The adornment of your Court House by the pictures of the men whose genius has honored the county, and whose eloquence still lives in the memory, as its echoes linger in the walls of the old forum of its mighty people, is a noble method of perpetuating the virtues of her great men and holding them up as models and examples for the rising generation.
I was too young to know and fully appreciate the eminent abilities of Mr. Peyton as they deserved to be. But I remember him, when as a boy, in 1839-40, I traveled with him from Charlottesville to Richmond, when the snow obstructed travel and detained us at Trevilian's for more than a day. His genial and cordial manners to a lad [Mr. T. was then about 19 years of age] and his charming conversational powers, mingling vivacity of humor, with grave disquisition on more serious matters—fascinated me then, and so live in my memory as to make me sympathize in all honors done to his name, and attract me to the scene where that is to be so worthily manifested.
But I am not quite well and my duties here forbid my attendance on the occasion.
In full sympathy with the occasion, and wishing the ceremonies to be fully successful, I am, sincerely,
Your friend,
J. R. Tucker.
Major Elder then remarked that he had just been furnished by Judge George M. Harrison with an extract from a speech made by Mr. Peyton when only twenty-two years of age—a speech made to the grand jury of his native county—which threw a light upon Mr. Peyton's whole life and character as a public prosecutor. The Major then read this extract from Mr. Peyton's speech:
"The history of man from the primeval simplicity of our first parents to the present day has satisfactorily proven that neither the dictates of reason, the light of philosophy, nor the divine precepts of our holy religion furnish adequate restraints to his vicious propensities."
The meeting then, on motion of the Hon. Marshall Hanger, adjourned.
Geo. M. Cochran,
Chairman.