Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-06-04

powers is better than any which could give.
He had, he says, but "little fancy or poetry
in his composition, nor did he cultivate the
graces. AS an advocate he had no preten-
sions to eloquepce and rarely attempted any
thing like defamation. His success at the
Bar and his reputation as Judge were based
on well-founded knowledge of the princi-
Piles of law, and sound discretionary judg-
ment in their application, aciM the honest
purpose Of attaining the truth." .-
True, most true, I believe no Judge, not
even Sir Matthew Hale, ever followed "hon-
esty and ruth," more implicitly than did
Judge johnson.
His autobiography, written when he was
10, tells US ''that he was six feet three inches
in height, and that in the meridian of life
he had well formed vigorous muscular
frame. In his early life, he frequently en-.
tered into the chase, and INDUCED in athlet-
ic exercises with much zest. In his old age,
he became more corpulent." 'The frosts of
seventy winters" he says, "has silvered over
locks that we're black, and dimmed the once
dark brown eye, but his heart is still young,
Notwithstanding many bodily Affections"
This is what most of you, my hearers, will
recognize as description of the good, great,
unpretending, childlike man, why was your
Judge and Governor-your friend and my
friend, and the friend of all who deserved
friendship. To his memory and over his
remains stands, in the graveyard at Union,
monument bearing his likeness and memo
rial of his useful life. 1t will stand forages
but at last it will decay and perish, and
still, like Coke and Hale, the name of John
son will live in the records of our jurispru-
dence, and if fame can be, would say, "esto
perpetual"
JUDGE HUeER.-On the 21st August,
1854, this truly great Carolina gentleman
passed away. Never do I pass his hospitable
mansion in Meeting street, Charleston, with
out Imagination grasping, in more than CON-
mon friendship, the hand of my friend. He
stands before me now, more than six feet
high, straight as an arrow, with an eye look
ing out from under his pondrous brows, like
the lightning's flash from the heavya dark
ening cloud, and like it scattering light upon
the darkness around. Every one looking
at him would say he was born to command.
He was fearless but at the same time pru.
dent man. Those who did not know him
intimately, thought him rash. This was,
however, great mistake. In December,
1880, an impuisire member Of the House of
representatives used words which he thought
and felt reflected most improperly upon him.
His answer to the argument was more than
usually cool, clear and temperate. "Person-
al imputations," he said, "were not to be
answered there" He challenged his op-
ponent to meet him before sunrise of the
next day. Friends interfered and settled
the affair, and his opponent in his place,
next day, did himselfthe honor to pronounce
panegyric on the Judge. Meeting me af-
ter this had occurred, and knowing that my
principles had been always opposed to duel
ling, he said: "No doubt you thought I act
ed rashly; but" said he, ''my son and daugh-
ter were in the gallery, and heard the words,
and I knew if 1 did not act Immediately, my
son would take up the quarrel, and then the
consequence might have been fatal. Hence
| chose to meet the issue myself"
If the brigade of State troops had been
raised, and had taken the field, Judge HUI
ger would have been known as the herotef
many battlefield. But as God in his mercy
ordered, war passed away, and the Judge,
instead Of being crowned as victorious gen.
eral, with the blood stained laurel, was des-
tined to wear the neverfading cbaplet of the
legislator and jurist. He lived long and he
lived usefully, and he has left to his numer-
Gus posterity an inheritance of fame, which
ought to be and will be cherished by them
as long as memory fingers over the tomb of
the spotless patriot and the just Judge.