Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-07-08
MAJOR JOHN W. DANIEL

uuAOOW WITH W. ONUs6e
The death of Major John W. Daniel,
enior: United States Senator from Vir-
zinia, which occurred at his home
n Lynchburg on Wednesday night at
10 80 O'Clock comes as no surprise or
shock to the people Of the state OF ma
lion. They have for months been
prepared for the sad news which they
saw to be inevitable ever since he was
first stricken in Florida last winter
where ne had gone to recuperate his
failing health.
But whilst his death was expected
it carries with it the same sense OF
loss, and the same deep sorrow il
would have brought at any moment it
should have occurred. The people OF
Virginia were devoted to Senator
Daniel. He typified as no other man
at this time their ideals of soldier
and q statesman,a scholar, an orator,
and a gentlemen In him were COM
oined in harmonious unison those
attributes which in Virginia at least,
fill people with pride and cause them
to follow the leadership Of those men,
whom they delight in honoring and
who they know to be worthy of their
confidence. Senator Daniel has been
the foremost Virginian for years. He
has been elected to the senate of the
United States time after time with
out opposition in his own party, and
on one or two occasions without OPP
position by the opposing party.
There was no one who could even be
mentioned for the senate SO long as
he lived. He had but to appear upon
the stage before a Virginia audience,
and opposition to him ceased. The
state simply desired to know whether
he would accept its offering and his
willingness made known, the Offering
was his. She stood ever ready to lay
her offerings at his feet. He was
never defeated but for one Office. He
ran for Governor in 1881, and was
defeated by Hon. w. E. Cameron the
Readjuster nominee. This only tend
ed to increase his popularity. No man
could have defeated Gov. Cameron
then, and it took nothing from the
luster Of Major Daniels fame to have
failed in that campaign. He was i'm.
mediately afterward elected to con-
gress. In 1887 he was elected to the
United States senate to succeed Gen.
VIM. Malone, and since then no power
in Virginia could have wrenched that
Office from him. He died in harness
with portion of his present term yet
to serve, and six years more ready for
him had he been spared, to have thus
served his country and his state. AS
an orator Senator Daniel had possibly
no equal living The:penple of Virgin
ia had lovingly named him the Lame
Lion of Lynchburg. In that SOU
briquet were combined his soldierly
qualities, because he bore in lis lame.
ness the evidences of his valor-in
the word lion he embodied those
Kingly traits which lift the ordi-
nary being to sphere, where his fell
low men delight to do him honor.
His character fully merited it all.
His broad and statesman like views,
his loyalty to his people and their in
terests, his purify of character, his elo-
quence, his chivalrous manhood, his
classic features, chiseled according to
natures perfect model, his gracious
ur banity, his gentleness in thought
and expression, his sweet resonant
voice and nature filled with the
m ilk of human kindness, drew men
after him, SO that none indeed could
be near him, who did not feel the
magnetism of his being, and warm
instinctively to the man, who was SO
fitted for leadership and confidence