The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-01-21
DEATH OF THE HON, JOHN NELSON.
MEETING OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BAR

AS was previously announced, meeting of the
members of the Bar was held yesterday in the room
of the Superior Court, to express their feelings in
relation to the death of the Hon. John Nelson.
At one O'Clock, the hour appointed, large num-
Der of the members of the Bar and the officers of
the several Courts assembled, when, upon motion of
Jonathan Meredith, Esq, the meeting called to
order and the Hon. Robert N. Martin called to the
chair, Reverdy johnson, Jr., Esq, being chosen
Secretary.
After the organization of the meeting, William
Meade Addison, Esq, moved that committee of
five gentlemen-to be designated by the Chair-be
appointed to draft suitable resolutions expressive of
the sense of the meeting upon the melancholy event
which had drawn them together.
The motion prevailed, and the Chair appointed
Reverdy johnson, Jonathan Meredith, John V. l..
Me Mahon, Nathaniel Williams, and Grafton L.
Dulaney, Esqrs., the Committee, who retired to
perform the duties assigned them.
After short absence the Committee returned,
when Jonathan Meredith, Esq, addressed the Chair
follows:
The Baltimore Bar Mr. Chairman has seldom sus-
tanned heavier loss than assembled de-
pore in the death of distinguished brother With great
natural endowments-a luminous, and vigorous intel
ect-a mastery of law science the fruit of early and
patient laborsa power of analysis to dsentangle the
complicated problems-the closest reasoning and
great gifts Mr.. Nelson has long stood in the
rank of the Maryland Bar But his. legal reputation
Before
the most august tribunal of our counyn the Supreme
Court of the United Sateselevated to the high Office of
tnguished leaders of that Bar and by his forensic
efforts and the faithful discharge of his official duties
the respect and confidence of the Court.
This Sir, is but tribute to his memory lawyer
his worth as a man, his courteous and gentlemanke
bearing to all who approached him, his freedom from
rogant pretensons his equabty of temper his natural
cheerulness socety-charms which attached so many
to his companionship and made them friends the
brance of these will long be cherished less than his
GiOna1 pmin To cord fnr Ia
DEATH and our heartfelt sympathies for those whom it
has bereft YOU Sir, that the resolutions your
tered the minutes of the several Courts of this city
At the conclusion of Mr.. Merediths remarks the
following resolutions handed to the Secre-
tary, and read by him:
Resolved That this meeting feels with deep sensiblity
the loss which the profession and this community
sustained in the death of the Hon. John Nelson
bert of the Baltimore Bar.
Resolved That to testify our regret for his DEATH we
will attend his funeral obsequies and the customary
badge of mourning
Resolued That the several Courts of this CITY be moved
their proceedings; and that copy be by the Chair
of this meeting to the family of the deceased with
the assurance that his professional brethren most deeply
sympathze with them in their melancholy bereavement
The Hon. Reverdy johnson rose to second the
resolutions, and said:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN-The affecting event which has brought
together has filled with that makes me al
most incapable to participate except silent auditor
in the business of meeting. 1t has come upon me
unable
meet it, even with becoming forttude And although
will tell that wanting his
to make our body complete yet days, and weeks, and
months must pass before shall realize the death of John
Nelson 1t seems to as if but yesterday he in
this chamber, and, as was his won't with genial
smile and friendly grasp gave assurance that his
heart with us, and that with he was ever happy
And then he must have seen land that in some mea-
sure should console us) from the manner with which
his salutatons exchanged that with him our
hours too. always passed pleasantly and that we val
ued him not less for his social qualities than for
u; onol P,t he Sc,
in this world to be seen by His friendly hand
as his heart kind, is cold as the win
tsrs ice His tongue and brain inanimate
matter. They will soon be but of the dust from which
they sprung. The spirit which alone immortal and
which gave them the power to persuade and convince
well know they had-has gone, by the summons
of its Cod to its native sky there to account for its
duct earth. Nor, at the moment of its departure did
brother evnce the slightest fear of the result With
sincere faith in our revealed reigion-from conviction
of its truth 1.-THE happy result of careful reading and deep
medtation-as have every reason to know he enter.
taned he met the inevitable hour with the fullest conf
much very much reconcile us to our and
yet that is severe that time alone enable us to
tain it unmoved
0fMr Nelson's professional character it would be diff
cult to speak in terms Of exaggeration. His mind
admirably fitted for the Bar. 1t naturally acute
discriminating, methodca and logical And these ca
pacies were improved almost to perfection by the most
careful cultivation, by study and practice Some his
brothers, who knew him less intimately may perhaps
have supposed that his great efforts Bar-and when
the occasion required they were ever greawere rather
the result of practice and extraordinary endow
men than OF much general professional reading
full preparation. If this be So they are know ir
From the first he diligent STUDENT and for
his he exhausted all the necessary learning within
his REACH and stretched his power of thought its
capacity. Heknewas who does not has observed
much of professionalism excellence at all much more
the highest excellence is to be attained without Civ
ing nights and days to study
would not be understood by this meaning that all
is accomplished by reading That and much of it, is alb
soutey necessary; but to be valuable it must be accom-
panied by close concentrated thought and of this our
brother eminently competent careernow nearly of
forty four years Duration and theopportunes afforded
OF knowing personally and hearing nearly all of the
great of the American Bar and few of the Bar of
England enabled me to compare-as have often DONE
when hearing him-Mr Nelson with others; and with
this result have heard eloquence more brilliant
imagery, more power of application, and more afuence
oflearning but do not think, that in force ANALYSIS
clearness of arrangement perspcuty statement sim
picy ofanguage cearness of logic concentration of
thought, have ever seen him much if at ALL exceled-
When his demanded effort as when the facts were
numerous and complicated and the legal questions MANY
and abstruse, have felt when his argument was
concluded, that the entire argument exhausted
AS a colleague, he was invaluable and who ever mea
sured conclusions with him without feeling that an
adversary, he ever formidablep Whilst guarding
with great skill his defences he knew with equal
skill how to assail those of his opponent and kept him.
whoever he may have BEEN to the utmost of his capacity
But his talents not alone suited for the Bar At the
early age of twenty fve-the first moment of his being
elgblen the district of his nativity and earlier resi-
dence, he elected member of the House of Repre-
sentaves of the United States The body time
contained of great ability and have heard
several of them young he Mr.. Nelson
appreciated young man of the greatest promise-an
estimate which the more confirmed at the termina
ton of his service In the Senate of State, sub
sequent period, his power was yet more evident He
stood first amongst the first. His superior not
known.
In the service of his country abroad afterwards durnp
the administration of President Jackson proved him
self the equal of the abest of dpomatists and re-
ceived his return he well merted the honor due to
a successful treaty, accomplished by the overwhelming
power with which he maintained the rights of our people
His mission ended he made this city his home and the
theatre of his subsequent professional life He
short period called from by President Tyler to
the duties of Attorney General of the United States and
although Immediately succeeding the accomplished and
eloquent Legare, he was at recognized by the Su
preme Court Of the United States and by his brethren of
tha Bar as the equal Of of his predecessors The
archives of the Office contain enduring evidence of his
learning and unsurpassed comprehension. / do not
know, that in the many opinions given by him.
mas been discovered. They constitute now resource
which can be resorted to with confidence ascertain the
law on all the questions he called upon to consider
How he discharged his duties afterwards in our Courts
this auditory need not be reminded. His voice. even