The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-12
tNo o.,
THOMAS $. BoCOCK.

the purer and better days OF the re
public. when 1t was not customary 70
candidate for public office to seel
y the office, but the Office always sough
the man. When the people desired L
call public man into their service
they met together ut the courthouse
or some other public place and mad
known their wishes. AS a general rule
they were complied with. Now the can
didate seeks the Office In season ant
out of season. He goes about TIL,
country advertising his own merit ant
endeavoring to prove that of ALI the
men named he is the best fitted FOL
the place.
How different 1t was in the days OF
Thomas Jefferson and George Mason
and other great fathers of tho republic!
1t is well known that these great lead
ers of the people frequently declined
Federal office in order that thy might
serve their own people. And how DIFF
ferent It is to-day! Under the present
centralizing tendencies of the govern
ment. all eyes are turned towards
Washington, and the State finds it al
most impossible to get suitable men
who are willing to represent them.
Mr.. Bocock was educated In another
school, and brought up under q differ
cnt regime. When he was elected to
the General Assembly of Virginia, the
man did not seek the office, but the
Office sought the man. az in the good
old days. He was born in Bucking-
ham county, oNa., May 16, 1916. He
graduated at Hampton Sidney College.
one of the oldest institutions OF learn
ing in the State, in 1885. studied law
with his brother. Hon. Willis p. Bo-
cock. and began practice Of his pro-
fession at AppomattoX Courthouse. He
was elected attorney for the Common
wealth in his county. He was elected
member Of the House of Representa-
tives and continued to serve his people
in that capacity until 1851, when the
state of Virginia withdrew from the
Union. While a member of the House
of Representatives he acted as chair
man of the Committee on Naval AZ
fairs for several successive terms. AZ
ter the war, he was again called upon
to represent his people In the House
of Delegates of Virginia, and felt 1t
to be his duty to serve Them although,
on account of his prominence. he might
have been again elected to the House
of Representatives. While member
of the House of Delegates he was one
of the authors of the bill known as
the Bocock- Fowler bill, a measure de-
signed to relieve the people, as far as
possible, from the burdens of taxation
during the period of reconstruction.
He was also sent as delegate to the
National Democratic Conventions held
in 1853, 1876 and 1850. He also acted
at one time as special counsel of tho
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. and
also of the Richmond and Allegheny
Railroad.
AS ie"ec'''Aer'
He was of most kind and genial
disposition and brought sunshine
wherever he went. 1t is said that dur
Ing his service in Congress. he was
frequently called upon to act as paci-
ficator between other members and
bring about terms of adjustment. In
the list of Beatitudes as summed up
by the Saviour of mankind in the
Sermon on the Mount, we are told that
'blessed are the peacemakers, for
they shall be called the children of
Cod What higher commission could
possibly be bestowed upon mortal
man.
AS a specimen of his STYLE as a |
sneaker in the House of Representa-
tiyes. I subjoin a portion of his speech
made in the House of Rcpresentatives
on the Sth day OF March, 1858. He
said.
"rhe sneech Of nv friend and COL
league. like all his performances, and,
perhaps. in a greater degree than any
of them heretofore. was able and in
Eenious. The onward sweep of his
4
pa1a k1ava.,hnt + saw win al, resnact
that in INV humble judgement Il led |
IN no more ,snful or yniua hla resu1t
What sir was the great Iesson taurht !
nv tbe sneech ~ INV col1earneo Ono
MIGHT ham sunnosed for a ,.,omnnt
that bi.' dcssirn wa. 70 enforce mnon
+ha ,ttantion ~ tho Eronsa ~. f,nt
mat in acrenting the Kans,,s-N a,,raslsa
hiil IN 1874 tSe Sontb did not cot
al al 70 witch Il vas entit, cd Iff haa
heen satisfied that his was Tho mr. ,
nosa andSintent;on NJ nv, oo,,ear,,n
should not have felt called mon 70 re.
nIv 70 II Rnt IN view of thc entirc
speech and ali the circumstances sur
rounding 1t. that ,supposition cannot be
maintained Then, Mr.. Chairman, could
1t be that my worthy friend and COL
league feltlhimself called upon to eN-
pend so much ingenuity and ability.
and to give us so fine a display OIL
dialectics for the purpose of proving
that he foresaw- all the evils which
have occurred in Kansas. and that|
they are the legitimate and proper re-
suits of the Kansas Nebraska biljqI
ilc;r H.. ,,Lo. ,;,,s ro- l;,,.a,e 49,