Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-12-11
sIA sflaoata.
LEGISLATURES OF NORTHCARoLINA.
WEDxEsDAY, Dec, 8 1853.
SENATE.

On Wednesday the death of Chief Justice Nash
was formally announced by Mr.. Turner In the Sc
nate. We now lay before our readers the report of
the proceedings on that occasion, which was una
voidably omitted in our last.
Mr. Turner addressed the Senate rs follows:
Mr.. SPEAKER: 1t is with ne afecsasion of sorrow
and humiliation that arise to announce to the Sem
ate the death of the Hon. Frederick NASH late Chief
Justice of North Carolina
1t was my mournful duty, on Monday last, to fol-
low his body to the grave, where in the presence
of his heart-crushed children and sorrow stricken
friends by the side of his children and grandchildren
who had gone before him, we laid him down gently
not to DEATH but to sleep till the morning of the
resurrection.
The name of Nash was early and closely associa-
ted with the lfe-anddeath struggle of the Old Thir
teen. Abner Nash, the father Of him whose death
we now, in common with the State bemourn was
sterling Wing of the Revolution. His son, the
late ChiefJustic born in the town of Newbern,
in the year l76l--that memorable year of the Brit
ish invasion-when his father, with the vigor and
courage of a lion, was disputing with CORVALLIS,
inch by nch foot by foot for the sovereignty of
SOIL In $780, the appreciation of his revolutionary
services was acknowledged by his countrymen max
ing him governor of the State Francis Nash, his
not to be suspected, the soil Of his coun
try with his blood and sealed his devotion to ber-
ty with his life At the memorable battle of German
town, Washington felt his own great arm lean
upon a Nash for support" Here he fell mortal
ly wounded-here as together they lay, friend
and foe, rider and horse in one red burial blent"
could be found the bleeding body of Francis Nash.
That battle and the noble part which he bore in it.
was enough to give the name of Nash to history and
to fame And well it might; for
"Oh, if there be on this earthly sphere
kooa, offering Heaven holds dear,
IT'S the las, libatiOn which liberty draws
FrU the heart that bleeds and breaks in her cause"
But the fame of ChiefJu Justice Nash rests not upon
the sword of his ancestors In 1904 and 1906 he
represented his native town in the House of Com
mons. In 1918 he was elected Judge of the Supe-
ror Court. In 1927 and in 1928 he represented the
town of Hillsborough in the House of Commons
In 1886, having resigned he again elected Judge
of the Superior Court, which place he held until
1874, when Governor Morehead, with the advice
and consent of the Council of State, called him to
seat upon the Supreme Court bench.
Neither passion, nor fear, nor favor, nor prejudice
could swervc him from his judicial duty He held
himself more accountable to God and conscience than
to any earthly tribunal. It was his deep and duly
accounting to his God which gave him such char
acter among men, pure just and christian judge.
He seemed Jealous only in truth, justice, Gods
cause and the law-that made him jealous in every
thing. No man lives who could rebuke him as
Paul did the judge before whom he stood" Sit
test thou here to judge according to the law and
commandest thou me to be smitten contrary to the
law" said Paul. Often it his painful duty to
smite with the sword of the law; but it was done in
mercy, and never contrary to law.
l forbear, Mr.. Speaker, to speak of him in his
public and official character-that is we'll known
to the Senate and the State to as myself Iknew him
as the Senate did mott knew him as Christian
friend, my kind instructor in the law; and re-
member him with fond recollection. l have seen
the little boys of the village flock to his house with
their tops and their toys glad to see him, if he
were of their number and age. Sometimes he would
partake of their boyish and innocent sports-and
we'll he might for his heart guileless their
own. / have seen him meet the little girls, and the
grown girls too of his town, and their faces would
light up if they had met with favorite lover
They, too, loved him, for they knew his heart was
as pure as their own.
A famous philosopher was once asked how he
could prove the existence of God He said, by
opening my eyes 81 see him in the growth of the
trees in the movements of the stars in the warblng
of the lark, in the thunder of the heavens" If he
had known, he might have said land in the life
and death of ChiefJustice Nash" When Boiling
broke was weeping over Pope's state of helpless de-
cay, he said he never knew man that had ten
der heart for his particular friends more gener
al friendship for mankind That may be true; but
it is true only because Bolingbroke did not know
Judge Nash. When the great, good and pious Ad-
olson was about to die, he sent for Lord Warwick,
young nobleman who had sceptical notions upon
the subject of religion. With great tenderness the
young man approached his dying friend to receive
his last blessing: 81 have sent for you," said Ad-
dison "that you may see how Christian can die !"
A friendly poet describing the parting scene be-
tween Addison and the sceptic, said
He taught us how to live, and, oh! too high
The price OF knowledge, taught US how to die.
can say to the young erring mobiles of our land,
in his life and in his death you will find most sal
utary lesson; and make no better wish for the
Senate than that our end may be like his.
Mr.. Turner offered the following resolutions:
WHEREAS The Senate has learned with profound
emotion that the Honorable FREDERICK NASH, Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court departed this life, at
his residence in Hillsborough, Saturday morning
last
Resolred That the sad intelligence is received by
the Representatives of the people of North Carolina,
whom he had long, so faithfully and ably serv-
ed with feelings of the deepest sorrow.
Resolced, That on this melancholy occasion, his
great virtues his eminent learning, his long contin-
ued usefulness his devoted patriotism and his Chris
tan piety remembered and cherished with CRATE
full sensibity by the whole State whose son he was
|, and to whose service his life was devoted
Resoloed That it is fit that the journals of the
| Senate, amid the memorials of our gratitude and
Il pride, record should live of the fond affection and
/ venerated regard in which that lustrious Judge and
|: good man was held by his countrymen.
t Resolred That the Speaker be requested to trans
/ NIT to the widow and family of Judge Nash, copy
+ of these resolutions with expression of heart
/ felt sympathy in their bereavement and the public
! loss.
Resolced, That these proceedings be spread upon
| the journals of this Senate.
/ Mr.. Brown rose to second the motion for the
adoption of the resolutions offered by the Senator
from Orange, and most cordially united in adding
his humble tribute of praise and respect to the
many virtnes public and private, possessed by the
eminent citizen and Chief Justice of the State
which it the purpose Of the resolutions to honor
| and commemorate.
1t had been his fortune, said Mr.. B., to have been
associated at very early period of his life in the
other branch of the Legislature with the gentleman
whose death they were now called on to deplore
Although it was then the theatre on which many
gentlemen of great experience in legislation and
reputation in debate were conspicuous, Judge Nash