The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-05-21
THE LATE HON JOHN M. MORE
HEAD ."

! The Greensboro Patriot publishes the i'm
! presslve and eloquent Grafton Of the Hon. John
Kerr, of Caswell, on the life and character of
the Hon. John NJ Morehead, delivered at
Wentworth on the Goth of February last. Its
great length precludes its publication entire 10
our columns, but We make the following extracts
from the concluding portion {: ST.. >..-..
Governor Morehead came. to the bar IN 1S19
little past the meridian of the very brightest
era In the judicial annals of North Carolina
The first quarter of the current century was
illustrated in our State by fraternity of law
yers of the highest order Of natural gifts, and of
profound learning in the science OF law. Among
the professional lights Of the time alluded to
were William CASTOR and John Stanley, Ed
ward Graham and Moses Mordecai, Gavin Hogg
and Iredell, Strong and Toomer, Eccles and
Strange-these were of the Eastern and Cape
Fear circuits, while in the middle and Western
circuits We had Peter Brown, SeaweH. George
Badger, VIM FL Haywood. and Thomas P
Devereux, Duncan Cameron, William Norwood,
Murphy and Nash Yancey, Rufin, Settle and
Shepperd, Archibald Henderson, james Martin,
Joseph Wilson, and David + Caldwell, and
others we'll worthy of association with those [
have named, together constituting resp|endent
galaxy, certainly not surpassed, if equaIled, by
any on this continent The older class of the
gentlemen referred to, were, when Gov. More
head entered the profession, in their occident,
s'and the Western horizon in blaze with
their descending glories )" the younger "were
rising In the opposite quarter OF the Heavens,
and quickly became lords of the ascendant"
1t is no small tribute to him to say that at such
time, with the public mind familiar with such
examples, he rose rapidly to eminence, and, in
his own circuit Of practice, became master Of
the first position.
Nor was he without formidable rivalry in his
ascent to fame. Among the most prominent Of
his immediate contemporaries with whom he
had to contend habitually were of those who
preceded him at the bar-by few years on} y
Bartlett Yancey, james Martin, Thomas Settle
and Augustine Fl Shepperd; of those who came
shortly after him, Governor Graham, Chief
Justice Pearson, Hugh WadGell Nathaniel
Boyden, his brother James T Morehead, John
T Poindexter, Ralph Gorrell aud George G
Mendenhall, all men of general ability, and of
surprising excellence in their respective fortes.
Yaneey was man Of great personal dignity,
of commanding influence throughout the State
and ewing to the relation he sustained to the
political parties of his day. with equal success in
the courts and on the hustings
"Wielded at will the fierce democratic"
Settle, who for more than twenty years eraced
the Judicial ermne, was full of the fervor of
genius, and with strong hold on the popular
regard, and singular skill in the arts of advo
cacy. was able in all his courts to command
foe practice, and maintain high position.
Shepperd, with clear head, and as pure
heart as ever beat in human breast, was thorough
ly proficient in the science of special pleading,
the technicalties of which he brought to bear
at times upon his adversaries to their great sur
prise and discontinue.
Martin, like Settle, wore the judicial robes
for many years, and sustained upon the bench
the reputation for learning be acquired at the
bar; ardent and jealous in the causes Of his
clients, he was by these qualities, and his pro-
fessional attainments together, rendered at all
times strong antagonist in forensic disputa-
tions.
Mendenhal, by indefatigable industry and
the strctest attention to the minutest circum-
Stances 10 the preparation of his cases, and
most confident and bold manner Of address to
iures, with good attainments in the law made
himself formidable, Won large practice and
fine reputation.
These have all passed away, and deserve much
more than this brief tribute. For the others
bave named, who still live, it were ungraceful to
do more now, than to assign them place as | |
have done 10 the honorable category presented.
In SucD tunes as lie HFeu, WltH SUCH kHOWl
edge aud Influences surrounding him, aud with
such rivals as he had-to have won such emi-
nence and fame as he did win, proves John NJ
Morehead clearly entitled to be ranked in his
profession among the great
Nor are at a loss to discover the elements
of his greatness. He had genius and talent
both in high degree. His mental resources
were ample and full His powers of Invention
and talent for application were equally striking,
equally ready.
He was not very accurately, not very extern
sively, learned in the law; he had however
mastered its general principles, aud without
much acquaintance with the cases in Banc, his
mind ordered, was of such a practical
cast-that he of the best counsellors in
the State. No client was ever heard to com
plain of having been misled by his advice.
But it as as an advocate that he shone with
peculiar splendor.
His presence, as have already said, was i'm
Posing-bis augmentation was iogicai-his wit
spark ling-his illustrations striking and bis flow
of soul under the excitement of his causes cap,l
waiting to all hearts FL assailed with great
force his adversarcs' positions-and defended
bis own with consummate skill He was always
self possessed-slways courteous He had the
best control of his temper of any man [ ever
knew. 1t was in vain to attempt to get the
advantage Of him by exciting his asger.
He who ord this, was sure to meet the fate
of one, who should be foolish enough to arouse
sleeping lion merely to hear him roar. The
roar be might hear-but he would also be de-
voured He was man of strong willard
possessed great power of controlling others in
aud out Of the courts. During the last ten
years Of his practice at the bar, he defended in