The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-03
DEATH OF WILLIAM A. TALBOTI, ESQ.
MEETING OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BALTIMORE BAR.


brother, most highly esteemed as LAWYER. great
ly respected in tho community as a worthy and
upright citizen, and in the church as faith
full and Jealous Christian.
The meeting was very fully attended At the
hour named, on motion of John H. B. Latrobe
Esq, Judge Eccleston was called to the chair, and
William George Brown, Esq, appointed Secretary
|. hewitt Steele, Esq.,, moved that Comm ittee
OF five be appointed by the chair whose duty should
be to prepare certain resolutions expressive of the
sense of the meeting.
The motion was seconded and the chairman an
pointed as the said Committee |. hewitt Steele
J. Ii. B. Latrobe, William H. Norris Thomas Don
aldson and William F. Frick Esqrs
The Committee then proceeded to perform the
duties assigned Them After an absence of few
minutes they returned, when |. hewitt Steele Esq.
their chairman, arose and said:
Mr.. Chairman: Before offering the resolutions
which hold in my hand, desire in few words to
give some expression to the feelings to which the
occasion naturally gives rise.
In the full enjoyment of the honors and rewards
which belong to high professional merit and un-
questioned moral worth; blessed too, in those do
nestle ties, which bind man most strongly to the
earth; there not, perhaps, one among us who, a
few weeks since, could have Justly looked for
ward to prosperous, happy and useful future,
than our deceased BROTHER William A. Talbot.
With strong, ready and well balanced mind a
clear and discriminating Judgment, a solid and ex-
tended knowledge of the principles of the law and
thorough acquaintance with its practice, he won
for himself a reputation at this bar of which any
man might well be proud and acquired and re-
tanned to his death the unbounded confidence of a
most varied and extensive professional connection
But besides these intellectual endo wments and
professional attainmens, he possessed that. which
was worth them ALA heart-a good and kind heart;
beating under the guidance and control of high
moral principle 1t this feature in his character
which gathered around him, in his life time body
of warmly attached friends, far more numerous
than usually falls to the lot of man; and it is this
feature in his character, which now, that he is
dead, survives most freshly and distinctly in our
hearts and memories. In the midst of his happi-
and usefulness he has been taken from us for
ever and it is most fit that we should mourn the loss
of such man. But while we grieve let us not for
get that he has left u.s. in his useful and honored
life, an example to be followed; and in his sudden
death, a warning to be needed by us all. l now
sir, on behalf of the committee, appointed by YOU
offer the following resolutions:
Resolued, That we have head with the deepest
regret of the unexpected decease of our friend and
brother, the late William A. Talbott that we ad-
mire him as a member of the Bar for his fine ma
tural abilities, his extensive and accurate legal
learning, his conscientious industry, his ready sa-
gacity, the manliness and courtesy of his demeanor
and the stern principles and heightened honor which
uniformly governed his conduct.
Resolred, That we honored and loved him as a.
man for his warm-hearted devotion in all his per-
sonal relations; for his strong and disnterested at
tachment to his friends for his modest benevolence
and for the purity Of his Christian life.
Resolved, That copy of these resolutions be sent
to the bereaved family of our departed brother as
an expression of our respect and our deep sympa-
thy in their great affcton.
Resolred, That the members of the Bar attend the
funeral of the late VIM. A. Talbot, and wear the
usual badge of mourning for thirty days.
After the reading of the resolutions Mr. Steele
moved that they be adopted.
