The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-03-02

in full realization OF the important
ana tar-reaching bearings. he was ex-
celled by none.
by his services In the Senate he ac-
CURED national reputation for
craftsmanship. ability. courage OF con-
ylctions. and sCundness Of Judgment.
Inc esteem and admiration entertain
ed for him were extensive with our
National Government. III he had lived
IN some other section OF this country
besides the South many years ago he
would have been nominated on the
Democratic ticket for the presidency.
with splendid chances of success. He
possessed those qualities OF mind
heart and will which would have
made a great Presidential company
Tor the illustriOuS VirginianS who had
so well filed this high and exalted
position. At the Chicago convention
In 1896, so profound and extensive
was the esteem and admiration OF the
Democratic party for him that he
could easily have had the nomination
for Vice President II he would have
accepted II. He unselhshly waved this
honor aside for what he believed was
TO the best interest OF his party.
In all that constitutes true, broad
statesmanship Senator Daniel was
pre-eminently endowed, and IL Vir-
ginia had been as potential in this
nation as she was in former times
possessing as he did the universal
confidence and admiration OF his ma
tive State. he would have attained pO-
siuon as high and influence as great
as that welded by the illustriOus Vir-
ginians In the early days Of this re-
public In character and capacity he
measured up 20 these great men.
MI President, as great and varied
as were these endowments. yet ma
ture had given him other gifts richer
and rarer. He possessed the divine
power OF eloQuence- He gave new
Braces TO speech: taught new charms
to elo1uence- His brilliant. flashing
eyes, his stirring masculine voice, his
apt and beautiful gestures, his ex-
CuiSite expressive features, beaming
with fire. intelligence. and genius
gave him a charm and power Of ora
tory rarely surpassed. He was equal
ly the master OF pathos and humor
He could reason with irresistible logic
TO the court and afterwards easily
draw tears from the jury by a pas
sionate appeal He was equally at
home In the rough and tumble con-
hicts on the hastings or In the dig
nified debates OF the Senate He could
deliver a literary address of great
beauty and elegance and afterwards
discuss a great constitutional question
with majestic flow OF thought and
intellect His literary taste was un-
excelled; his Illustrations original and
impressive; his diction pure and
classic. His addresses were broadly
and splen1idly conceived and beau
tfully executed.
His addresses unwilling the Lee
Monument at Lexington. Va. and the
Washington Monument In this city
are masterpieces, and viii be read and
studied as long as eloquence Is cher
ished. These two orations. in beauty
equal TO any OF his generation. His
address upon the Battle OF Gettys-
! burg In vtvidness. ClearneSS and elO-
Quence OF description cannot be sur
passed His addresses upon the life and
character Of Jefferson Davis and TO
the Congress OF the United States
commemoratLng the centennial Of the
I building Of Washington would alone
place him in the first rank as an ora
tor. EhoQgh his lips are now silent.
he VIII eIoQuently Speak t0 genera
lions yet 10 come In the splendid
classical orations which will be pre-
served as part of the best speci-
mems or the eloQuence OF his genera
ton.
Mr.. President. these many and
varied brilliant qualities were COM
olned with great soundness Of judy
ment and great political sagacity
Ere he attained the age OF forty he
became the acknowledged leader of
the Virginia Democracy. which no.
sitiOn he held unimpaIred and undls-
puted until his death. So wise was his
| counsel so sagacious his Judgment
/ that in oil these years OF leadership
he never lost but one political bat
tie. and that was In 1881. which de-
Ieat he quickly repaired. and from
that time on he led his party To con-
tlnuous victories and triumphs For
the last thirty years he drew nearly
every platform Of the Democratic par-
| " or his State. Thus beneath his brill
llaht, shining qualities were embedded
Il naW
dom These qualities enabled him 10
successfully encounter great political
storms and upheavals. and be homer
ca with the rare distinction OF be-
ing elected five times to this honor
sition.