Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1858-09-08
CLEARFIEID, WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 1853

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abused him, might have approached him
with the proloundost confidence. not only
that he had forgiven, but actually forgot
ten, any calumny however gloss. In that
respect, at least, no man could have re.
duccd TO practice more directly, tho NOR.
allty OF the New Testament. lie cherish
ed no antipathicy, and formed no preiu.
dlccs. In every relation. public and pri.
vate, he displayed that charity of the heart
winch makes man gentleman, despite
OF the ca"ly associations and even of bad
manners. In the liycicst sallies Of his wit
and humor--the last acts on which beney.
olencc cNerts its restraining influence
he never allowed himself 10 trench IN the
sensibiities Of others. When he said any
thug from the bench approaching scyeri.
ty, as he sometimes did when worn down
by dull and tedious argument. no time
was lost in try ing, by remark of q differ
ent kind, 10 wear away its effects both on
the speaker and the audience. lie was a
sound critic in the best sense Of the term
and when harsh observation was made
of ono whom he knew, he was generally
able to relieve its effects by pointing out
some excellence which had escaped the at
tention Of others. TO the ;oung and es-
pecially 10 those who were ehdeavorinr to
become the architects Of their own for
tunes, he was kind, atiable, and indulgent.
But the picture requires higher coloring
There was something in his magnanimty,
IN his forgiving temper, in his kindly char
ity, in his capacity to appreciate excel
lence of any kind, in any form, which des-
pite his apparent unconcern of manner and
sluggishness of body, elected and compell-
ed affection. There was a true fire of the
heart which glowed increasingly and cast
even the splendor of his intellect into the
shade. No man ever more cordially des-
pissed cold, calculating, spider-liko lawyer
weaving day by day his miserable tolls, Civ
ing up nothing retaining his grasp on every
victim Of chance and folly, employing his
powers only for the production of misery,
the practise Of oppression. No man ever
spoke into being with so little effort, ar
dent and permanent friendship. He sat
on the Supreme Bench with twenty six
different Judges, none of whom, owed
their position to his influence, and almost
all of whom, on their accession, were com
parative strangers to him, and yet it may
be doubted whether the purest and hap,
piest household ever lived in more absolute
harmony than he enjoyed in his personal
intercourse with his associates. In regard
to any body Of mon long associated TO.
gethcr, this fact might be worth repeating;
but in that Of so many independent men,
ofstrong intellects and wills, employed to-
gether in the daily examination ofexciting
questions, where conscience and duty re.
qure each man to stand 10y his individual
judgement, the case is somewhat remarka-
BILE. His intellectual requirements were
great and he had right TO be proud OF
them, but that would be poor monument
to his fame, which should omit to mention
those higheran tinerqualities OF the heart,
which placed him so far above The level OF
ordinary men.
1t is almost unnecessary to speak OF
him as man of integrity. | verify be-
lieve that the mere force of habit in seek
ing the truth and finding reasons to sup.
port it, would have driven him to the right,
have been brought 10 bear upon him.
But the truth is, no idea opposite to that
of his utmost purity as a Judge, was ever
associated with hisname. There was some
thing in his character, conversation, man
ner and appearance which wouldhavc
crushed such a thought in the bud Aman
who had approached him for the purpose
)f corruptng him, would have been as
much disposed to fall down before him in
an act of homage, as to have attempted to
carry out his purpose After lifetime de-
voted to the service of his country, il is
surely no mean praise Of public man,
ed, with certainty that they will be cred
tied, not less by the suitors against whom
he decided, than by the profession who
practised before him, and the community
whose laws he enforced