Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-01-12
A TRUE, LOYAL, JEALOUS OFFICER
Is What the County Lost BY ths Death
or Mr., Burnett.

IL The following is the memorial o
| the Board of Supervisors on the life o
the late Wm. A. Burnett. It wa
drawn up by T. NJ. Smiley and W. A
Crawford. the special committee ap
pointed for that purpose, and adopted
unanimously at a recent meeting Of tb,
board
"Wm. A. Burnett is dead. As OF
electric wings the sad message flew
throughout the domains of the county
the JOY and gladness of the Christina.
morn seemed to turn to sorrow. ant
hearts were made to bleed and eyes te
moisten.
1.-The sorrow was shared by all, botI
rich and poor, for he was the friend Of
every one, as evidenced in life by his
kindly greeting and manifest interest
in the general welfare.
"Being rich in his capacity for friend
ship. all who came to know the man
became his friends. His frank nature,
his ready sympathy, bis unpretentious
manners, combined to make a person
ality SO winning upon the affections
that the natural result was that no
man was mere loved in life or has been
more mourned in death. Behind all
was the character-pure, sincere and
earnest-that gave weight as no mere
words alone, however eloquent, could
do to every utterance that be made.
THE county feels throughout its
borders that it has lost citizen whose
entire mature life has been worthily
devoted to the service OF her people,
and whose loss it will be difficult to
supply.
"Those who knew him in his public
capacity respected and honored him
for his public virtues, his patriotic de-
votion to right, and the high sense of
honor that crowned every public act.
LAS an adviser and counselor he had
no superior. possessing quiet, calm
judgment, broad experience, and a
mind well stored with accumulated in
formation. the result of years of obser-
vation and reflection, coupled with a
delicate sense of right and wrong, his
advice was sought and his wise coun-
sci was received with the respect in
spired by the confidence reposed in the
correctness and accuracy of his judg-
ment.
Thorough and careful in all things,
he was recognized and valued by us as
sound and careful adviser, and his
long and varied experience as county
court clerk furnished him with an
equipment that made him pre-emi-
nently useful as clerk of the board of
supervisors.
"His services as such we're exacting,
and his work was always done with the
scrupulous accuracy characteristic of
him in every other phase of life.
"Some of US can bear testimony to
the fact that during years of associa
tion with him there was never jar OR
ripple of dissatisfaction, either express
ed or understood. His interest in the
work of the board was an absorbing
one, and even when the fatal malady
of which be was the victim frightened
its relentless grasp and debarred him
from NEE ting with us, his continued
interest was manifest by timely sug-
gestions and carefully prepared re-
port of his stewardship as custodian
of county property.
I'm his death, we his associates on
this board, are sensible Of the fact that |
we have experienced personal be-
reavement, the county deprived of the
services of a true, loyal and Jealous
officer, and the country at large pure
and incorruptible citizen.
ut is indeed painful for US who were
associated with him to realize that his
earthly career is ended, and that we
shall in the future be deprived of the
benefit of his wise counsel and his gen.
erous friendship,
LAS we now bid last and long fare
well TO our absent comrade we testify |
that we knew him and respected his
worth, we admired his manly and noble
we appreciated and cherish
ed his warm and generous friendship.
Our farewell does not imply forgetful-
ness, for he will always live in our
memory and affection, though we will,
"Long for the touch OF vanished hand,
And the sound Of voice that is still.''
I'm VIM. A. Burnett as a man, in
his life and death, we have subjects for
reflection, an example to emulate, a
sorrow not to be forgotten, and hope
to be cherished, for he was Christian,
q devout and earnest believer in Christ |
as his Saviour.
"Without ostentation or show, with
the courage of his conviction in relig-
ion as in other things, he carried into
bis everyday life the refining influence
of his profession and the hope and
trust in the existence beyond the fleet
ing present.
Resolved by the board that copy
of the above memorial be sent to the
family Of MI. Burnett, that it be in
scribed on the records of the board,
and that it be published in the county
papers,"
Staunton, Va, Jan. 4. 1900.
q "A . TO RIA.
Bears the n The Kind You Fave Always Bought