The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-07-07
Richmond Times-Dispatch.

John Warwick Daniel has passed
and Virginia mourns. His gifted
tongue is still, his impassioned ora
tory dumb, his true spirit has re-
turned to the source of all Truth. He
lives in the memory of his friends and
in the gratitude of the people whom
he served, but his achievements are
the heritage of the Commonwealth.
The career OF Senator Daniel was
an epic of the South Born under
the sunshine of the old regime and
bred in the Virginia which none could
picture as he could, he inherited that
which was best and nOblest and most
chivalrous from our fathers. Thus
equipped, and endowed by Heaven
with high gifts, he threw himself into
the struggle of the South against the
domination OF Northern fanaticism,
and he fought with the bravest of
the brave. On the staff of General
Early, in score OF great engage
ments-wherever the banners of Lees
armies went and wherever the dan
ger was greatest there was he
Coming from that struggle bearing
none but honorable scars, crippled
and disfgured he stood, with a
thousand of his peers, by the old Or
der and swore to build Virginia
that was nobler and more stable than
the Commonwealth SO ruthlessly de-
stroyed. In this work, as lawyer, as
historian and as Confederate editor
Of The Times Dispatch, he never fall
tered. His work was his life. Pre-
pairing himself for the law, he. found
a ready hearing in the courts of the
Commonwealth, and rose, by rapid
steps, to the summit of his profes-
sion. Profound in his legal knowl-
edge and exact in his information,
his grasp of the law appears best in
his published legal text books. Few
knew better the fundamental princi.
pies of our common law, and few
were better versed in the statute law
of the Commonwealth. At the baI
he was courteous to his opponents
but convincing in his logic and ir.
resistible in his pleading.
Thus far, Senator Daniel had lived
the life OF the average able Virginian,
determined to redeem the old State
from the horrors Of the war and in
tent upon restoring her citizenship to
it's high plane before the nation. But
this-the private redemption OF a
great pledge-was not to be the life
work of the Senator. His labors
were to be most fitly rewarded in an.
other field, and his genius was to
shine out more transcendingly when
he entered public life. A devoted
people sent him first to the Assembly
and finally prevailed on him to ac.
cept the nomination for the Govern
orship.
Senator Daniel entered a campaign
against Governor Cameron at a eriti-
cal time. The Democrats were split
and divided by faction as they had
not been since the days OF Hunter
and Wise. The great question of the
State debt had arrayed former
friends against each other, and had
given the gall OF bitterness to a con-
test between fair rivals in a clean
field. Senator Daniel lost The peo-
pie, by their action and their vote,
showed that they preferred William
E. Cameron and the principles for
which he stood to the beloved Lame
Lion. Returned to his people Sena.
tor Daniel spent no time in repinin9,
but was soon called into public life
again.
! From the date of his first election
to Congress until the time Of his
death yesterday, Senator Daniel was
where he could do the greatest good
for the people he served. His talents
had ample play, his genius had full
scope. He had the opportunity and
he had the ability.
How well he has fulfilled bis public
tdsk, and how he had merited the
love and admiration OF all true Vir.
ginians will not appear until all bis
friends and admirers have had time
to pay their tribute to his worth; but
it is safe to say that no man, In the
long scroll of Virginia's famous sons
who have sat under the dome OF the
Capitol, was more admired by friends
and foes and more honored in the
councils of the nation.
AS an orator, when in his prime,
Daniel was the peer OF any. None but
the daring ever ventured reply 10
his speeches, and none but the foolish
ever crossed him when, inspired by
his theme, he rose majestic i'm his dig
nifty, to voice the opinions OF his
State on great questions OF national
life. He was recognized as the most
finished speaker in the Senate, and as
one OF the few true orators who ever
held Office under the government oil
the United States.
John ". Daniel was as unialtering
| in his politics as he was loyal in his
devotion to Virginia and brilliant in
| his defense OF her rights. He was a
Democrat who never sanctioned the
clap-trap OF populism and never sac
rifced his convictions to the demands
OF tawdry opportunism. When the
Bryan movement came Senator Dan
lei accepted the inevitable, not un
mindful OF what democracy had beer
and not hopeless OF what it might be
when wise counsel prevailed.
Virginia admired this exalted typt
OF craftsmanship and honored him
who exemplified it; but the State
loved as well the manhood shown in
his every act and revered him for it
John w. Daniel breathed the trut
spirit OF Southern chivalry, with al
the grace OF the perfect gentleman
He was urbane and gracious to all
4 l. II l.. Al i IL, III kHfe