Legislature of Virginia
Senate. Saturday,Jan. 18, 1862.
The Senate was called to order at 12 o'clock Mr. Collier, the Senator recently elected in the city of Petersburg, and county of Prince george, to fill a vacancy appeared and took his seat.
Death of Ex-President Tyler.
The President laid before the Senate the following communication from the Executive: Executive Department, January 18, 1862.
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Delegates:
John Tyler departed this life at his lodgings, in this city, after a brief illness, at 12 o'clock last night.
Mr. Tyler has served the people of Virginia with ability and distinction, in various public positions, for almost half a century.
He has served in the General Assembly, on the Executive Council, in the House of Representatives of the United States, as Governor of the State, Senator in Congress, Vice President and President of the United States, member of the State Convention of 1829-'30, and the Convention of 1861, and, at the time of his death, was a member of the Provisional Congress, and a member elect of the Permanent Congress of the Confederate States.
His services have been important and valuable; and, in all of these positions, he has fully met the public expectations.
The lose of such a man, at a time when his talents and experience are so greatly needed in the public councils, is a calamity greatly to be deplored.
Well may the people of Virginia and the Southern Confederacy mourn for the less of one not less distinguished for his manly virtues than his brilliant career as a statesman. Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Delegates:
Respectfully,
John Letcher.
On motion of Mr. Dickinson, of Prince Edward, the communication was laid on the table, and ordered to be printed.
A message was received from the House of Delegates, communicating resolutions commemorating the death of Hon. John.
Tyler. The preamble and resolutions were read by the Clerk of the Senate as follows: ‘
The mournful intelligence of the decease of John Tyler, after a brief illness, has cast a gloom over this General Assembly.
The sad news will spread throughout his native State with painful effect.
It will be heard throughout the Southern Confederacy with deep and abiding sorrow.
He has filled a large space in the history of his country.
Heaven has blessed him with length of days, and his country with all her honors.
He has secured, we believe, a blissful immortality.
For the page of history his fame is destined to occupy, it is proper briefly to recount the many offices he has filled.
From youthful manhood to green old age, he has served his country faithfully, as a member of the House of Delegates, where his ripening intellect displayed the promise of usefulness, and attracted attention; as member of the Executive Council, where his wholesome advice lent wisdom to authority; as the Governor of this Commonwealth, where his administrative powers gave efficacy to law, and his execution of the will of the people expressed by their representatives, was rendered pleasant by kindness and courtesy; as a member of the first Convention called to amend the State Constitution, in which body his ripened experience gave his counsel the force of wisdom and prudence; as a member of the House of Representatives of the United States, standing firm amid the rage of party spirit, and remaining true to principle and to right; as a Senator representing this State in the senate of the United States, in which he shone conspicuous for his strict adherence to constitutional obligation and for his manly defence of the rights of the States and the honor of the country.
As Vice President of the United States, presiding over the deliberations of the Senate with dignity and impartiality, preserving the decorum of a body that then was a model for legislative assemblies; as President of the United States, when the national honor and reputation were acknowledged unimpeached and unimpaired in every land, and the powers of the earth looked up to the new government as an exemplar of morals and of power worthy of respect and imitation.
He thus, step by step, ascended to the eminence from which he surveyed his country, peaceful and glorious, and calmly retired in dignity to a private station, happy in the contemplation of a bright career, happy in a refluxed and prosperous home, happy in the circle of family and friends.
His State called him again into her service.
She was to be assembled in Convention to resist oppression, and to withstand a galling tyranny against which her best men chafed.
His services were invoked to aid in maintaining the high position she had heretofore occupied.
He came from his retirement.
He advised separation-in-peace, or war to vindicate her honor.
He was again selected a Commissioner to tender to the Government at Washington the terms upon which Virginia would remain united with her former sisters.
He was honored with the Presidency of that Peace Conference.
His manly appeals for justice were uttered and unheeded.
He returned and recommended separation and independence.
His advice was taken.
