uni
versity at the commencement in June.
1860. Hon. ID. w. Voorhees,. OF Indiana,
had made the day before his great ad-
dress on the American Citizen which
was one OF the grandest oratorical tri-
umphs ] ever witnessed. and which the
vast crowd cheered TO the echo-grave and
dignifed professors vieing with the stu
dents In their rapturous applause Of
his sound "State-rights' doctrines. his
iAH u y VI ~ E'sNfE
Citizen" tmeaning the Abolition agitator).
and his eloquent tribute TO Virginia for
what she had done In forming the Union
and what she had done and was doing
TO preserve II.
BRILLIANT OCCASION.
The usual commencement C'public-day."
Is has always been called here followed.
and MIR. Barbour gracefully presided over
the Alumni Society, ana introduced their
orator in appropriate and eloquent style.
In the afternoon the banquet was held
in the library-room of the rotunda. and
! do not hesitate TO say that 1t was
the most brilliant occasion of the kind 1
ever attended. Among the speakers We're
Hon. J Randolph Tucker. Professor
Gessner Harrison. Hon. -. w. Voorhees,.
Rev. DIR. Philip Slaughter, Hon. John u.
Baldwin. and others. and IL was. indeed.
"a feast of reason, and a flow OF soul.
which no one present can ever forget,
and an account of which l mean some day
To write out. 1t was upon this occasion
that we rose to our feet. and cheered
the Tail Sycamore of the Wabash TO
the echo, when. in clear and ringing tones.
he said. IF the day ever comes when the
soil of this grand old Commonwealth shall
be invaded by the armed hosts OF Abo-
litionism ! pledge myself to head a band
of 10000 Indianians and come TO the res
cue of our old Mother"
| have no doubt that Dan" would have
done II If he could: at all events. We
believed him then. and cheered him with
an enthusiasm that knew no bounds.
AS TOASTMASTER.
But T meant 10 tell about Mr.. Barbour.
He presided at the banquet. and acted as
'toastmaster." and ! have never S on tn
position so we'll filed by any one. His in
%troductory speech was a rare combination
Of chas,e. classic elOquence. wit. ana
humor. and all through the banquet he
was the life Of the occasion by his appro-
rriate introductions of the toasts and
speeches. his ready Wit, and happy repair
tee. His Introduction was a beautiful de-
scriptiOn Of a feast at his villa. TO which
Cicero vas supposed to have invited his
friends. and when later In the evening
some ladies who had come into the gale
ries above to hear the speaking began To
talk TO each other and 10 their b"auX, all
unconscious that even their whispers were
heard very distinctly and produced great
confusion in the banquet hall. Mr.. Bar
bour sprang to his feet. and, waving
silence. said: AT that feast 10 which
Cicero invited his friends there were. 50
far as, we can learn. no Iivias or Claudias
to mar the festivities with their " {
oh!t-chat. and | trust that our fair coun-
trywomen who have honOrel us with the
sunshine Of their presence and their smiles
this evening vii not be less considsTatc
than Were those Roman mairons and
b-llcs."
AS RECTOR.
II has been my privilege to attend some
very noted banquets, but | regard he
alumni banquet at the university in 1860
the most brilliant ] ever knew; and 1t is
10 disparagement TO others to say that
y. Johnson Barbour was the very life
and soul of the occasion. ! remember
well that as rector for a number of
years of the Board of Visitors OF the
University. he seemed devoted to the In
terests OF Alma Mater. and always ready
70 do anything in his power to promote
her interests: and hat through long years
the university had no more loyal son
than he. and ! might recall many occa-
sions and incidents illustrating this. /
tax your space, however. for only two.
PERISHED IN THE FLAMES.
At the unwilling Of Gaults beautiful
statue Of Mr.. jefferson in the library,
Mr.. Barbour made the Introductory adj
dress. which was one Of the most
felicitous. chaste. and eloquent I ever
heard, and thrilled the vast crowd who
were present. He promised at the time
TO give me the address In fun for publ
cation in the Dispatch, but II was after
~ - tAAG ~ NOAAt 10 hk1k -
reserve it for publication with the superb
historical address made upon the occa-
sion by Hugh Blair Grigsby. Esq. Tn
fortunately, both of these addresses per-
ished in the flames which destroyed Mr..
Barbour's residence some years ago.
UNIVERSITY LOCATION.
l recall, however, one sentence in Mr..
Barbour's speech, which is impressed
upon my memory as wildly as If / had
heard II yesterday:
Speaking of the meeting Of "the com
mission at Rockfsh Gap which deter
mined the plan and selected the site for
the university, he said: There were many
places In the Commonwealth which de-
sired and which might have presented
strong claims for the site of the uni
versity. But when the grand old men
who composed that commission came 10
consider the question of location there
was really but little difference of opinion
among them. Locate it. said they with
one voice, where the first rays Of the
rising sun and the last rays of the set
ting sun shall reveal il to the delighted
gaze Of its great founder And thus
the question was settled. and Monticello
looks down with benignant smile upon the
great university which its sage founded
in so much wisdom and as the result OF
such ceaseless toll"
GRACED HER FALL.
The alumni banquet of 1870 was a very
brilliant one. presided over by that great
orator. jurist, wit. and humorist. Hon.
J.. Randolph Tucker. and the speeches
generally were very happy. l give from
the report / made in the Dispatch at the
time the following account Of Mr.. Bar
bour's speech:
In introducing the next toast Mr..
Tucker said he knew OF no one more
fitted TO respond than the worthy repre-
sentative OF the iliustrlous line OF Bar
bours. He offered:
Virginia: She has graced her fall and
made her ruin glorious.
The band struck up Garry Me BACK
10 Old Virglnny." which was greeted with
deafening cheers.
In responding 10 the toast TO Virginia,
ar; Harbour commenced by saying play
,uNy that he had hoped TO have been al
iowed 10 enjoy one alumni dinner with
vu, being called upon 10 reproduce his
fn1erth Jests and time-honored SMILES.
asn, when called upon by the pres!-
sem., ne had been disposed 10 claim the
ptnn privilege as the intrepid bride
noom. VINO. on the occasion Of his fourth
brIie ss' mad taken his seat with his
ques,e1" ,ne front bench. and when re-