Chapter Cen

WILLIAM C. RIVES.

ILLIAM Cabell Rives, was born in Nel

son County, Va., on the 4th of May, 1793, He received his collegiate education at Hampden Sidney. and William and Mary colleges.

In 1809-11, he was a student of law, literature, science and politics under the direction of Thomas Jefferson; in 1812-13, a student of law in Richmond, in the office of Hon. George Hay. In 1814-15, he was A. D. C. on the staff of Gen. John Hartwell Cooke; in 1816, a member of the Staunton convention; in 1817-18-19 and

20 a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, from Nelson County; in 1822-23, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Albermarle County. From 1823-29, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives; from 1829-32, United States Minister to France; from 1832-34, 1836-39, 1841-45, he was a member of the United States Senate; and from 1846-53, United States Minister to France, a second time.

From 1853 to 1861, he was in private life, but devoting his talents and energies with unremitting assiduity to the internal improvements of Virginia to education, to the Historical Society of Virginia, (of which he was President), and to the preparation of his History of the Life and Times of James Madison.

In 1861 he spared no efforts, as a Delegate from Virgina to the Peace Conference (Feb., 1861), to heal the disorders of the country, and to prevent war. He resisted secession (which he never regarded as other than a recourse to revolution or rebellion, according to the issue), until its consumation by Virginia, in spite of his counsel and utmost exertion; but when his native state became actually involved in war, he did not hesitate to espouse her cause with all the ardor of his nature.

After the war, he was chosen by George Peabody, in 1867, as one of the Trustees of the fund which that eminent philanthropist dedicated to education to education in the Southern States.

He died at Castle Hill, Albermarle County, Virginia, on the 25th of April, 1868. A marble tablet in Grace

Church, (Walker's Parish, Albermarle,) near Castle Hill, bears the following inscription:

66 IN MEMORY OF

ONE OF THE FOUNDERS

OF THIS CHURCH,

WILLIAM CABELL RIVES, L.L.D.
BORN, 4th MAY, 1793,

DIED, 25th APRIL, 1868.

STATESMAN, DIPLOMATIST, HISTORIAN.

UNITING A CLEAR AND CAPACIOUS INTELLECT,
A COURAGEOUS AND GENEROUS TEMPER,

WHILE

WITH SOUND LEARNING

AND COMMANDING ELOQUENCE,

HE WON A DISTINGUISHED PLACE

AMONG THE FOREMOST MEN

WHOM VIRGINIA HAS CONSECRATED

TO THE SERVICE OF THE COUNTRY:

HE ADDED LUSTRE ΤΟ HIS TALENTS,
BY THE PURITY AND DIGNITY OF HIS PUBLIC
CAREER, AND ADORNED HIS PRIVATE LIFE
WITH ALL THE VIRTUES WHICH CAN

GRACE THE CHARACTER

OF HUSBAND, FATHER, FRIEND AND

CHRISTIAN.

BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD.

My intimate personal acquaintance with Mr. Rives commenced in 1833, and continued during his life. I have never known a man who commanded more of my admiration for his abilities, learning and classic taste, nor

of my homage for his private and social virtues. Nature gave him great capabilities; especially the four elementary principles which constitute the character of every truly great man. Those four elementary principles are common to the race, differing only in degree. They are, first, honesty of purpose; second, practical common sense; third, self knewledge, and fourth, self government. Mr. Rives posessed them all in an eminent degree, and in harmonious unity. I have known men of more impassioned eloquence; men of more brilliant imaginations; men of profounder depths in logic; but these transcendant qualities were counterbalanced by correspondent defects.

Mr. Rives had rare opportunities for the acquisition of knowledge, and he embraced them with zeal and determination. First his collegiate course, then his studies under Mr. Jefferson, and his long and intimate personal acquaintance and friendship with James Madison. He was encouraged in his philosophical studies on the subject of Man and his government, by Mr. Jefferson. He was led by Mr. Madison to take practical common sense views of life, which gave him that thorough conservatism which was one of the distinguishing traits of his character. He had none of that daring ambition which seeks to "rule the worst, by ever daring to be first; nor of that still more reckless ambition whose motto is, "Rule or ruin. "

The heroic age of the Republic, the age of wars and convulsions had passed away ere he arrived at manhood, and the age of peace and tranquility had succeeded, an

age peculiarly favorable to the arts of peace, the progress in which during the fifty years preceeding the civil war, seems more like fancy than reality.

Mr. Rives' life was one of honorable effort to elevate his fellow man to a higher plane of usefulness, and thereby promote his happiness, in which he succeeded beyond most men who were deemed patriots, philosophers and philanthropists. His example is a rich legacy to his country, more honorable than titles of nobility. More precious than gold.