Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-05-28
TRIBUTES TO A
GREAT YIRGINlAN.

The unwilling of the statue of John
Warwick Daniel at Lynchburg We'd
nesday was not only a great event IN
that city. but it has animated thous-
ands in the Old Dominion who, while
absent in the flesh were present in
spirit. Virginia since colonial days
has been adding to her galaxy OF
the great, and in his early man
hood it was apparent that Daniel was
destined for pedestal in the Hall Of
Fame. Professor William NJ. Thorn
ton, of the University Of Virginia, de-
livered the Grafton. 1t was listened
to with close attention and, being
published in full, is being read with
interest everywhere.
John Warwick Daniel welded
power over an audience possessed by
but few men. His flights Of oratory
were electrical and his auditors bent
forward to catch his words. He often
appeared in Alexandria, and the an
nouncemcnt that he was coming al
ways filled Armory Hall, the Opera
House, or the Confederate Veterans
banqueting hall.
He delivered the Grafton at the died.
ication of the Washington Monument
February %, 1885. and many Alexan-
drians and people from the surround
ing country walked to Washington on
that occasion.
During the memorable campaign Of
1883 John S. Barbour was the CHAIR
man of the state democratic commit
tee with his headquarters in Alexan-
dria. Daniel was the Patrick Henry
of that day when the democratic
party was passing through it's or
deal. William Malone headed the
readjuster party which then dom;re
ted Virginia. The political general
sim of Barbour and the ,.loquencc of
Daniel brought the party from the
cloud which had settled over it and
wrestcd the Old Dominion from The
hands of tire organization which had
!ten at the head cf its affairs for
four years.
The Presidential compaign of the
following war, which resulted i'll the
election of Grover Cleveland, afforded
Daniel and Barbour another oppor-
tunity to display their powers The
former was rewarded with Senator
ial toga and the same honor was la
ter conferred upon Barbour.
Many now living remember the
appearance of Daniel in the Opera
House after the triumph of the demo-
cratic party in the Presidential cleo
ton. The audience at times lost
their heads. The speaker was at his
best and his flow of soul entranced
his hearers. The gallery was packed
with ladies whose enthusiasm was
mbounded The speaker while at
times pathetic, manifested also q
vein of humor, and as an answer
to the complaints of some that the
party was not using the official axe
fast enough, Daniel told the yarn
about the farmer who was using Il
stump extractor. One of his neigh
bors told him he was working the
instrument slowly. The farmer re-
piled, eyes, but | don't want to
break it..
Towards the close Of his address
he referred to the labors of the demo
cratic party during the two score
years it had been in the minority.
at had gradually advanced he
said, until it has now reached its
goal. Like climbing the Black Noun
tain, the ascent is rough and tortu
Gus, but when once the summit III
reached. the atmospheric becomes
serene, the stars of heaven gllmmcr
while below is the beautiful vale o.
Cashmere.
Prof. Thornton toward the close o.
his Grafton said:
"This august bronze will figure fol
coming generations, or your children
not Daniel alone but that earlier ag'
of which Daniel was the essentia
product and the latest flower. Whel
the time comes to assess his valu
as statesman, to weigh and to mea
sure his gift and his genius, he mus
be compared not with the men OF HI
own epoch, but with the statesmen Q
that earlier day. If the speaker wer
required to, place ain. in that s;rea
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