Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-11-23

ing like it in military affairs Oh MOD
ern times. A fleeing army, hunte / by
two superior forces, beats one. CROSSES
a river and drives the other of-"no,
sir" He wouldn't hear to it. II was
true. The Governor told me that after
the attempt end failure to surprise the
enemy at Romney when the men
suffered 80 much from frozen limbs,
there was purpose to set Jackson
aside as utterly without judgment,
eccentric, if not insane. Letcher sad
he had TO let Mr.. Davis know that
jackson was bis neg ur, OF mad
man, and that as the Cove nor OF Viz
GINA he would not submit t. his dis
credit. He declared that so prejudced
was the President that ouly extreme
protests kept Jackson in the army.
Davis knew that Letcher meant what
he said. When there was rumor that
the army would evacuats Richmond in
1862, the Governor 10 mass meeting
declared he would order the Virginia
| troops to remain and fight for the CAPT.
tai. n one doubted him. Honest
John Letcher! He served Virginia
faithfully and well,
John Randolph Tucker, before a
great court vas the personifcation OF
the law, close, lucid, concise. On the
hastings, eloquent, adroit, conyulsing.
At dining, resistless as Sidney Smith
and putting Garrick out Of counte-
| nance as a mimic. No banquet il
Washington was complete without
IRAN Tucker" Aud such health
Nearly seventy, and retiring in the
small hours Of the morning from ,
feast OF -four hours,to sleep like babe
His head model for an Apollo. What
endowments! In Congress, jurists
gave him precedence as chairman Of
the great Law Committee. In the
"cloak room" the crowd was thick and
sitting around his chair. He lad the
character OF Wilberforce, the genius Of
Sheridan, the political philosophy Of
Burke. On high days, at the Holland
House" OF this classic city the fine old
mansion Of Professor James j. White,
with DR.. Henry Alexander as "6ring
pin" to Tucker, could Canning or
Moore or Luttrell Surpsss "rare Ran
Tucker"
Mr.. Tucker was the attorney OF Vir-
GINA when the war closed. There was
q small sum Of gold in the treasury.
The salaries OF the chief officers were
paid in this coin and the State Govern
ment fed from Richmond. For years
there were no courts. Lawyers were
without clients and currency. MIR.
Tucker was reduced to silver quarter.
He had this bag OF yellow coin. He
was in a financial stress. The seal was
not broken. When the United States
Court decided it was his property he
would not use it, but invested it in
Two sets Of Law Reports, one for the
University at Lexington, one for the
University at Charlottesville.
While the guest OF Mrs. Colonel
James Preston, OF Montgomery county,
she recalled a visit of General John
&c hols. soldier, statesman, gentleman,
and Mr.. Tucker. One morning she no
ticed these two friends walking for o
while in deep converse in the grove.
When they returned 10 the house Cen
eral Echols, her brother-in-law, with
deep emotion remarked. Quicker has
been talking TO me ON personal reli-
gion. No preacher ever moved me as
he has" Mr.! Tucker lsc!ursd every
Sabbath to large class Of students on
the lsws of Moses and the Hebrew
State.
My space shrinks. DIR. Henry Alex
ander, of the race or orators, authros,