The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-30

10 legal literature. II has passed
through five editions and remains to-
day the great exposition OF its theme
rival. Men who know Daniel by this
book only, regret that he abandoned
the law for the seductions of politics.
and believe that IL he had been faith
full to his first mistress, his fame as
a jurist would have surpassed his re-
nown as senator.
Hia Clash with Csmeren.
II was not TO be expected. however,
ers. living In an epoch when all the de-
fenses OF civilization In the South
seemed to be threatened, summoned
BY his fellow citizens to Lead , them
Independence, could withhold his hand.
He served in the House OF Delegates
of Virginia from 1859 to 1879, and In
the State Senate from 1874 to 1881:
the State debt had by that time be-
come the vital problem Of Virginia
politics. The read5usters among the
the Republicans, promulgated a plan
for the forcible scaling down OF the
bonded debt of Virginia and selected
as their candidate for Governor a vir-
ents. and aggressive eloauence-wil-
liam e. Cameron, OF Petersburg, Vir-
ginia. The regular Democrats turned
to Daniel. who. under the compulsion
the leadership of forlorn hope. The
campaign which followed was the most
thrilling in the political history of
Virginia The abiest men II, the Com.
monweaith threw Themselves, heart and
soul into the struggle. and Daniel led
his forces with knightly courtesy and
magnetic eioquence. Men crowded In
which he spoke. and hung entranced
upon his golden periods. He was no
match for Cameron in the rough and
tumble contests Of the stump, nor did
gressive adversary on the low plane
Of sophisticai argument and equivocai
honesty. Daniel lifted the debate into
the high air of spotless honor and
IT as to win not the votes OF hts coun-
trymen in the pending election, but
the deathless allegiance of their con-
sciences and their souls. The result of
eron became the Governor OF vir-
ginia: Daniel became the leader and
commander Of the virginians. From
that day forward Their. wa, no office
trust. or honor. or emoiument-which
John Daniel could not have had for the
asking. From that day forward there
vas no platform IN Virginia which the
without evoking storm OF loving APP
plause.
Even before the end OF Cameron's
term Daniels reward came to him. He
was elected to Congress in 1884 and
served In the House OF Representa-
tives from 1885 to 1887. In 1856 he was
promoted to the United States Senate
and was reelected in 1892. in 1898. in
1904: and last In 1910, the year OF his
death. he was chosen by unanious
vote for a fifth term of six years.
When he died he was the ranking
member of the Senate, and
in that august body there were only
four men who could show q longer
period Of continuous service. No other
Virginian in all history had ever ap-
preached this record. what State has
ever more richly recompensed the de-
feated advocate of a lost cause? It Is
pleasant to record here a brief extract
from the beautiful eulogy. which ap-
peared In the Norfolk virgtnian the
after Daniels death, and to
know that this just and eloquent tri-
butte came from the pen of his old time
adversary. Ex-Governor William E.
Cameron.
Tribute from Old Opponent.
Daniels brilliant record as a SOL
der. his commanding figure and classic
face his mellowness OF tongue and
grace of gesture and a gift of oratory
which lacked no essential quality OF
natural grace or cultured finish
all these bespoke for him initial popu-
larity; but neither one nor all of these