John H. B. Latrobe, Esq, arose and second
ed the motion. He remarked, that occa-
sions like the present, occurring as thew did,
whenever death removed brother of the bar
were not without their significance and value But
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the speaker-those who bad
already passed away, looking at the living
crowd, whose turn-which the first, none could tell
had yet to come, there probably was not one
whose life might be studied with more profit by
the survivors of the profession than the Just mans
that they had lost His career was, in its earlier
part, struggle against circumstances that were
adverse in all their respects. Without fortune
without connections, with social or political in
iuences to advance him beyond his fellows in the
same career, he gained honorable distinction fully
as much by his personal character as by his talents
and requirements; distinguished as those were his
heart was still the noblest part about him. and his
memory was to be cherished as an illustration of
the value OF a blameless lite-as guaranty within
the reach of ALL of the most honorable professional
distinction.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Latrobes remarks,
Thomas Donaldson, Esq, addressed the meeting as
follows:
Mr.. Chairman My heart prompts me to say
something on this occasion, and vet almost takes
from me the power of utterance. For not ONLY was
our deceased brother known to me as a member Of
this Bar, but for many years | have enjoyed the
privilege OF his friendship, and however much his
death may be lamented by the profession in gene
raj and by the community, which now testiies its
interest by adding unusually large a number to
this assembly of our brethren, it is only those who
were on terms of intimacy with him who can really
knoU and feel the nature and extent of the loss
which we all mourn. His talents were recognized
by all, and need not dwell on them to YOU. sir
who have listened to his able arguments in the
highest tribunals Of this State, or to those immedi-
ately around me, who have often felt his vigor
in the friendly contests, which have taken place
In this and other Courts. But not only was our
friend a man of great ability and learning, but in
bis professional character were united the sternest
principle and the incest sense of honor
Thoroughly versed in, and reverencing the
law, he would never make it the instrument of
wrong or injustice being governed in all his inter-
course with his fellows, in the advice be gave to
his clients, ard in every department of his practice
by higher principle of right than may be en-
bodied in any system of human law; and he was ever
reused to indignation when he encountered in others
the unworthy acts which he understood but scorned
to employ. 1t was thus that he won the admiration
and esteem OF his professional brethren, and the
confidence of that large number of influential per-
sons In our community who were his clients, and
for this reason he to all an example never to
be forgotten model of all that is noblest and best
in our profession. What he was to his family aud
frends-how generous, how noble, how disnter-
ested-l Will not attempt to portray. To their own
hearts all this is known and they need no recogni-
ton OF 1t from others. His benevolence and his ac-
tive sympathy for suffering and distress, can be
July known to those alone who were the objects of
them; and it was only by accidental discoveries that
even his ntimates could guess how widespread
were his acts of kindness and Charity
And now. sir, in the prime of his age at the very
height OF assured success with everything in his
situation and circumstances to make life most hap
Ply as we'll as prosperous it has pleased God to take
him away from us. The grief of those most near
and dear to him, cannot be told, even if it were
proper to speak of it here. But amid all this Attic
ton, there is consolation which does not always
exist on these occasions, when gather to express
In formal manner, and by set resolutions our
grlef at the departure of one of our companions
Ihat consolation springs from the knowledge that
death could only be gain to whose life. like that
OF our FRIEND was that of true Christian And
although, feel that it is most painful to express
our love and admiration for him in terms of praise
which may appear hollow because they have been
so often used i'll regard to those who did not deserve
them, yet still it is the duty of those who really
knew him, to say what we have said, and to bear
witness that in this at least it is simply the
truth
Mr.. Donaldson was followed by S. Teackle Wal
lis. Esq, who said:
rise, MIR. President, not altogether of my own
accord, to join in the expression of respect and
grief, to which such eloquent and truthful utter
ance has already been given My personal rela-
tions with the deceased have been so close and cor
dial. for so long time, that to speak of him thus
soon-even in this sympathisng presence-seems
to me almost like lifting, publicly, the sacred
ments from the features of brother
Indeed, sir, the announcement of his death fell
upon me so startlingly, that the tones of my
own voice, now, as | speak of him, come back
to me like echoes from the death-chamber.-
For more than five and twenty years. l have
known Mr.. Talbot, and for large portion of that
time, our relations towards each other have been
those of the most intimate and confidential friend
ship. knew him in the struggles and difficulties of
his early manhood, and through every stage of the
toisome and honorable career which it has pleased
od thus suddenly to close, in the very blossom of
its rewards. And speaking, not as his eulogst, but
as a witness, | can truly say, that no man ever
walked, before my eyes, with more undertaking step
than he, along the path of duty, affection and
religion. He learned his first lessons of man.
ly sacrifice from the instincts of tilial piety-
that best and blessing mother of all virtues-and
the result of its teachings was, that hededcIted him
self and his life to others. He had the conso-
lation and reward ofknowng in his hour of trial. that
many a warm heart was beating sadly for his sake,
and he died surrounded by all of those endearments
which alone smooth the pathway to the grave.
Did say alone? Not So, sir-he held with an un-
yielding grasp the assured and reasonable hope, on
which he had leant, a staff. through life, and
he died only such men die. He was in the full
possession of his faculties to the last and his life