It became necessary to form and establish another Government for the new Confederacy.
He was appointed by the Sovereign Convention of Virginia a member of the Provisional Congress.
While occupying a conspicuous place in the eyes of the Confederacy, and the new Government was assuming its permanent basis, he was elected by the people a member to the first House of Representatives of the Confederate States, with a fair promise still of usefulness, to stamp his wisdom upon the enduring monuments of a new national existence.
But it pleased the Almighty to check his career, and take him to Himself.
Such is the brief outline of the career of John Tyler. In private he was the perfect gentleman, the warm-hearted, affectionate, social, and delightful companion; it may be said of him, his kind hand ministered to the wants of the distressed.
Resolved, by the General Assembly, as a testimonial of a nation's sorrow for the death of a great and good man, that a joint committee of the Senate and House of Delegates be appointed to confer with a committee of the Congress of the Confederate States, to make arrangements for his funeral and burial.
Resolved That with the consent of his family his remains be deposited in Hollywood Cemetery, in the city of Richmond, near the remains of James Monroe, and that the Governor of this State be authorized to cause a suitable monument to be erected to his memory.
Resolved, That these resolutions be forthwith communicated by the Speaker of the House of Delegates to the Congress of the Confederate States, with a request that they concur therein.
Mr. Branch, of Williamsburg, said that as he had the honor to represent a part of the district in which the deceased had lived during a long life of public service, he moved the unanimous adoption of the preamble and resolutions which had come from the House.
Mr. Robertson, of the city of Richmond: I cannot permit the occasion to pass without saying a few words, to express my sense of the merits and virtues of a deceased friend.
On my way to the Capitol this morning, I learned that John Tyler, late President of the United States, had paid that debt which, sooner or later, will be exacted of us all. It was my good fortune to be acquainted with him, I may say intimately, from early life, dating from my college days.
I have known him in all the walks and through all the relations of life.
It were needless for me to recount the attributes of his character — his integrity, his high attainments, his devotion to his country.
I am not accustomed to the language of enology.--Fortunately for me, and fortunately for my friend, be needs none.
The high places of trust which he has received through his whole life, commend him to the hearts of all.
Sir, if there was any one trait that marked his character more than another; it was his firm devotion to those principles which carried the American people through the war of the Revolution, and to the same principles which I hope will before long carry us through the struggle in which we are engaged.
I need not speak more fully of the many high offices which he has filled.
They are too well known to be repeated.
His acts and his character are identified with the history of our State and country, and are known in Europe.
I am confident that no dissenting voice will be heard upon the passage of these resolutions.
It is in consequence of my representations.
It is in consequence of my representing.
this district that I felt it incumbent on me to make these few remarks.
Mr. Robertson was followed by Mr.Collier of Petersburg, Mr. Dickinson of Prince Edward, and Mr. Isbell of Jefferson.
We regret that we have not space to add to the above even the substance of their feeling and eloquent remarks upon the character and services of the subject of the resolutions.
It was evident that in the tributes that were thus paid, it was the aim of the several speakers to rest the merits of the distinguished statesman upon the single and appropriate language of justice and truth.
The committee nominated on the part of the Senate to meet the committee on the part of the House, to carry out the object designated in the resolutions, consisted of Messrs. Beanoh, Robertson, Collier, Isbell, New. man, Johnson, and Wiley.
After the announcement of the committee as above, the Senate adjourned. ’
John Letcher.
House of Delegates.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 1862.
The House met at 12 o'clock, Mr. Collier in the Chair.
Prayer by Rev, Dr. Moore.
The Speaker pre tem presented to the House a communication from the Governor.
[See Senate proceedings.]
Mr. Barbour arose and after a few suitable remarks presented a series of joint resolutions in reference to Mr. Tyler's death, which were unanimously adopted.
[The resolutions will be found in our Senate report.]
Eulcgles were afterwards pronounced by Mr. Robertson, of Richmond, and other.
The Speaker then appointed the commit.
too, and the House adjourned, 