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was the recognized leader." In Congress ber of the first Confederate Congress, and in he spoke frequently and well, and was a November, 1862, President Jefferson Davis leader of his party. In 1846 he took a appointed him secretary of war. Becom prominent part in the debates upon the ing a member of Mr. Davis' cabinet, he de Revenue bill, " Advocating," it was said, voted himself with characteristic zeal to the "with consummate skill and eloquence the duties of his office until January 1, 1865, principles of free trade. His high charac when broken in health from his great labors ter, purity of motive and wise counsels giv he finally retired from public life and " lived ing him a high position in his party and win in philosophic quiet" at his country home. ning for him the respect of his opponents." I knew Mr. Seddon in the last years of his After this session of Congress he retired to life. He was a most courtly, refined, culti his beautiful home " Sabot Hill," in Gooch vated gentleman. He was very fond of land County, and lived the quiet, delightful young people, and always took a sympa life of a Virginia planter until the stirring thetic interest in their affairs which won days of 1860, when he was again forced into their regard in return. I remember his de political life. I am told : " He earnestly dep scribing to me one day, with a merry twinkle recated secession, save as the last resort of in his eye, a "lover's walk" he intended to liberty; but advocated before the people the make in his garden. " I shall have the pas right and the policy of Virginia to secede, sion flower vine planted all along the way," unless the North should grant to the South he declared, " and have it end at a seat un adequate guarantees against the invasion of der a willow tree." He died August 19, its peculiar domestic institutions." 1 88 1. His eldest son, Mr. Thomas Seddon, who died a year ago in Birmingham, Ala On January 19, 1861, the Legislature of bama, was president of the Sloss Iron and Virginia appointed him, with Ex-President Steel Company, and one of the most bril Tyler and others, a member of "The Peace liant men I have ever known. Another son, Convention," which met at the call of Vir ginia at Washington City, February 4, 1861, Judge James A. Seddon, is member of a "To make a final effort to restore the Union prominent St. Louis law firm, Seddon and and the Constitution in the spirit in which Blair, and a fine lawyer. Thomas R. Joynes was born at Mount they were established by the fathers of the Republic." He represented Virginia in the Prospect, Accomac County, Va., October 17, Committee on Resolutions, and in accord 1789. The editor of the " Richmond En ance with the instructions of his State made quirer" called him "one of the mighty men a minority report; " Recommending that the of Virginia," and it was said : " He was the compeer of the brilliant Upshur and was to Constitution should be amended in accord ance with the resolutions which had been him what Fox was to Pitt in the British Par introduced in the Senate by Mr. Crittenden, liament." He was remarkable for his great and by a further article expressly recogniz powers as a debater, and for his quick ness, clearness and accuracy. He died Sep ing the right of any State to peaceably with tember 12, 1858. His son, Judge W. draw from the Union." "Despairing," it is said, " of a peaceable T. Joynes, also an able lawyer, has been solution of the difficulties overwhelming the sketched for The Green Bag. Col. Samuel land, and recognizing that his paramount B. Paul, now of the New York bar, who obligation was due to his native State, he practiced many years in Virginia and ranked devoted himself, with all the energies of his high as a lawyer, especially as an authority on insurance law, writing of Judge William nature, to repelling what he deemed an un Joynes said : " He was a close personal ac lawful invasion of her soil." He was a mem