Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1860-06-16
C0I@Tf:T3 GAas,ss I'D,
For the Register.
Death Of Judge Daniel-His Successor.

=
fivOrite son, b. no! until he has served
h r well. lie we'd loug and useful lite
and died at his work in the confidence oi
his co ntry and full Of Desired hon"rs.
Jude DAnItl first assembled The Bench III
1886, ~ ill e vscancy OCc STONED by
lhs transfer OF Jndge Philip i. Barbour
f;om lie United States Disrc. Court ia
The Supreme Bench. When Judge Bar
tour died in 1910, Judge Daniel was APP
pointed by Preslden. Van Buren, as his
successor. Now both Barbour and Dan
Iiel have ended their labors and ale al rest.
ii is, therefore, J matter OF much i'm.
IporlAnce 10 selecl man qualified III al
respects 10 fill The vacancy mace III tie Su.
preme Court, by the death of Judge Dan
Iel. Virginia need be al no loss, Tor sew
eral prominent and leaned men have al
ready been mentioned as candid les for
the succession. But with high apprecI-
alton of The great abilities of each anu eve
~ candidate, we feel confident it is the
general opinion that there is no one in
Inc State so eminently qualified for that
Ugh position as The Hon John w. Brock
enbrough, Judge of The Federal Court, for
the Western District of Virginia. He
vas born and raised among the books Oi
his profession. His father, Hon. Wm.
Brockenbrough, was an eminent lawyer
and at the time Of his death. was a Judge
/ OF the Court Of Appeals, The mind OF
tie present Judge b., was therefore train
ed Tor the law from his youth, ard with
all enthusiastic love Of his profession, he
has stored his mind Win volumes of lie.
gal learning. He has thus gained for
Unset such reputation, that, although
lie has never been politician, II is well
known he was the first choice of many OF
VTglna's most eminent Cluzens, for the
Iii hest Office in the gill Of the people Of
State. In early life, he publlShed TWO
volumes Of reports, composed OF the de-
cisons Of Chief Justice Marshall, when
JUDI Of the DisuIct Cour of Virginia,
and for a high appreciation OF the genius
and a sacred regard Tor The memory OF
tlal mode Jud &c, e reporter Of those
l~o volumes has no equal.
Judge BrockeEbrUugh, in mind, man
ntr and person, possesses qualities, which .
we tnink, are peculiarly appropriate. il
moi absolutely necessary. to him who rep
resenls he majesty Of The law. Most es.
pecially does lie possess !he rare, but i'm
porlanI faculty OF conveying his ideas III
language perfectly simple and clear 10 4
person Of lie most ordinary comprehen-
Ion. His opinions are remarkable for
their lucid exposition Of the subject in
hand, and are, therefore, in marked con-
uast with the opinions Of many other
learned Judges. who, il is 10 be regretted.
often involve The law III such Delphlc mys.
terry. that their decisions are equally Ca
pabe of several constructions. This
simplicity of language is the natural re.
suit of his clear aud logical mind and Is
likewise observable in his conversations
ry one, who has been student Of law.
" ell remembers how frequently, when
pouring over vOlumlnoIs books, noted
particularly for their nncouth sentences
and the inexplcable language in which
the Necessary Princi les of law are there
laid down, he has iarned 10 the cherished
pages of Blackstone. with the hope that
he could there Ind al least one paragraph
on the same subject, where he knew The
idea would be conveyed in a style as sim.
pie and as Ineligible as the English Ian
gusge is capable of expressing it. Very
similar has been The experience of the
Judges students in the lecture room. For
let the opinions laid down in the reports
be never SO abslruse and entangIcd IN the
most Gordan-hke knots, they were refer
red TO him with perfect confidence, for he
always explained them in dicllon as
smooth and clear as that OF the great En-
glsh Commentator himself. Besides
lhis excellent quality of simplicity. the
opinions o. Judge Brockenbrough are no.
ted for being extensive, comprehensive
and careful. They are extensive enough
in their researches to colec, all The rella-
bic authority, wilhou, being prolix suf-
hclenly comprehensive TO view the SUBJ
ject in every light and select the most i'm
por,ant and relevant points ; and so very
careful that it is the boast Of his pupils
and friends lha, he'has neUer been over-
ruled, although all appeals from his decls-
ions are taken 10 The U. S. Supreme
Court. Another very remarkable quality
in the mind of Judge Brockenbrough. is
his extraordinary memory. good mem
DRY is a SINE qua non Of a good Judge,
and that of Judge B., although naturally
good, has been cultivated most sludiously
He seems 10 have made the legal opinions
Of Others entirely his own. The Virgin.