The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-21

ThotOb " Foster
Judge Samuel W. Williams was borni in the county of Henry January H.
llS4S, mi when a mere infant III father moved to Pittsylvanfa, where young
Williams ws raised att he old homestead on Sandy river. In the winter of
1886 Ne Joined Company {, Fifth Virginia Cavalry, n served anti tn
gagged ron Five Forks. to the right OF Petersburg, to Appomattox. and re-
turning home. he tool VI the white man burden and went to work as
la lahorer oil the farm. At his early x h determined To, study law. n
borrowed law books from the lteH Richard w. Lyle m Colonel George Z
ICabeM, OF h city of Danvile. In h faH OF 1858 he hd nad such prog
ress as enabled him TO attend n session of the law school at the unver
sHy afer which he went to Southwest Virginia an established himself in
the count II Bland where for a while he taught school N rs soon IS
possible commenced he practice of la in that county. A little over one
year after he nae been in IN county he vas elected Attorney for TIL Com
lmonvsaith. M continued IN ts office for more than ten years onsecutVeiy
and u y TO hi day his great pride Is that soon aer ms ehN'fh ne SUE
Iceeded in driving every barroom out of tn county, III thereh has not beena
barroom in h county since In 1895 ne ws elected to the Senate If Virginia
whereh e made a record IF which his ftends were Justly proud. He served
lon tn Committee OF Revision, N along with Judge O a. buohahah ad
others. helped to revise III Code If 1887.
He was after wards elected Judge Oh the Circuit Court, n served or four
years At h call of his party ne resigned TIL judgeship to lead the forlorn
hight As h nominee Of the Democratic party TO Congress in M Ninth con
ticket, having been m OF the electors who voted for President cleveland
when he vas first elected; in 1908 was a Democratic ehctor at large n vas
president of the Electoral College. -
In 1909 he vas elected Attorney General of the State, and has discharged
the duties 4 that office with remarkable ability. In a word, he has beena
Progressive Democrat for more than twenty long years. n was hghtng the
battles Of the party along those lines when other Democrats who are low
opposing him were following Palmer n Buckner other ideas noste 10
the true Democratic faith, IN onxictens nw expressed ny MN on Inc
are n he favors a united Democracy and is opposed to Ill fac-
uons and factonansm in the party ranks; he stand for united party rgani
zation. and is N favor of that line or policy which would ante eVers Demo-
in tn State in favor of supporting the administration OF President VIII
son In hts administration 81 the office o. Attorney Genera he ma hd 70
deal with a great many very weighty matters n important cases involvfng
great principles and Of great interest to the Commonwealth During MS Id
lminktraton h lions standing debt onrover between the state IF Virginia
N West y1rginia has been so far brought to a successful determination hat
the Supreme Court has rendered an opinion in favor of the State # Virginia
against West Virginia for a sun aggregating owe seven million dollars.
He la conducted many other important matters of litigation and las set
tied man important principles in favor of the State which will b u gwat
tight for ehciency and economy in the administration # tn educational
affairs of this State