time of day, and under the circumstances in which I am placed,
to furnish you or any other with a confession of my political faith, to
be read either in the Richmond church or elsewhere, to the end that I
may propitiate its tutelary deity or his ministering priesthood; and as
this seems to be the _sine qua non_ of my success, I must, therefore,
beg leave to decline the nomination."

On the 6th of December, 1826, he writes: "I want no office, place, or
appointment under the sun, nor will I ever have any except from the gift
of my own State."

It thus appears that, though he was not desirous of holding office, he
was always willing and ready to perform at every sacrifice any duty
which Virginia might require at his hands.

I wish it had been in my power to present even a brief glance at the
labors of Mr. Tazewell, as one of the Commissioners under the Florida
treaty of 1819, when, in conjunction with the late Judge Hugh L. White
and Mr. King, some important questions were decided; but I had no
materials within reach while engaged in preparing the discourse; and my
recollections were too vague to be used on such an occasion.

No. V.

THE FUNERAL OF MR. TAZEWELL.

[From the _Norfolk Argus_, of May 8, 1860.]

The funeral obsequies of Mr. Tazewell, yesterday, were solemn and
impressive. An appropriate address was delivered by Rev. Mr. Rodman, of
Christ church, and a large concourse of persons followed the remains
from the family mansion on Granby street to the wharf, whence they were
taken to the Eastern Shore for interment.

Thus a very great man has passed away from our midst--a man who was long
and justly honored for his profound learning; surpassed by few, if any,
in any country. His mind was an immense and well-stored intellectual
repository, whence intelligence, varied, rich, and valuable, was drawn
at pleasure or as occasion required. Powerful as an orator, brilliant as
a writer, scarcely equalled in his knowledge of the great principles of
law, his irresistible grasp of intellect astonished thousands in former
days--bright and clear as "the cloudless azure of the upper sky."

The proceedings of the meeting of the members of the bar were very
appropriate. All the addresses were eloquent and impressive. The
speakers aptly mentioned his splendid and successful career as a lawyer,
his wonderful legal acquirements, and irresistible eloquence. One of the
gentlemen alluded to the fact that the merchant prin