New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-05-05
TRIBUTE TO OGDEN HOFFMAN.

A meeting Of y Bench and Bar was held on Satur.
day, Judge Belts presiding, at which the following
resolutions offered by Judge Edmonds, were adopted:
Called together again soon to mourn the withdrawal from
so them of brother OF the profession the Bar
York again edmonshed how they profit by these
sssemblsges. not by merely regadins men a 1ne means o.
giving utteance the and respect Tor The man. blt as
fitting occasions to take home 10 themselves the lessons when
his s and example so 'Orcby Illustrate Therefore, we do
That in mourning the death Of Ogden Hoffman we do not
merely for the removal from among ms OF ore who
adorned profession by long life OF honor, OF purity, ct
genius and of usefulness. -,
nearly half century he has been ENGAGED with US IN eur
profession sharing viii it's tolls its trials and It's rewards
he hs. left 10 enemy behind him; +. ,..u
and bis fate to be involved in not Few OF thenas
him the freedom Thought ana integrity OF purpose lie
clsimed fox himself ,., .
ard ienfed giving no unnecessary ofense, but welding bis
brilliant powers with equal yigor and torbesrsnce.
the National as the public nor for the Nation
the State, be ever Liberal enihtened ana
cng every selfish consideration TO the promotion OF the AApp
s,a .odier gallant; as civilian brilliant as en-
ghteued orator, eoQutnt speaking ever az pressure ~
t heart Of heare he has Jeff US al example "Ach we y
Tbetee we resolve That while his loss
pAnion will cherish bis memery because Of re NOBLE ex
ample presented for Of the Lessons
his life 30 foe6y 20 Us all na bS 10 , OF tue
law him exercising the divine attribute Of admin
short addresses were made by Joseph Blunt Judge
Emmett Hiram Ketchum, VIM. NJ. Evarts and Attor-
ney. General Cutting. Judge Emmett, who had been
the intimate friend of Mr. Hoffman from childhood,
was very much affected. He spoke in substance as
follows:
| would ask leave 10 pay brief and feeble tribute
but sincere aud heartfelt one, to the memory of
departed hlend. An intimacy OF nearly fifty years,
amounting almost to fraternity between us not only
ustes me, but calls upon me to express those feelings
with which my heart Is now oppressed. knew Mr.
Hoffman in boyhood-a bold, aspiring boy, who, when
his country in arms gave up the prospects, 80 bright
before him. aud which were presented by The career 9t
his own father at the bar and joined the navy that he
might be of the protectors OF our institutions. lie
was the cherished and favored aid Of Commodore De
catur; and know from what heard his lllustrious
commander say, that if he had continued in the navy
his career would have been as bright as that OF any
officer in the service. When peace was restored he
returned to the practice of the law IL has been stat
that he commenced his career in Orange County, and
there is living witness in this Count who could tes-
ty to the braDcy of that career before he came to
tins city. believe bis frst appearance in the Legs
lative Halls representative from that COunyin
1877 believe because hadthe honor myself to be an
associate at that time and can bear witness not only to
the bancy Of bis eloquence but the influence he po
sessed over older minds than Lis own, IRON the sa-
cacitv AID wisdom o. his Judgment. Young AS ne
war he was looked up to by such men a. Elisha WI
ams and others in the Legislature at that period, not
merely on account OF the sauyy OF ms manners, OF
bis high character for honor but for his dcrmin atom
public affes, which secured to him that good opn
ion which frequently takes long life to attain. There
are other circumstances in which had occasion to OBJ
serve the peculiar deicacy OF bis mind. 1t was IN
that year that the Superior Court OF this city wac or
gained. There were particular reasons why ne
should feel strong desire IN the success OF That meas
ure, for his honOred father had been talked OF as
one Of the judges. knowledge OF that tact ope-
rated upon his mind. and made him not only reluctant,
but absolutely determined him 10 have nothing wnat-
ever TO do with the success Of that bill. AL thls
passed under my own observation. Therefore, when
say Mr.. Hoffman endowed with those qualities
which made him brillan. man. can also say thaS
he POSSESSED those finer traits OF character thtt are
frequently passed over in estimation OF man.
The world, in giving IL admiration to one great
quality, Is very apt to deny the existence OF othsrs'
This was so in the OF the famous John Pmpol 'ul-
ran, who, while !. was andmtted that ne Wns nlO5
eloquent sdyocate, was not supposed to be profound
lawyer. don't mean TO say that that was the preva-
lent opinion with regard TO our deceased friend oat
say that Is exceedingly possible that some men may
nave doubted whether he possessed the learning vi
sound lawyer in addition to his abilities as an avo-
cate. say emphatically there may have oeen others
who knew more OF law, who read cases. out no
man at this time gifted with q NINA Dett
constituted 10 make those proper and NICE distinctions
which enable him TO obtain & right view OF case IL
would be also gTee; mistake 70 suppose tnat ne was
not student Tie had early furnished Ms imnd WIKI
thorough knowledge of the principles OF Ms pro-
tessiOn. The constant practice which biz great Go-
tiles brough: him into perhaps prevented him hon
keeping up that study with the intensity a. Others,
but he kept up with tie progress OF orr professor.
III aculilon 70 al tins n,s MIND Har Houed WIN au Tue
beauties Of classic clearinghouse than fails 70 the
share Of most men who have gone through TIE same
career That was ore 81 the elements Of bis eloqlence
which enabled him u tower above men who had
nothing than the ordinary gift OF words. Let
speek q: him as q man: | sSi1 knew I'm from a
10y; were play mates together. Ihaye known him
since, Ia the various relations Of life, and say that
more honorable, candid generous liberal and unselfsh
ir1end never drew the breath OF life. 1 have known
him IL the most trying situations, and kn0S tina.
always bore himsef a. became man OF the highest
character have hardly been able to realize the TACT
that be mas departed suddenly. was not awere OF
his illness till / hesTd of ms death. When loox
aloznd and this assembly collected FOR the p1os
OF paying the last bonors to the friend kne =" az
spoke 10 nc. more tLln a week since, comes
weakness; ard though my heart = tui-. Gnq o. .
" The fui.less of the heart tue NOUN Spa I'D
II have succeeded in paving ir9ule 20 o ~ Ibaye
equal 10 his merits. shall be satisfied "l'h "D-'
done.
TIE FUSEEAL -,
The funeral services were held al the ,hlrch o' ''''
Annuncaou in Fourteenth street i9 eo n0 se W
.Ao 5,ccased to the church. whore II vas
-, The oaicia,ips clergyman, tie Rev. D.. SEA