Augusta County: "Alex. H. H. Stuart. Statesman and Patriot. Venerable in Years, and Admired by his Countrymen, Has passed Away.," Staunton Spectator, February 18, 1891
Summary: This is a lengthy and laudatory obituary for Alexander H. H. Stuart. In the excerpts below, the obituary praises Stuart and also warmly remembers Augusta's role-as relunctant but noble participant-in the Confederacy and the Civil War, while at the same time illustrating the very negative memories of Reconstruction and its legacy that were so prominent at the close of the nineteenth century, throughout the white South.
The Spectator appears to-day in the "habiliments of woe" in honor of the memory and character of a useful, distinguished and honored citizen, a wise statesman, orator and patriot, who has passed away. Hon. Alexander Hugh Holmes Stuart is no more, having died peacefully at his residence in this city about 1 o'clock P. M. last Friday, Feb, 13th, at the advanced age of 83 years, 10 months, and 11 days, with the reward due a long and useful life-deserved honors, esteem, reverence, and troops of friends. His death causes a void in this community that cannot be filled. For more than half a century he had been a conspicuous memeber of this community, and, during that time, did more than any one else to advance its interests. In all public enterprises he was in the van. He was the projector of many, and the able and zealous advocate of all. In all that coucerned the interests and advancement of the community, he was an optimist with the most hopeful views, and even in his advanced age, when bowed with the weight of years, he still retained his progressive spirit, ever seeking and suggesting some policy or enterprise that would be beneficial.
In political questions, as in those of material interests, he was always in the front, and so clearly did he forecast the future, that in many cases he seemed to be endowed with the gift of prophecy. He was not only an eminently useful man, but possessed many of the qualities of a great man. He was not only a man of great intellect and broad views which made him a statesman, but he was, also, an orator in the true sense of the term. He was a man of commanding presence, six feet four inches in height, with a more than usually handsome face, with a dignity of bearing and a courteous manner which commanded respect, and won the esteem and good-will of his audience, His manner as a speaker was very graceful; his voice was melodious and flexible, and readily responded to his emotions; his intellect was strong, enabling him not only to understand the most difficult questions, but to be able to present them so lucidly and to illustrate them so clearly as to enable the common mind to comprehend them readily-thus he was enabled to convince the judgment and by his eloquence to move the hearts of his audience.
For his ancestry, early life, education, preparation for his profession, and his career therein, we refer our readers to the "Memorial Minute or the Staunton Bar," prepared by his intimate and long-attached friend, Maj. T. C. Elder, which appears elsewhere in this issue.
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AGAIN IN THE STATE COUNCILS
Mr. Stuart was called by the people of Augusta to serve them again in the State legislature, electing him to the Senate in 1857. He was a member of the body during the Presidential contest of 1860 which resulted in the election of Mr. Lincoln to the Presidency. Great events came rapidly one after another. In the early part of 1861, a State convention was called to take charge of the impending interests of the people and the State government in the fearful crises plainly discerned. Though holding his seat as a member of the Senate, the people elected him with John B Baldwin and George Baylor to the convention, representing the supreme authority of the state and the people, which finally dissolved their relations to the Federal goverment.
The history of that period of the war, and subsequents events, and his participation in them is fresh in the minds of the people of this day. He was one of the many noble and leading and wise and patriotic men upon whom the State and Confederate governments and the people leaned for aid and safe counsel, and not in vain. He was among the first and the ablest who strove to prevent conflict, and save the Union, if possible, consistent with the sovereignty of his State and the constitutional rights of the people. And when the war was gradually exhausting our resources, and dark clouds enshrouding our hopes, he was a leader among the people of his county in providing to furnish additional succor from their already depleted store houses of supplies.
THE SAFETY OF THE STATE AND THE LIBERTIES OF THE PEOPLE.
The Federal legislation after the war, which dismantled the State and placed the
liberties and the rights of the people in the hands of military power, brought
upon the scene of troubles without number the gloomiest days of all for the
future. In efforts to avert deplorable consequences, and inspire hope by united
counsels, a State convention of representatives of the people assembled in
Richmond in the latter part of 1867, and, with one heart and mind, Mr. Stuart
was called to preside, and to be the chief advisor of the course to be pursued.
To the State Committee which he appointed, with Raleigh T. Daniel as Chairman,
the most important duties were assigned The Underwood Constitution, if adopted
as it came from the convention, which had a majority latent upon evil, and
nothing but evil, for the State and people, would
fill our cup of misery to the brim. The remedy of relief was in the proceedings
which created what is known as
THE COMMITTEE OF NINE,
and through it
the way was opened for deliverance, and Mr. Stuart was the chief actor in the
drama. That history was recently wrtten by himself at the request of the
Virginia Historical Society, and the greatest work of his life, and of
importance second to no single occurrence in the history of a people struggling
for their safety, is among the valued archives of his State and the country.
THE LAST TWENTY YEARS.
The last twenty years of Mr. Stuart's life in many respects may be rated in value
to the people of this community and country as were those of his prime manhood;
serving again in the House of Delegates; President of the Valley Mutual Life
Association; Rector of the University of Virginia; a member of the Board of
Trustees of the Peabody Education Fund; President of the Virginia Historical
Society, and alive, even down to the last days of his life, to every movement in
behalf of the progress and development of his section and the country, and
withal exercising a constant watchfulness, and expressing views as the political
questions of the times were to be considered, the great old statesman
accomplished as so beautifully expressed by Major Elder in the memorial
proceedings of the Stautnon bar, all there was of life to crown his labors, and
when the summons came to leave the scenes of life, as Capt. Bumgardner said in his beautiful tribute to his character, he
sought repose in the "sleep that knows no waking"-
"Like one who draws the
drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."
Bibliographic Information: Source copy consulted: Staunton Spectator, February 18, 1891
