Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-04-25
DEATH OF JUDGE LUCAS P. THOMPSON.

The melancholy but not unexpected intelligence
has come Of the DEATH Saturday last, at his resi-
dance in Stanton, Of Judge Lucas P. Thompson, Of
the Supreme Court Of Appeals Of Virginia For
protracted period he had been In precarous
health. and for several weeks so seriously i'll that
only faint hopes were INDUCED Of his recovery. His
age must have nearly Appropriated the scripturai
allotment Of Iife-three score and ten years. He
was born in Amherst county, where his professions
career begun, and whose people have been under Ills
judicial care throughout the long period Oh MS Se
vice on the bench. The marked virtues anu uiS'ln
guished abilities Of this most estimaOie man
most faithful and valuable public servant arc y
soonantlv and feelingy portrayed in Judge sheneys
- % the Grand jures of his circuit that we are
Glad 70 have an opportunity Of substituting, for
hat we should otherwise have been constrained to
ay ourselves the admirable tribute of his successor
as Circuit Judge. We give his language:
cannot enter upon the discharge of my duties
in this Court without saying word Of him who
preceded me in my Office, and who, by the choice Of
the constituted authorities Of the Commonwealth,
has, for his learning and virtues, been promoted
to higher post of judicial usefulness and honour
| am the successor Of one who for more than thir-
ty-fve years has eXpounded the laws in this Circuit
of one who has been to myself judicial father,
and TO the people of this Circuit the protector of the
defenceess tower of strength and refuge for the
weak, the prosecuted the wronged and the oppress-
ed, the guardian Of the orphan and the defender OF
the widow and alcGyS the fearless scourge OF wrong
doors Of every grade;- word Of one who is a
Virginian gentleman of the olden time and by uni
yersal consent a conscientious, ncorruptible, and
unapproaehably honest Judge! Lucas P. Thompson
has been Judge in your midst for period during
which generation has been gathered to their faith
ers and yet after all that long service, although he
has pronounced many thousand judgments affect
ing the lives the liberties and the rights OF this Peo-
ple and has passed through scenes and temptations
of the most trying character he lays aside the robe
of this judicial Office spotess and unstaned as
when more than thirty-hye years ago, IN early man
hood, he put it on.
war: and often, in the fearless discharge of his ju-
dicial functions has Judge Thompson, animated by
a heroic purpose to do right, achieved triumphs oil
the law which entitled him TO something better than
the mere warriors crown have myself seen MN
face fierce and angry crowd, which almost audibly
demanded sacrifice to the passions OF the hour,
and standing betreen the helpless accused and the
excited-almost Observation-Disclosures, calmly ex.
pounded the law and fearlessly uphold ITS shield
of protectOn over the rights of ALL thus threatened
in the person of the meanest citizen. have seen
him again amidst the throes Of our recent struggle
in which our people and leaders deemed the most
precious rights of freemen were impeHlled, and 10
which Virginia had solemnly dedicated all her men
and means-when Early was retreating up the Val
ley-When military leaders were calling Tor more
men-when the Secretary of War sternly revoked all
details including those of the bonded farmers, and
ordered all to be hurried to the front-when his own
home was threatened and his own people were about
TO be overrun-when loyalty was sensitive and mo-
tiyes might be suspected-l have seer him send
forth the Great Prerogative Writ Of HabeaS Corpus
and with force of reasoning, utterly irresistible
and which afterwards other distinguished Judges ac
cepted conclusive, demonstrate that the order OF
NJ, nd
with moral courage which no intimidation could
daunt-which no apprehension Of personal conse-
ouences could lessen-which feeling OF patriotism
or self.interest could affect, deliberately pronounce
the judgment of the law and discharge petitioners
taken from the very lines of the army
To have had such Judge for so many years
welding a silent but resistsss influence in favor of
law and order and justice and right, has been
blessing which, trust, has been appreciated by all
Our bar than which none in the Commonwealth
stands higher for honor, integrity, learning and
marked abilities, have been accustomed to see in
their Judge the manifest spirit of the great lawyers
and jurists Of the past and before them ne has
always kept high uplifted the standard oil profession
al honor and character. Our people, too, have
been educated and elevated in sentiment, opinion
and principles by his example and influence; and
the power Of these, trust will remain with us and
ours for generations to come lmpelllng US 10 rever
ence the law to yield willing obedience 70 It's pre-
cents to regard its eXpounders as those who ought
to be clothed with the pure ermne OF jusce-as in
deed the vice gerents OF the Almighty Judge in the
visible affairs of men
And now this great and good man lies upon
bed of extreme sickness-it may prove to be a bed
of death; and as calmly and serenely does he turn
his eyes upon the Valley of the Shadow of Death as
he has been wont to look upon danger and duty in
his high Office His labors ended at peace with all
men, full of gentle sympathies and affections, and
with sure faith, openly proclaimed, in the price,
less atOnement his example comes back to us, as
from the borders Of the grave, and its light shall
shine with steady ustre for our comfort and guild
ance for generations to come!
When / consider gentlemen. not only the 1nhe-
rent responsibilities of the sacred office assume,
but in whose pathway tread with unequal steps, !
can only invoke reverently for my guidance and di,
rection that wisdom which cOmeth from above"
and resolve to cOnsecrate all my powers to the dis
charge of its duties!