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 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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graduation and enlisting in the Confederate army as a private, Company C, Thirtieth Regiment Virginia Volunteer Infantry, Pickett's division. He fought in many of the great battles of the war, 1861-1865, es- caped all the perils of that great conflict and at the surrender of Lee to Grant was in command of his company but ranking as corporal, the company roster bearing but three names. He there received his parole and returned home. After the unsuccessful attempt at farming "Liberty Hall," Alex- ander W. took the old cavalry horse and rode around the neighborhood and secured some six or eight scholars to teach for one dollar and fifty cents per month, his uncle giving him his board for teaching his son. His schoolroom was an old barn of hewn logs with the chinking partly out and the roof not sufficient to keep out the storms. But he persevered, studied law six hour.> in addition to teaching five hours daily and in this way completed the law course he was taking at the university when he went to the war. At the end of nine months he had earned enough to purchase a suitable ward- robe and presenting himself before Judge R. L. C. Moncure, president judge of the supreme court of appeals, and Judge Rich- ard Coleman, of the circuit court, he passed the required examinations and at the May term of the Hustings court. 1866, he was admitted to the bar and at once began prac- tice in Fredericksburg. He continued in practice at the bar in Fredericksburg. Vir- ginia, and the state and Federal courts of the district for twenty-three years, winning honorable position among the most able lawyers of that period, 1866-188Q. In the latter year he was elected judge of the cor- poration court, by the Virginia legislature, for a term of six years ; was reelected in 1895, and again in 1901. On April 13. 1903, exactlv thirty-eight years after his return from Appomattox he forwarded his resigna- tion to the governor of Virginia to take eflfect on the twenty-seventh of the same month. Judge Wallace was highly esteemed as a jurist and the news of his intended resignation brought forth loud protest from the newspapers and citizens generally. A mass meeting was called of the citizens of Fredericksburg and a committee appointed to wait upon Judge Wallace to ask him to withdraw his resignation. This the judge, while cordially appreciating the debt of gratitude he owed the people of Fredericks-

burg, declined to do, giving as his reason that he believed that he could not, under the constitution of Virginia, legally hold the office of judge and also serve as a member of the board of visitors of the University of Virginia, to which latter position he had been appointed by the governor and con- firmed by the senate. Furthermore he was nearing his sixtieth birthday and it had been for years his declared purpose to withdraw from any public position that might in any way fetter his independence of action at the age of sixty years. He also felt that as a member of the board of visitors he could be of service to the state without being burdened by confining duty. He therefore withdrew from the bench and also from legal practice, but remained a member of the board of visitors. On his appointment to the latter position the "Fredericksburg Star" thus commented on the fact:

We congratulate Governor Montague on his solici- tation of Judge A. Wellington Wallace as a member of the Board of Visitors of the University of Vir- ginia. In addition to Judge Wallace's well-known natural gifts and legal attainments, he is a scholar whose culture has been added to by years of foreign travel. These qualifications, together with his financial judgment and fine common sense thoroughly equip him for the position. His interest in the State's Uni- versity is shown by his occupying the position of president of our local Alumni Association.

On retiring from the bench there were many written and printed testimonials of esteem, some of which follow:

That the high standard of judicial dignity and legal learning set by Judge Wallace is a lasting bene- fit to the city of Fredericksburg and to the common- wealth of Virginia and entitles his name to a high position among the learned and able men who have made for the courts of this commonwealth a record second to none in legal history. Resolutions of Business Men's Association of Fredericksburg.

On account of the splendid "timber in you, your exalted character, splendid equipment, intellect and culture, somehow I am sorry to see you resign. We want men, clean, strong, independent, as you are.- — JuDGB T. R. B. Wright.

You have been an ornament to the "bench," and I trusted you would continue your service to Vir- ginia.— Judge C. E. NicoL.

You have impressed me. as you have others, as a Visitor of the University. The institution needs the services of such men as you are in directing its policies and at no time to such an extent as at the present. — Professor W. E. Peters.

It is a comfort to find that even under the imper- fect conditions of our earthly lives the gratifying