Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-03-24
RArrs OF anvrRrrsrvn.
HON. ANDREW EWING.


ties. huJ melancholy u reflect that they
have ceased 10 have a living eNempiifi.
cation among Us. He has passed away
forever, but his memory viii long be en-
shrined IN the hearts Of those VINO knew
him best 7 know mol IL the spirits OF
the departed are cogaiZant of what
passes upon this earth, but ! am DersIa-
died that they are. and cannot Ua indif-
rerHur 20 what tranSpire> amid the seeneS
Of their former trials and glory. But
whatever there is in such speculati0ns.
IE may be profitable to Us who survive,
briefly % review some Of the many Vir-
tues of our deceased friend. At all events
iu attempting an outline of his charac-
Ter, I shall perform bat the office of true
friendship, which IS all that the living
can pay % the dead.
Andrew Ewing was born and reared in
this community, and was one OF q lU-
mg-au- family of the highest respectable
5rv. He enjoyed the advantages of the
best domestic training and discipline, the
fruits OF which were exhibited ay him
through his whole career. He was bred
I8 habits of industry. without which no
young man has any assurance Of safety
ra lIS morals, OF uf success in the great
business Of life. To careful domestic
training was added a full collegiate course
of education, which was wel improved
by reading and study
He was admitted 10 the bar al Nash
vile ar an early age, and soon entered
upon a lucrative practice. His early ca-
r-er as a lawyer was, as 7 am informed.
naUi-hed for accuracy in pleading
and for pr0mpJitgde iE preparing and try
lly his causes. These qualities he carried
. with him into maturer life, when 1 be-
came familiar with him and his style 0f
practice. he was among the a1ie~J jury
lawyers / have known and for the last
zen years Of his life, he certainly had no
superior at the Nashville bar. some may
have had more Of what is called elO-
aueuce. but they had less of force and
lUric, and less knowledge Of human ua-
rure. But he had what call eloquenea
IN a nigh degree-tle power Of enforcing
his propositions upon the conditions of
others. He was an earnest man, and
knew well the springs Of human action
and human sympathy. When be chose.
be could draw upon his imagination and
his general readings with great effect and
beauty. His great forte, a. lawyer,
was in uerceiving promptly and clearly
the main points IN a cause and present.
fug them 70 the exclusion of small OF
doubtful ones. / have spoken Of
him as q jury lawyer. lie was able,
and eminent also ia the other depart
meuf- of his profession. and always equal
10 The occasion He was successful IN
his practice. and maintained in the higi-
est degree the confidence of his clients. /
He had q high sense Of professional
honor, and never Tesorted % mean arUi- ]
ces 90 gain his cause. He was just and 4
courteous t8 his opponents, aEu gave no 4
occasion for bitterness and strife. while I
he was positive and earnest iu maintain /
Inr his positions In "a word, he was, iG /
hi5 rrofession. q model lawyer; industri- /
lu5. prompt. faithful. honest, and respect I
fIl t5 all. 1 know of no better pattern /
for the imitation Of young uleE.0rrs 10 \
the bar. q class ~ whom De was always 4
Kind and 0uliging.
lTr. Ewing performed also q c0nspicu- I
aus part I'M politics. in early manhood 4
he attached himself 10 the Democratic 4
uarrv. and adhered 10 IFS fortunes with I
fuvarving devotion. He was L-slL-
guished rs popular desater. in most of +
the fierce contests ina Tennessee bll hs
was tolerant In bis spirit, and never gave
0tfense. In ls45 be was elected % Con-
g-ess from the Nashville District aHd .
served his term with signal ability de
syas an earnest supporter Gl the tompro-
mise Of l-j0, which cCluiIutes- 50 MHg-
70 ailav the excitement of that period,
and preserve the Union from threatened
Disruption ComprDmise and concHia-
t5au were pecalarly in HaTM9HT with
his nature, ana has l1eory oi our
And these views he
maintained with steadlastueS5 ali
hrmness. ia opposition b the body -
fi- party iu the South. AtG later period,
and in q higher state Of excitement and
danger. be Derseverei In the same line of
policy. and, IN 1850 he visited New
York, iu company with other gentlemen,
and lsb0red for nearly one month in eu-
l-av0ring To persuade The people tnaJ the
election of the Republican candidate, un-
Der The circumstance, would eulauger
the peace of the country. Ia January
aud February. sol, after several ot the
Gulf states had seceded, be was one OF
the Union candidates for the convention
-u The county Uf Davidson ard di-tin-
guished himself by bis earnest and el0-
guent appeals to the people.
