before seen in a public body. Among those who adhered to his side of the
question were James Barbour, of Orange, the late Judge Daniel, of the
General Court, one of the keenest minds of his time, the late Judge
Cabell, president of the Court of Appeals, Wilson Cary Nicholas,
afterwards Senator and Governor, Judge Archibald Stuart, Chancellor
Creed Taylor, Governor Giles, Thomas Newton, Governor Pleasants, Samuel
Tyler, French Strother, and Mr. Madison; and among those of the opposite
side, were George Keith Taylor, his eloquent namesake from Norfolk,
Robert Barraud Taylor, the late venerable John Eyre, Thomas M. Bayly,
John Wise, James Breckenridge, Archibald Magill, and Henry Lee, of the
Legion.

A painful domestic incident happened at this time, which had a material
influence upon the future plans of Mr. Tazewell. Having lost his mother
in his third year, he may be said hardly to have known a mother's love;
and he had fixed his affections on his elegant and accomplished father,
who was his senior by only one and twenty years, who was in the vigor of
manhood, and before whom a long and splendid career seemed to be in
reserve. But this pleasing hope was destined to perish. Judge Tazewell,
on his journey to Philadelphia, where Congress then held its sittings,
had taken a severe cold, but was able to reach the city, and on the 21st
day of January, 1799, took his seat in-the Senate. He was then
evidently ill; and on the 24th, three days after, breathed his last.
Thus, at the age of 45, died Henry Tazewell, when his fame to human eyes
had not reached the zenith; when, though still in the full strength of
manhood, he had received more and higher political and judicial honors
than Virginia had ever before conferred on one so young; when, having
been twice elected president of the Senate, at a time when that honor
was deemed only second to that of the presidency of the United States,
he stood above his Virginia competitors, with only one illustrious