The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-17
A SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND
SERVICES OF COL. JOHN E. PENN
By LUCIAN H. COOKE.

In The speias q 1851. The town .el
Salem became the homo 81 Coaones
John n Penn. The remaining years
Of his life ware spent In the county
and city Of RoAnoks. and this sketch
Of his life ana services y prepared for
the records Of the county. which Ale
ready contain memorials Of many Of
ats citissas whose lives aAA sAASaoters
have aAdsd lussrs 70 the aAnais o. ths
county.
II was here that 10 spent ths period
OF his lnasursA manhood ana this COM
munity was the hsneaeiaxy for many
years Of his r1pens6-sxpsriencs. wise
counsel ana high oharactaE.
Colonel Penn was born In patr1eh
County In the year 1857: was sduea4sd
at Raadolph- Macon College. then To-
Gated In MeckIsahnrg County, and af-
forwards completed his Law stuA1es at
the University Of Virginia Born Of
cultured and Wsll-to.do paredt0. h1s
environments were such - 70 enccur-
age his talents whieh gave early prem
tse Of useful and effective life. By
kinship and contract be was associated
with that character Of live ana Twins
which was typical Of the high ideals
traditional - Virginia ReassA In tbs
atmosphere, his devotion TO the State.
uef pS0Vss S"v 1"ss"~. 49,.
PASSION. ana ""en .ne S..A 49,. -
s'se eSSrese1on en ~ -
fesponoed WIN more sur
enthusiasm. no one more ready to sAcr!-
nee his life. II need be. 10 protect thu
rights OF the Commonwealth ~
guaranteed by that Constitution which
virginia's statesmen had been potent
factors In establishing
HIS earlier years were spent du1ns
she most exciuns ana momentous Pc
saod OF our national Afs. and. thougn
young. he did, not TAIL 70 tAks account
OF and Be party to the stirring incl
dents which were desdnsd 10 cuaminAte
In the essat struggle In wnich ne was
TO PARTICIPATE
In polteica he al1ned himself early
In lie with ths WhiG party. which
had held Dominating position IN VIZ
gfnis Tor many years In spite % ies W
success In natfonal elactSons. Its lDaty
and pstsfotie Ideals. ~ ven a. the
high character Of fts lsadssA appealed
most strongly 10 the cultured and edu-
catssl youth Of the STATE. In college
debate he had been IN aAvocato Of the
doctrines and theories Of govern
mental powers ana oonstltutlonal
limitations ana construcf3ons Dromui-
gated and maintklnsd tor % many
years by Henry Clay with q courage
trflItancy and pcrsistency unequaNed
in the history OF American statesman
ship. By the time. however,. he became
m active participant In the a6airs OF
the state there was left only . frag-
nent OF the party whose PRINCIPLES
he had chsrtshsd from early youth.
Political conditions then wsrs fast
approaching q crisis, whsn the issues
that had divided the nation into
parties vera to be swept away and
new alignns established. The presi-
oentisi election. 1850 was at hand.
The Northern sts,ss had nominated
Lincoln. and the South felt that the
glove had bees thrown into the arena.
She did not hesitate moment and
WAS ready to take It up. Blu. what
was TO be virginta's attitude IN this
crisis: All eyes were turned 90 ICE
When the votes were poiied sne 10
said that the Cons.nu.'on anu n".. ' ne
Union were sacred tiuss .ns nss.sv
preserves. ana tn.., IL. ca..ss..ssr.
process ptosIoeo ~ * h.N
and WITHIN .ns o'oH 49, c",,roversv
largely cOHSSruCIG0s GNGKy COhSsVvS%OS