was, was a prominent lawyer of his county and a member of the Virginia convention that framed its constitution in 1829 and 1830, and later a Representative in Congress. His kinsman, Philip Pendleton Barbour, was Speaker of the House of Representatives and an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Another kinsman, James Barbour, was governor of Virginia during the war of 1812, and served as Senator of the United States, Secretary of War, and minister to Great Britain. Others of the same family have made noteworthy names in legal, literary, political, and business circles.

JOHN S. BARBOUR early in life developed the ambitious tendencies and large capacities of the family to which he belonged. After being well prepared in the schools of his native county he attended lectures at the University of Virginia for three years, and graduating in the school of law in 1842 entered immediately upon the practice of his profession. A few years later, in 1847, he became a member of the house of delegates of Virginia. He was reëlected in 1849, and served altogether in this capacity for four consecutive sessions.

In 1851 his capacity for business was recognized in his election by a well-nigh unanimous vote of the stockholders to the position of president of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad Company, an organization chartered to build a railroad from Alexandria to Gordonsville-a distance of 88 miles. It was in this occupation that he found his life-work. Under his administration the railroad was not only built according to its early projection, but was extended across the Commonwealth to the North Carolina line, and from time to time various lateral branches of nearly 500 miles of aggregate length were constructed; and he continued for thirty-three years, until December the 20th, 1884, the president of the company of which he well might be called the father.

Resigning the railroad service in 1884, he received from all

who had been associated with him in his labors testimonials of the utmost respect and appreciation. The directors of the company entertained him at a dinner at the Union League Club in New York and presented him with a silver service, accompanied with a beautifully engrossed series of resolutions testifying their regret at his retirement. What seemed to be more touching to his feelings was the tribute paid him by the employés of the company who contributed one day's wages to purchase for him a handsome watch. His parting with the officials and employés was characterized by every incident' tending to mark the affectionate regard in which he was held by them all, and we may well believe that he spoke the simple truth when he said to them:

If the tongue fail in responsive eloquence my heart is full of appreciation. I would remember with grateful feelings the constant kindness with which I have always been treated, and I will ever keep this token as a memorial of my connection with you. My railroad life is my pride. While I have received other honors, while I have enjoyed the confidence of my fellowcitizens in counties and districts in various ways in my past career, I take most pleasure and satifaction in the hours I spent in the business connection with you, to which I have devoted the best years of my past. In these years of service I have formed associations with the men in the service of the company which I shall never forget. In this work and in this company I have found my most cherished and congenial employment. As a railroad official I trust I have always done my duty first. I hope also that in doing it I have always had regard to the feelings and interests of the men associated with me in the operations of the company. I regard the time of my connection with them as the most pleasant of my life.

I was recently the recipient from the company that I had lately served of a service of silver, which I fully appreciated, but on this occasion this token of regard from you has far higher value. I accept the gift with the deepest sensibility of which I am capable. It will always remind me of the useful and pleasant associations with the men of the Virginia Midland Railway.

Many of you were associated with me in the infancy of the Virginia Midland Railway, and now when it has grown and is fully capable of standing

on its feet, I can but regard this watch as an emblem of the best memorial of the work which has been done in accomplishing this object. I have only to thank you in all the sincerity of my nature for your respect and esteem.

Looking on this as one of the most pleasant incidents of my life, your valued gift must ever remind me of my past association with railroad men. Railroad men have an important duty to perform. Some of the highest interests of the community are in their keeping. That duty has always been so thoroughly performed as to give them the confidence of the community in which they live, and I am glad to feel that I have been so long and pleasantly associated with it. Again I thank you, gentlemen, and will detain you no longer.

No strike amongst the employés of the company occurred during the thirty-three years of his service. The people of the communities served by the company as well as its employés entertained for Mr. BARBOUR the highest sentiments of confidence and respect. It is rare indeed-it is almost without a precedent-that an office should have been conducted, so varied and perplexing in its duties, and in which such diverse interests must be consulted, with such tact and justice as to elicit golden opinions from all sorts of people, and this one fact speaks more for his ability and for his worth than a volume of eulogy.

In 1880 the Hon. EPPA HUNTON, who had represented the Eighth district of Virginia for four successive terms in Congress, retired from candidacy, and the Democratic convention assembled to nominate his successor was for awhile unable to reach a conclusion. Without Mr. BARBOUR being a candidate or seeking the position, his name served as a resolvent of difficulties, and upon its suggestion his nomination followed. He was elected in due course a member of the Forty-seventh, Forty-eighth, and Forty-ninth Congresses, and was succeeded by the Hon. W. H. F. Lee, whose death he himself announced in this Chamber but a brief time before we were called upon to mourn his own.

In 1883 political excitement in Virginia ran high and the opponents of the Democratic party were in complete ascendency. The contentions as to men and measures were hot and fierce and both sides ranged their forces for a great struggle. At the State convention of the Democracy, which assembled in Lynchburg, by general consent Mr. BARBOUR was made chairman of the Democratic party. The functions of this position he discharged with great diligence and ability, and as a result of the victory which ensued his popularity was widely extended. In December, 1887, he was unanimously and without rivalry or competition nominated by his party caucus for the Senate of the United States, and being elected he entered, on the 4th of March, 1889, upon the term of service of which scarcely two years expired when death terminated his labors.

It is difficult to analyze with accuracy, as it is difficult to portray with skill the mental faculties and the personal characteristics of a man of affairs such as Senator BARBOUR was, and yet I fancy that certain salient features of mind and method may be readily recognized in him and in his life. His mind was comprehensive, discerning, and discreet, and was well stored with common sense. He was eminently practical in his aims and methods, but in pursuit and practice he never transscended the instinctive modesty of the well bred gentleman, nor relaxed the firm purpose of the determined and well collected man.

He was broad, liberal, and charitable in his opinions-a cautious and sagacious counselor, foresighted, industrious in duty, seldom impulsive, but always persistent, capable of sus tained and well directed effort, singularly devoid of the nar rowness of the bigot, the vehemence of the zealot, and the vindictiveness of the mean. His political opponents he never judged with harshness. He knew the measure of respect due S. Mis. 64-3

others and to their opinions; he knew the allowances which must be made by all who seek just judgment for the diversities. and the contrarieties of environment, education, interests, and sentiment. I have seldom if ever known a man who cherished so little the bitterness, rivalry, and jealousy which are naturally excited by sharp conflicts. He was stronger in his likes than in his dislikes, as are most rich and generous natures. He loved to serve others and to see others prosper.

As a public man he served many from whom no selfish calculation could anticipate return of favor. Respectful and accessible to all alike, he gave friendly ear and hand to the humble without condescension, and he had no disposition to fawn upon the great. He was honest, independent, and outspoken in his opinions, criticising freely, but without acerbity. He had little disposition to be dogmatic, and no one listened more agreeably to suggestion or sought more studiously to profit by it. His career was characterized by a profound and unvarying wisdom rather than by isolated acts of swift and brilliant inspiration.

No party leader could have been freer from just imputation of attempting bossism. He had not the spirit that would brook assumption, intolerance, and dictation on the part of others, and he never evinced a disposition to set up pretensions to undue power in himself, and my respect and admiration for him as a man and as an official continually increased as I witnessed the patriotic considerations that controlled his public career. I rejoice that our relations were firmly established in friendship, and that I am enabled from knowledge to bear this testimony to his worth. He was an honor to the Commonwealth which sent him here, and I mourn him as a servant who was loyal to every interest.confided to his hands, and as a friend whose ready instincts responded to whatever was noble, generous, and kind.

Senator BARBOUR was a life-long Democrat and a firm