Headvocatedth CritteHlau resolutions
and subsequently, the peace confer
-Dce resolutions, believing JLaJ either of
these measures, or something equivalent,
would be satisfactory 10 the Border
States, and be the basis Of reunion By the
Southern States. These measures failed
r.
cease his exerti0ns, th0dgh the storm
grew louder and fiercer. Seeing there I
was 10 hope 10y Congre. siOnal action, he ,
Joined a number Of other gentlemen i'm !
an appeal % the peopleof tLe South, call q
I1g for a general convention Of all the /
Southern States 10 deliberate upon the
state Of the country, and 20 devise some {
peaceful solution Of the Impending diff Cd
eUlueS. The appeal was In vain. HIS Z
last effort in conjunction with others, s
was t1 call upon the people of Tennessee I d,
20 assume a Neutral position, with the
hope that this State ln connection q
with Kentucky and other Border States, /
might be successful mediaIors and pre- ,
vent the approaching conflict. But at /
this period, which was after the capture !
1i Fort sumter. popular excitement and 3
sectional animg=ify had become too great
% heed the Arguments Tor q neutral po- ,
zri0n, or 90 respect even The high mo-
tves which prompted them. Aud thus
this Lass effort for peace and union met
with ike failure, and Mr.. Ewing and
others with whom he acted. gave up ia
despair. Well do ] remember the sad Z
ness and sorrow with which he relin-
pushed his cherished hopes Of preserving
the integrity Of the country bF peaceful
measures. He believed that final -epa-
ration was inevitable, and determined 10
,ast his lot with the people Of his native
state. and share with them their good OF
evil fortune. He left his home on the
evacuation Of Nashville, never TO return
10 IL. His DEATH from disease, in the
sunmer Of ] ,64, al the city Of Atlanta, is
already well known.
tits not my purpose To pass Judgment
ln his course in the late lamenred strug-
zie-0r 10 pailiate or approve his opin-
on- OF conduct. I am only endeav0riug
20 review his character. and 10 do Justice
10 bis memory. If be was wrong be was
honestly 30. II he became involved ia a i,
contest which cost him his life, il was ,
lof one OF his seeking, but which be bad
ried 10 avert. He was not an ultra man
u his politics. nor a secessiOnist lie
was an earnest lover Of his country and
his government and Of his race, ana es-
Jecialiy was he devoted 10 the people oI
tennessee, from whose fortunes, or lalei .
b. folly be was unable 10 separate him
-eiL But ID was n the walks Of private ,
Ife that his true character shone ,
most c0uspicu0usiy. He was free from /
al vices, with strOng moral and religious /
sentiments. He was unOstentatious IN I
his department and simple iu bis tastes. !
While lie was economical in bis eNpendi- ,
Tures, be was charitable 70 those in dis {
tress and seldom failed o. contribute his +
i4ire 10 suffering humanity. lie vas
fond Of home apd fauiiy aud 1riends-nO I
man was more SO. He Bas remarkable J
Tor bis love Of peace and law aud order, &
and no one could se more useful than he !
iu the effort now being made to restore j
iraternal relations among q people lately !
divided. ] would that De we're here
But though bis voice Is silent. let bis
character speak 10 people that be loved I
so well, and aid in stiliing the tumult Of /
the house.
could attest his influence as q peace .
maker m several instances, where the I
parties were on the eve Of deadly conn :
bat. In one case which occurred ia, fbia /.
city, he procured a warrant ami c,f,sad !
The parties 10 be arrested ana bound r,-ar :
10 keep the peace, and thus saved tbano 7
from mutual destruction. Il is uIeasina
now he is no more, % coniennlaf,
such exhibitions Of high moral heroisr,
snd il is but just that this Testorer Of the ,