The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-08
The Civilian Leaders Of the Confederacy
By John Goode, Of Virginia.
Sometime Member Of the Confederate Congress Of the Virginia
Secession Convention Of the Congress Of the United States and
President Of the Virginia Constitutional Convention Of l902
By John Goode, Of Virginia.

III
occasion was Roscoe Conklin, OF New
York. man OF powerful intellect rich
Vocabulary and most Impressive de-
livery: and yet. in the opinion of all
who witnessed that great forensic dis
play. Mr. Tucker lost nothing by the
comparison. AS an advocate before the
courts and juries of the country his
powers seemed to be well-nigh mex
haustible and almost irresistible. He
had rare combination of logic. argu-
,,ment, cloguence. pathos and humor that
rendered him always a most valuable
associate and a most formidable an
tagonist.
As Law Teacher.
"As professor of law at WASHINGTON
and Lee University, lie was exceed
Iiigly entertaining. so much 80 that he
never failed to arrest and hold the
closest attention OF his students. All
over this broad land today arc scores
Of young men who revercd him as their
honorcd preceptor and loved him as
father. As popular orator he not
only instructed and entertained tile
people. but he could carry them cap
tive at his will and move them alter
natcIy to laughter and to- tears by his
|inimitable humor and touching pathos.
He did not Indulge in theSstale stump
anecdotes which have doneS service from
time immemorial but his wit sparkled
like champagne. and flowed like re-
f,csfling rivulet from mountainsde.
MY acquaintance with, Mr.. Tucker
lccmmenced whep we met as Democratic
electors IN 1852 to cast the vote Of the
State for Franklin Pierce as President
of the United States. We met again
lin the same capacity in 1856, when We
voted for James Buchanan. But our
relations were never close and init
nate until I had the honor to serve
with him as member Of the House
Iof Representatives in the Forty-fourth,
Forty-fifth and Forty-sixth Congresses
|of the United States.
"He very soon occupied the front
rank in that body as profound think
err, logical debater and eloquent
orator. He was worthy of Virginia
IN the days ot her pristine glory. when
she sent intellectual giants to repre-
sent her in the national councils men
who nodded the thoughts of the peo-
Pile and shaped the destinies of the re-
public. j is not too much to say that
III that slaughter-house of local repu-
tations. when he arose to speak. he Ill
ways commanded the universal atten-
ton OF his associates, and very soon
attracted the admiration of his coun-
trTmer everywhere. Never shall for-
get the encounter between him and
the 'Plumed Knight from Maine They
met IN debate. and after the encounter
was over, by the common consent of
all who witnessed It, Mr.. Tucker had
borne off the aurels from Mr.. Blaine.
" ho was fosman worthy of any man's
steel.
A Strict Constructinnist.
He was by Inheritance an ardent
States rights man. He adhered through
life faithfully to the school of the strict
|constructionists. He believed religious
~ in home rule, and was unalterably
|opposed to the paternal theory of gov
|ernment. He maintained that the Fed
oral Constitution was not made by any
set Of men: that 1t was made by the
States as States, and ,that It was a
compact between co-equal Sovereign
ties. From his earliest manhood he
took especial delight in the study OF
the Constitution. He regarded 1t as
the sheet anchor of our safety and tho
palladium of our liberties. Tle chung
|to 1t as the sfipwrecked mariner would
cling to the last plank when the mid
might storm and tempest are gathering
|about him.
Soon after entering Congress Mr..
Tucker had occasion TO discuss the ma
ture and character of onr complex sys-
tom of government In an elaborate and
exhaustive speech which he delivered
upon the bill making an appropriate
to defray the. expenses OF the Centen-
NAL Exposition. II Mr.. Tucker had
never made another speech. that of
Itself would have been sufficient TO
win for him immortal honor and in
Fscribe his name high up on the roll OF
fame. But perhaps his greatest speech
was that delivered by him In June,
ISIS, upon the tariff question, IN that
|speech he not only exhibited eXtraor-
binary powers of analysis, but damon
|strated conclusively that Congress has
no power under the Constitution to tax
one citizen for the benefit of another.
and that under our system OF govern
nlent the true idea is that every man
should be left to work out his own
destiny without help or hindrance from
government.
A. a Humorlst.
when, in ISIS, Mr.. Tucker, went to
Congress, he promised his friend, Gov
srnor Kemper. that during his con-
gresslonal career he would not tell an
anecdote, but he found u impossible
to keep that promise. One nisht at
d:nner. It was whlsnered ABOUT among
this guests that he would tell a story,
! and after much persuasion he was In
lluced ia tell his famous smelling
bottle story From that time RAN
Tucker was central figure on all
social occasions, and ! never knew a
Inns n who, by his inimitable wit, could
contribute so much 70 the pleasures
ana delights Of social intercourse,
SIT would he objectionable II should
omit Ia make mention Of his beautiful
Christian character. He WAS through
lliya an EARNEST faithful Christian from
conyiction and amtnld that when
Ibis earthly career was ended ha died In
IN. most exultant faith, lie was not
ASHAMED Of the gospelfof Christ, and