The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-03-02
SWANSON PAYS
TRIBUTE TO DANIEL

Senate today. devoted to memorable
ing the late Senator John w. Daniel.
Senate Feb. 20, devoted to memorable
first speech. paying a tribute to the
! deceased statesman. He said, in part:
Mr.. President: IL is with profound
misgivings that L undertake 10 make
a fitting tribute of the character. the
worth, the achievements, and the ge-
MUS of the Nlustrious lawyer, orator.
statesman and soldier in whose mem
DRY these memorial exercises are held.
I realize that L can but feebly express
the great sorrow entertained by the
people or Virginia at his untimely
| death, and their deep love and admit
ration, mingled with q profound rever-
| ence, for his splendid virtues, his va
| ried and brilliant achievements OF
ali the eminent public men who have
adorned and illumined the history OF
| virginia none OF them ever had a
| longer career or success and approval;
none or them ever retained more con-
unuously the abiding and Astounding
love OF her people. He was so en-
trenohed In the confidence and afec-
ton OF the people OF Virginia that no
| faction dared to assail him. no de-
nands Of partisan politics could in
duce even the most reckless and IN
scrupulous to attack him For more
than q decade the clouds and storms
Of party and political strife have been
unable to reach the lofty heights TO
! which the esteem and the love OF the
Virginia people lifted him.
In Virginia be stood pre-eminent
! above all others, surrounded with q
halo or universal love. admtration and
reverence. He had worthily won this
rare. peculiar place and this high dis
tnction from his native State, No
Virginian who ever lived had heart
stirred with purer patriotism or
thrilled with a deeper love for Virginia
than Senator Daniel
From early manhood to the hour of
his death. In peace. in war, ia the dar k
hours OF her gloom and defeat. this
devoted son OF Virginia firmly. faith
fully and fearlessly served her. Viz
wrongs were his wrongs: her failures
his failures; her success was his sue
cess In his deep. passionate nature
famed an eternal love for his State.
Though defeated twice IN his efforts
to be Governor Of Virginia and twice
in his efforts to become a member OF
the House OF Representatives. yet he
did not despair, and By his conduct
and magnificent bearing in the hours
. Of defeat proved himself worthy OF
success. acquired the confidence Of the
, people and captivated their affections
until he obtained every honor and dis
tInctiOn that Virginia could bestow and
]
Der OF this honorable body. Thus
alike In defeat and in victory. he dis
! played his pre-eminence and great
! ness.
Senator Daniel was a man OF posi-
tive convictions, and without shadow
of turning adhered firmly and steadily
TO his party's tenets. For more thar
thirty years he was one or the ablesi
and most eloquent defenders OF Dem
ocratic principles In this nation. On
: 4 -. H. ha L.
islative halls Of State and nation nc
was the bold. brave champion OF DS-
mocracY-Qpe Of its acknowledged and
most Beloved leaders. In his early
life when rejected repeatedly BY the
Democratic party, he mHnfully acQui-
esced. never sulked or swerved from
party fealty. He proved himself toe
good and too great man 10 desert
his people because they failed &c
crown him king.
Senator Daniel was = man Of IN
finchlng courage and intrepid spirit
When the War Between the States
commenced he was a youth OF nine
teen years; yet SO ardent was his pa
triotism so brave his heart, so reso-
lutte his will that he at once vOlun-
teered and was commissioned as {
second lieutenant in the Twenty sew
enth Virginia Regiment. part OF ths
StOnewall Brigade. Nothing can h
2 more heroic, no picture more strik'
.
, youth charging with the Twenty-sev-
I eth Virginia Regiment at the Battle
Of First Manassas, and aiding In win
ming that great victory which made
the name of StOnewan jackson i'm
= mortal / shall ever remember the
vivid descriptions 1 have heard him
give of his experiences In this ter
rife battle-his first baptism In blood
! and war. His gallantry. his courage
; his aptitude for war soon won hin
1Fcsf D.
promotion; he became major and chic
. OF staff for General Jubal A. Early
lie displayed special skill and gal
lantry as "a stan officer at BOOnesbor,
and at Sharpsburg, the fierCest and
blOodieSt battle OF the war. he alSC
rendered conspicuous service as chic
OF General EarlV's stan iu Genera
Lees second invasion Of Maryland
which eliminated in the Battle O,
Gettysburg.
During his three years OF continu.
Gus service In the Confederate Army
- he participated in the campaigns o
| the Army OF Northern Virginia
= shared all OF its priVations and dan
} gers. fought CALAMITY in It's fierce anC
stu bhOrn battles. winning daily new
% hOnors for devotion TO duty. FOR cOur.
age and gal!antIy- During the ser
vice he received four wounds, the las
T one being OF a serious and dangerous
nature, which made him a cripple anC
= |
his death. ON the Sth OF May, 1864
during the Battle OF the Wilderness
recognizing that an emergency existed
and believing that the troops seeded
a mounted officer TO lead them on 8
. difficult and perilous charge, thousl
II was not his duty, he volunteered
and was calamity leading the Thirty
third Regiment OF the old Stonewal
, Brigade when he was dangerously
wounded, his thigh being shattered by
the bV IS OF the enemy. Thus THU
hero ~ wounded while his com.
rades mSrcoed on to victory inspired
by his gRllak&Ty and genius Thh
wound rendered nm useless for actfv,
service ia the held. But for thi,
wound there IS every rs&son-So beIiev,
that en- account OF his high rspntx.
ton. his splendid record, his gaifSAa
try and genius for war, he would VerS
soon have been promoted TO briGa-
dier general, possibly the younges. in
the Confederate Army"
Time will not permit me to emu
merate the many bsnencent laws
which his MIND conceived, his hand
wrote. and had enacted for the bet
torment OF the people of Virginia.
Suffice it to say that though his ser
vices in the legislative halls OF his
State We're limited