The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-01-09

back, he stopped first at kemper Court
House, where he found the original "Ovid
Bolus, Esq.;" in the person Of a young
lawyer from South Carolina. At the first
term of the Circuit Court which he at
tended, the bystanders were surprised
when the Judge requested beardless'
youth, an entire stranger, who was loung-
ing about the bar, cracking his jokes at
every body, in an old blue blanket over
coat, to defend lawIess prisoner, charged
with murder; and those bystanders were
still more surprised, when that not very
progressing youth accepted the RESPONSE
bic position, and acquitted his client by
one of the most eloquent speeches ever
heard at that bar. That beardess youth
was Judge Baldwin. Shortly afterwards,
he was elected Colonel of Militia Regi-
ment, which he organized, and then re-
signed his epaulets. While in Kemper.
he Was invited to unite in a professional
partnership with an established lawyer OF
Gainesville. Alabama, whose practice was
then-in the flush times OF 1887 1888
worth $40 600 year. He accepted the
invitations, and removed to Gainesville,
where he resided for several years, all the
while laboriously engaged III a very heavy
practice and amusing his few leisure hours
with literature and social enjoyments. At
the solicitations OF his frieads, he repre-
scented Sumter Couuty-one OF the larg
est and wealthiest in Alabama-ior Que
session in the Legislature. rece Jng the
largest vote polled lie made sci eral coed
speeches Oh The floor OF the Iyjuse, and
Vas considered one OF the leading mem-
bers. lie declined re-electiou. at a
subsequent period, he Was OH the first bal
lot unanimously nominated for Cong ess.
By Il large and intelligent district Conyen-
ton, and cAAe within 4 few votes CT be-
lag elected, III 4 district opposed to him
ia political sentiment, AID in large por-
tons OF which he had no personal acquain-
tance Lie received more votes than Gen
Taylor got for President in that district.
lie was somewhat mortified by his defeat,
though his vote was a very complimentary
one, and probably much larger than any
other man OF his unpopular politics could
have obtained,
About the year 1850, he removed to
livingston, the county seat OF Sumter,
where he resided for several years, GA a
snug little farm Of his own near the vii
!aga, living ia elegant style and dispeilsin- :,
u generous hospitality, laboriously engaged
III the practice OF the law and gradually
working himself up to the front rank or
his profession, as a skilltul and eloquent
advocate and a profound aid aceosnp isIed
jilllst. lie Was remarkable for his fidelity
10 his clicnts, whose eases he made his
own, and he raiely had oiie whom he did
not nl,he Il warii personal fflend. Whist
residing at Livingston, he wrote as iii
amusement, chief, at night and on rainy
days When he Was confined at home !; VIII
dug often at the fire On d book with his
hat on aud his children rouping arouild
hlin-those humorous sketches oif South
Western society, first published in the
Southern literary Messenger aud after
wards collected in a volume under the
title OF 'fhe Flush Times OF Alabama
aud Mississippi" This work was deci
ded success 1t made the whole South
laugh. 1t was warmly welcomed by the
whole press North and South and soon ran
through many editions. The Richmond
Examiner pronounced those sketches the
best OF their kind the century had pro-
sluced." The New YORK Tribune cLarac-
terlzed them us .iuil OF vigor and origi-
lshty. hitting of character with marvel
lous fidelity BY few bold touches One
OF those sketches is Published with illus
Jratlons iii Burton's Encyclopedia Of Wit
and nunor. Encouraged by the success
OF his first literary enterprise, J Judge b.
soon attempted another work in very
different department OF literature-poilri-
cal biography, from which the grotesque
element WAS entirely excluded. la this
he was also successful, his work HAVING
received the 2hest enconiuals rom some
OF the most distinguished OF American
authors and Statesmen. One very conf
potent critic the late James e. Bruce. ex-
pressed the opinion that it was the most
''absorbingly interesting book that had
emenated iron the mind ol' any American"
and President Tyler pronounced the por-
traits the work OF Il master hand" Even
the North American Review praised it
highly. The grace and elegance OF style
were universally admitted, but, some OF
the opinions were OF course contested. -
The book has gone through several edi-
tlens, and will probably retain a permanent
place Ia Southern Literature Nearly the
whole OF it was written in about six weeks
in an interval Of leisure between his
Courts, and WAS sent to the press in the
first rough draft, and corrected by another
hand These are the only books that
Judge baldwin has published; but we un
derstand that a near relative Of his, in
Virginia, has quite a number OF his .un-
published sketches, all marked with his
peculiar humo and genius.
In July, 1854, while Party leaders"
was passing through the press of the APP
psetons, Judge Baldwin sailed IRON New
York for California He established him
self IN San Francisco, and at once secured
lucrative practice, and took front po-
4sitl,n at that eminent bar, perhaps the
ablest IN America. In 1853 he was on
the first ballot ANONYMOUSLY nominated
for Judge Of the Supreme Court Of that
State, by large State Convention. and
was elected by decided majority over "a
distinguished competitor. He sat on the
bench from October, 3, 1858 to July, l..
1862, period Of three years and three
months, when he resigned his office and
returned to the bar How he discharged
his high duties we will permit his brother
Judge to tell. Those unexceptionabIe