The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-03
Ia "Lifc Of Nathaniel Macon"
BY Professor Dodd, Of Ran
dolph- Macon College.
rHE BOHEMIAN IN LONDON

- n #. H L .
Ha1dane Macfall; a Collec-
ton Of Notes and Essays, by
Thomas Bailey Aldrich; The
January Magazines and What
They Contain; A Short Chap
ter on Books and Authors.
rup LIFE OF NATHANIEL MACON.
BY william e. Dodd. Professor Of His
tory, Randolph-Aincon College, Pub
lislred by Edwards 6 Broughton. RAJ
leigh. NJ c.
Tt is appropriate that a professor OF MS
tory In Randolph Macon College shoule'
write biography, even an admiring ana
npologetlo one Of Nathaniel Macon. THIS
n. Dodd has done IN manner which
entities him to be fairly remunerateu lot
},ia labor OF love. It still excites thought.
nj a formally did, how and why these
two names. distinguished ms they are
came to be united IN the title OF a lead-
Ing and growing Methodist college. our
author answers this pregnant question:
When the name was given IN 1881 there
may have been some speculation IN Il.
Il But neither OF the nam esakes over pc
came benefactor OF the colieee' louno-
I'd specially for the purpose OF advancing
Christian education." Neither belonged
4 to any church. but Macon was Baptist.
and Randolph, according to Prof Dodd,
',rather leaned to the Presbyterian COL
y lege Hampden- Sidney, OF his own coun.s
tyr Prof. Dodd says that Charlotte was
Randolph's boosted county; and does he
not transplant Hampden- Sidney IN Ghar-
lotte? Beth Randolph and Macon were.
I he says. card players In Washington, but
not such inveterate ones as Clay nnd
webster. Macon lost his sweetheart.
whom he staked on game of cards; but
she afterwards became his WIFE, and he
cxised her from society by founding for
her on the less desirable part OF his pat
rimony, This beloved Buck SPRING, with
The humane sentiment that mo one ought
10 have a neighbor near enough for either
10 hear tina others dogs bark.
Macon was born in North Carolina,
December II. 175S. and died at Buck
Spring June 2e, 1887. in his seventy-ninth
year, having been a widower for many
years. His ancestry were Huguenots in
France as early as 1921: they came to
New Kent county. Va, in 1850, and re-
moved to North Carolina In the early
$thirties OF the eighteenth century anu
took I'D lands on Shocco Creek. name
very familiar also In Richmond. Whilst
Il young Macon Uas a student at Princeton,
he had short service as soldier, but
returning home kept out OF the army for
two years studying law. At length he
-cE..sted, May u, 1850, refusing both boun-
& ty End q commission. and was at the bat
r,is. OF Camden. Being elected to the
sznate Of the State, he did not take his
rat at once, and became such staunch
patriot that It is said ne was In favor OF
very severe measures towards the Tories.
He now had long and continuous pub
lie career of fortytwo years. He was IN
the House of Representa- tives in Congress
for twenty-nine years and in the United
& States Senate for eight years. He was
Intense in his local patriotism and
welded a potent influence in all the nf-
fairs OF his native State. He was not
always consistent, but was so firm and
Independent that he sometimes ran within
the confines OF obStinacy and narrowness.
AS successor to Jefferson, he preferred
Monroe TO Madison. but the foreign.born
Gallatin to both. He never got his choice
and had to put up with Madison before
Monroe.
II is hoped that the students OF HIS
tory at Randolph Macon will not concur
VIA Prof. Dodd In his treatment OF Mr.
mild pacific" Well. he was milder than
Macon. but not more opposed to war than
no, II SO mich. HIS saw the necessity Of
the war TT 1872 as soon as Macon old. "
not sooner. and got the start Of the
Pe.ce Commission. which the opponents
OF the war were preparing.
But Prof. Dodd goes still further. speaks
OF MadIson's closing his head" and says
Madison, fine old lady. occupied the
cI,nir tfWhiIe half
members OF Republican Congress were
Z bowling down before the throne OF the
new power ETC., they were only show
ing their Enllantry: for there was q fine
lady," not then old, on tho throne Of tho
White House, Mrs. Dolly Madison. and
4 she held her sway In Washington long
after the death of her husband. She had
Is for him a better designation than that OF
Prof Dodd. She styled him her great
& Etue man. Yet Prof. Dodd dares to dub
az "a fine old woman the father OF our
Federal Constitution. and the zero Of its
ratification by Virginia. against the
scorchlng and flaming eloquenco OF the
Forest born Demosthencs Of America"
N,4.at a splendid young woman Madison
nust have been. when he, like Macon.
was at Princeton College preparing there
and elsewhere for the exalted positions
to which her admiring and trusting
oountrymen called her. OH ungallant
Prof Dodd
When the question Is asked: WAS Ma
con statesman" Prof. Dodd replies:
"IIe was a Southern statesman in the
sectional sense. and the giving OF his
name to counties and towns all over the
South shows that he was SO recognized
This Is all that this very imperfect yet
some what painstaking, story OF his life
justifies the author In claiming for him.
After his retirement from the United
States Senate, MIR. Macon exerted himself
In securing the election Of President Van
Buren. and presided in 1885 over State
Constitutional Convention, but voted
against their work. lie gave directions
for his funeral and burial and paid the
expenses In advance. He was inferred al
Buck Spring, on barren knoll, and his
grave covered with pile OF flint rocks
which Is his only monument.
Z POuKAPOG PAPERS-By Thomas Bal
ley Aldrich. Published by Houghton
Mifnn &; Company, OF Boston. Price
500
Mr. Aldrlch's new volume Is a collec
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