throughout the State. The bar, in the counties comprising the circuit of the lower court over which he had presided, passed resolutions of respect for him and regret at parting with him, and a splendid set of silver was presented to him. He took an active part in settling the State debt. His counsel and advice was frequently sought by the committee in charge of the matter. He is a splendid look ing man, six feet two inches tall, and a blonde. Possessing great legal attain ments, sound prac tical sense, combined with great firmness of character, he is most intolerant of falsehood or lack of principle in others. Nothing satisfies him but the absolute truth, and he seeks for it in every ques tion which comes be fore him until it has been truly said of him : " Like his great kinsman, John Matshall, he should have 'Justice' inscribed WILLIAM under his portrait." When n o m i n at i n g him for the Supreme Bench Mr. Henry Heaton eloquently said : — "As a judge learned in the law, no man is his superior, but something besides mere technical knowledge of law is necessary to constitute a good judge — sound discretion in the application of theoretical principles, calm consideration of facts, quick appre hension of ideas, patient hearing, and high er above all, honesty and strict integrity of purpose. Of whatever shade of political opinion, high or low degree of station in life, all feel that their rights may be safely
entrusted to his care, satisfied that justice will be done, though the Heavens fall." Fauquier county has given many noble men to the country, but none more to be admired than the brave soldier, fine lawyer, and splendid gentleman, General William H. Payne. On my grandfather's home-place, in the beautiful mountains of Virginia, I have seen standing an old stone schoolhouse. All around were traces of the ruin wrought by the cruel war; but "Still sits the schoolhouse by the road, A ragged beggar sunning; Around it still the sumachs grow, And blackberry vines are running."
Over the school taught in this house, there presided, in the days gone by, a fa mous teacher named Abbott, and to him came the sons of the rich planters living for miles a r ou nd. Among them was William H. Payne, and there was laid H. I'AYN'E. the foundation of his splendid education. General Payne entered the Confederate army as captain of the gallant Black Horse Troop, which covered itself with glory from the beginning to the end of the war. He was shot down and left upon the field for dead, at Williamsburg in 1862; recover ing, he was wounded and fell into the hands of the enemy in the Gettysburg campaign, and was again wounded at Five Forks, a week before General Lee's surrender. As he says himself, he " saw all of the war he could see, from the rising of the sun at Manassas to the going down of the same at
