The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-02
The Late Hon. a. F. Hopkins, Of


appropriate resolutions touching the death
Of the Hon. A. F. Hopkins we're adopted.
They were subsequently resd before the Cir
cult Court, and ordered 10 be spread upon
the minutes. Bsfre reading the resolu-
tioos to the Court, A. + Manning, eEsq.,
made the following remarks:
Your Hoa0T-Arthur F. Hopkins, long
distinguished member Of the bar OF his
State, and formerly the Chief Justice Of the
supreme Court, died in this city, in the I'D
year Of his oge, on the Sth day Of this
month snd the bar this Court, Il q meet.
ing held since its last adjournment. have
appointed me 20 present 90 your honor. end
10 ask 10 have recorded, the resolutions
which they have adopted in respect to his
memory.
These resolutions, sir. express but made
q1ately, the respect and esteem for Judge |
Aopklnsl or those who knew him long and I
we'll Indeed, the acquainlances Of caly I
the latter peroa Of his lie, can form no |
Just est mate Of his great ability and admit /
rable moral aud social qualities before dis |
ease (Which many years ago frat manifest |
ed iis approache') had impaired them. /
knew him from b0ybood. 1t was my good /
fortune to be student Of the law in his 1
Office ard under his direction. This was at /
Huntsville, IN this State; and in . part Of /
the State a. whose CourIs there used 10 as /
semble Tor forens c controversy, and In the /
genial intercourse which 50 honorably char
aete lies our profession in the interior al /
the South, McClung, Mckinley, the elder /
Clement c. Clay Thornton, james G.. Biz |
ney, the logical Parsons, The elegant, culri- |
waited and Gear headed Ormond and efhers:
men whose talents would have she'd lustre
on any part Of the country IL any period Of
its history. Superior among these, stood
Arthur +. Hopkins, ebeerfully recognized
by them az PRINTS inter pares. And a S NJ
liar distinction he long enjoyed among the
bar Of the supreme Court Of the State.
Judge Hopkins WIS born IN Virginia, and
studied law in the Office Of Judge William
II. gh- His residenee in Alabama began
before il was a State. He was q member n
think from Lawreuce county, Of the Con
yentIol that framed our State Constitution.
subsequently he was member Of the State
senate and young man though he vas, he
became distinguished ia that body. Espe-
cially, ts I have heard some Of oar older
citizens tell, was he prominent 10 opposi-
ton 10 the establishment Of our old state
Bank systeh; Of which, he predicted al the
beglnning, from the very nature Of the
institution, the improvidence, excess and
corruption, which caused the overthrow
and aOanaonment Of il shout twenty years
aiterRards. Regret has often besn expressed
I that the sagacious views and vigorous
speeches, which he then delivered were
never written Out and published for future
use.
Though not unambitious Of such honor,
Judge Hopkins Il believe) was only once
afterEards elected to a political Office He
was not on the popular side. In that day
Wings were not IN favor. But, On one oc-
easion, when q dangerous collisi was ap-
pretended between tbs state and Federal
authorities, in consequences Of cur Indisn
relations, the PEOPLE Of Madison county laid
aside their political prejudices and elected
him their representative in the General
Assembly Of the State Alabama. And well
do / remember the pride produced By the
report Of the admirable manner in which
he bore his part in the great debate Of that
Sc sion. Friend and enemy alike described
him 90 The great man, net Of that body only,
but Of the State. And mary eminent meme
bers Of the party which exercise irresistible
sway here, regretted that Judge Hopkins
was not also q Democrat. They would have
been proud 10 have him sent as such and /
as the representative Of Alabama, TO the
Senate, which Clay, Calhoun and Webster
had made radiant with the glory Of their
genius.
But ambitious though he was. Judge Hop |
kins had ether qualities stronger than his /
ambition. Among them were a sincere love !
Of truth, great strength OF will, ardent feel |
ings, uncoEguerable courage, both physical |
and moral, aud a lofty, but not arrogant, |
self respect or sense Of honor, which made /
It impossible for him to comp omise away /
opinions and principles for the sake Of pre- |
lermeni. No temptation could make such /
man profess opinions that he did not enter
tan
Nor ON the other hand could any man,
however great, turn back and change the !
tide Of politicsl and party sentiment al that
day in Alabama. And as be would net sail
upon It and 50 be borne into Office, Judge
Hopkins stood in the midst Of il like a firm
~ sci rock u the mi ist Of the ocean, Whose
pillows when they rise may overwhelm and
hide il, but not overthrow it from its solid
base. So high, however, was the respect
which even party enemies entertaiued for
his integrity Hud talents, that he Was ele-
waited 70 the supreme Court Of the State,
and soon Afterwards Became its Chief jus
iice. This Office, however, he shortly after-
wnds resigned and returned TO The bar
Il might be inferred from what / have
said that Judge Hopkins was a man Of
Ippg partislitie1 and perhaps prsjudicss
also. To a considerable extent, this is true.
ID was not easy for him 10 see luulis in his
riends. And it may be that he was n { al
WAYS lust in his judgment ct political op-
poneuts. But he did n descend TO ssper-
sians upon their characters. lie had too no
bic a nature, TOO high respect for the right
Of frso discussion, 20 endeav0r, by personal
1ings, clap-trap Rrti6ces, or brow beating
inumidat on, 10 gain unjust advantages ia
debate. lie appealed ways by fair argu-
ments d the intelligence OF those he ad-
dressed; and he habuually treated his adj
versaFy with all courtesy. This he did upon
principle.
Ia private life, Judge Hopkins was ex-
emplary in almost every virtue. OF spot
/ less purity in conduct and manners, a sincere
I chr stan he was q member of the Preshv-
/ terrain church, sbounding in hospitality,
aud an encourager Of the Young. in who e
happiness he took delighi--no house was
more attractive than his Tor the pare enjoy
meuts Of society, aud no home was made
more genial by the warm, cordial and be-
niguaut spirit OF the head Of the family.
Such was Arthur =. Hopkins IA the glory
OF his manhood. The thinner portions Of
/ the clouds which sfierwards darkened much
/ OF is splendor. extended f.r upward, sir,
| from the western horizon. But through
them ell, the purity, and sincerity, and
| loity ease Of honor which always marked
/ his character, shone ont to the last lie has
/ now descended 20 the tomb. Amid the
wreck aud ruin Of the land he loved doubt
less the sooner because Of that rain, his
once noble farrn has yielded up the spirit
that animated it and that spirit we hurnblv
trust, is where the cked cease from trou-
bling, and the weary are at rest"