West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-03-01

practically unanimous the loyalty
OF his natile county. He was elected
delegate practically without oppo.
sition to represent the Union people
of that county in the Wheeling con.
vention that met in June, 1861,
which restored the loyal government
of Virgingia after the State had
passed the ordinance of secession.
He was later elected a delegate to
the constitutional convention that
met in November Of the same year
and framed the first constitution for
the new State. He was conspicuous
in his ardent advocacy of the ratifi-
cation of that and the later amended
constitution. He was twice elected
State Senator in the new Legisla-
ture to represent Preston, Monon-
gala and Taylor counties. where he
served with credit as a member of
the important committees on finance
and the judiciary. He was described
as "ripe lawyer, possessed of an
acute and logical mind, cool and
self-possessed, and always practical,
conservative and safe. he exerted
much influence among his fellow
Senator's
"He speaks not very often, but
well and very short. He is one of
the most pointed and logical deba-
ters in the Senate; does not say a
word too much or too little, and
nothing that is not right to the
point; his gestures are natural and
forceful, and his enunciation is ex.
ceedingly clear and striking. Mr..
Browns grandfather and grandmoth-
er came from the old country Just
after the Revolutionary war and
in Monongalia (now Pres
TOM county; the former was one of
the
Scots wha ha' W. Wallace bled,'
and the latter was a pearl from the
Gem of the Ocean, the Emerald
Isle"
He inherited the warm heart and
ardent nature of the Irish, tempered
with the hard and practical common
sense of his Scotch ancestry. To
the former he doubtless owed much
of that almost matchless gift of ora
tory that charmed and delighted his
hearers.
His charming style of expression
and nobility of thought may be seen
in the following extract from his
speech delivered at Morgantown on
the Fourth of July, 1876, when a
great multitude gathered to hear
him speak:
"Who will say, standing this day
beneath his country's flag and wit
ness happy people, that the wars,
the tears and the blood of century
have been costly sscrifce7 Who
will say that if it has taken hun.
dred years to give practical interpfe-
tation to the great charter ofAmeri-
can freedom and to present every cit
izen in the year Of jubilee before high
heaven redeemed, disenthraIed and
regeneiated by the spirit of universal
liberty, that the cry will not ere long
be heard from the tops Of the noun
tslns.
'Watchmen5 what Of the night2
and ia ten thousand answering
voices echoing around a ransomed
world the welcome response will be:
The morning cometh to usher in
the meridian splendor Of the Son Of
Righteousness TO whom not only all
the honors Of all the centennial
years Of earth and time but the ex
cellent glory Of the eternal ages be
long
Cold type cannot convey the
rhythm and cadence, the flushed
face, sparkling eye and impressive
gesture that held the audience for
nearly two hours in wrapt silence,
punctuated with cheers and empha-
sized by the tears Of many.
lie was major IN the Virginia
militia from 1858 ill his removal to
Morsantown in 1864 and was with
his regiment at Grafton when called
out in 1868.
For more than half a century he
was consistent member Of the
Methodist Episcopal Church and
his records Of the official board. of
which he was secretary for the
greater part Of that time, are still
preserved and are models Of neat
ness, accuracy and beautiful pen
manship. He vas devout Chris.
tian and exemplifed in his life the
teachings of the Divine Master.