Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-12-21
SKETCH 0F JUDGE SPEED.

| Judge James :. Speed, Of kentucky the
newly appointed Attorney General, Is Il res
ident OF Louisville, Ky, and was born near
that city His father was one Of most ex-
| tensive farmers and slave owners IN Ken
tucky His mother, who is still living, at
| the advanced age Of nearly ninety years, in
Louisville, has had twelve children, one OF
whom, Joshua Speed, an elder brother of
! the subject OF this sketch, was Tor many
| years the bosom friend and 1or. a short time
| the partner OF President Lincoln This
! gentleman is also still living at Louisville,
| where he enjoys an enviable character as an
| able lawyer and influential, enterprising cit
| izen.
James S. Speed has not been promis-
| cuously before thecountry as politician. In
| 1872 during the attempt to emancipate the
| slaves III Kentucky, and make the State u
free one, Mr.. Speed took prominent part
| III the contest as an emancipationlst. Ills
| party was badly defeated, and having expires
Sed in the contest views which were obnox-
| Ious to the large majority ot the voters Of
Kentucky; Nj. Speed had declined TO at
tempt to attain any political success Since
that period he has, therefore, confined HIM
self to the practice of law. and has long
| been recognized as among the first lawyers
OF his native State, ranking with Rousseau
and several others who have figured more
prominently than himself during the war.
About three years ago Mr.. Speed freed all
his slaves, committing, himself entirely to
| the policy of emancipation
La the beginning of the rebellion Nr.
| Speed, with his brother Joshua, Gen. Rous-
seau, Judge Harlan and others, assumed
determined stand in opposition TO the ncu-
| tral position forced upon Kentucky by the
conduct Of her authorities but confined
himself tOqGiet though earnest efforts to stay
the current which was fast carrying the
State out Of the Union. On August IL,
1861, an opportunity offered itself to the u
mon men to take some action against the Sc
cessiOnists, and Judge Speed as the Union
leader, determined, to take advantage OF IT,
The secessIonIsts Of the city had called 4
meeting Of sympathy with the South, and
had early mustered their strength at the
court house. Their leaders were on the
stand, which was handsomely decorated with
white or peace flags, awaiting the filling
of the hall by theirfricnds, and ndsomcwhat aux-
ious at the appearance of numerous well
known Unionists or 'abolilionists, = as they
were then called by the rebel sympatLizers.
Everything was III readiness TO open the
peace meeting, and James Erabue the prin-
cipal secession leader, had risen to call the
assembly TO order, when Judge Speed quiet
y walked upon the stand and approached the
desk prepared for the chairman. lie called
The attention OF the house 10y rapping on the
stand with his cane, knocked aside with an
air of contempt the ''peace flags on either
side Of him and was about to speak when
he was interrupted by the clamor of the
rebel leaders, who insisted that the house
was theirs and that the meeting was to be
addressed by them. Amid the excitement
and above the ciamor which ensued was
heard the stentorian voice of General l.. IL.
Rousseau proposing Judge Speed Is presi-
dent OF the meeting lie Immediately put the /
question to vote. 4 lea1ening "Aye!"
drowned the noes Of the rebels. and per-
fecty calm and cool. Mr.. Speed reached
forward removed the white flags from the
stand and unfurlcd two small star spangied /
banners In their stead. In an instant, as If
by preconcerted arrangement from different
parts Of the hall large and small United
States flags were uniurled, and ten minutes
atterward the sesess IOnists had lett the hall, !
amid the grOans Of loyal citizens. Judges !
Speed and Harlan, and MesSrs. Wolfe |
Rousseau and Others followed IN strong L. |
mon anti-neutral speeches, and the meeting |
adopted several very strong resolutions. I
Next to General Rousseau establishment |
of a Union recruiting camp opposite Louis |
vile, this affair was the first determined |
step taken by the Unionists OF Kentucky 10 |
hcCp Tic sCItiG III Tic illOll. after
wards il was followed by Rousseau occupa-
ton Of the city with his brigade, and the !
conclusion Of the farce Of Kentucky neutral t
ity. Since this period Judge Speed has
been engaged In aiding the cause oft gov
ernment as a private citizen, and 10 his IN /
fuence and example IN Kentucky the ad-
Of Mr.. Lincoln is much indebted /
for the support which it received in that
election
Mr.. Speed is about fifty years of age, and
is yet in the vigor OF his power He is short
in stature, and, though squarely built, is
somewhat thin in appearance. The reputa-
ton as lawyer which he had previously
won, and his influence with the military
power at louisville, has of late years very
much augmented his business He formed
a copartnership IN the law business with
Samuel d. Smith, which is still continued
in their joint names.
SOME of the Southern papers begin to
talk as though they were about to confess
and ask to be forgiven Thus the Jackson
concludes forlorn article by
saying: The North was fanatic; the
South was ignorant the North bullied
the South bantred Stace1,y acas the rocA;
that Shtpaereciaed the Ship Of State
TRUE-The North American Review