Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-10-18
TRIBUTE TO JUDGE HUMPH.
REYS.
Speech Of c. Kortrechf, Esq.

q GkECAAA gA - AVaLAGAAaA AA1z1
d Ia the Circuit Court OF Shelby count
Charles K9rtrecht, E3qY who had be
4 selected TO present to the Court the res
6 lations of the Memphis Bar ia RELATE
7 TO the death Of Judge Humphreys, to
spread upon the minutes Of the Coul
presented the same ; and on 2~FesentiI
| the resolutions Mr. Kortreeht said
{ May it please this honorable Court,
come before your Honor this morning
1 the request OF the Bench and Bar Of IL
: city OF Memphis and the county OF She
) by. A few weeks since we heard wit
profound grief Of the death of yoJ
HGnOris fslioE-t0wnsmsn and frienC
and your immediate predecessor on th
bench you now occupy-the Hon. Jon
CoWan Humphreys.
The members Of the profession OF th
law in this city and country, feel deepl
in common with the bar and people {
Fsyette, and Of this entire Judicial dis
trict-the great loss they and the Stat
have suffered by the death of Judg
Humphreys. Regarding 1t As due RIik
TO the living snd the dead-to society
and themselves, that they should Civ
some expression Of their esteem, aztec
ton and admiration for the great AM
good man who has now gone from U
forever, they have briefly reduced &
writing the concurrent testimony Of u
all to his eminent character and worth
and they have charged me- with the duty
OF presenting Whist mas been written, x
your Honor, aud Of asking that it be en-
rolled on the records OF this Court.
1 therefore move, your Honor, In be
half of those l represent, TO order thai
the preamble and resolutions they have
placed In my hands, and which L here
submit, be engrossed upsn b minutes
Of this court.
(Mr. * utrecht hare presented the res
oiutio1s Of the Bar Of Memphis, which
have been heretofore published
In performing this solemn mission,
may it pisSse the court, l shall not DO
justice TO the convictions of those l rep
resent, nor to my own emotions, if l
fail to add to what has been written q
somewhat fuller expression OF our adnli-
ration and love for the eminent msn
who Is now dead.
Is is now over twenty-one yesrs since,
as q Law student, I entered the office and
commenced receiving the legal instruc-
tiOns OF Judge Humphreys. From that
time 70 the day the sad news Of his death
came, l had bat learned, from month TO
month, and from year to year, more and
more TO love, admire and honor him.
At that time-before he was placed on
the beneh-while all who knew him or
OF him held him in high esteem,
none but these whom he hsd
admitted to his confidence, and who
having oppOrtulitiss-had closely studied
his character, knew how great and good
a man he was. Modest and Fetiri0g 20 a
fauIt-neveF thinking Of himself, aud
always understanding his own pJEers-
he was directly the opposite of that class
OF great me WIS force themselves for
ward, and often st a single bound, fully
out upon the attention of the world. Il
was only 80 occasion developed his pow
ers that Judge Humphreys proved him.
self the accurate lawyer, aud profound
jdrist, that he was; and at all times it
Was his most intimate friends VINO fully
appreciated his purity Of life and char-
acteT, and now clearly ne ~psrsOniisd the
idea Of !" a conscience void Of ~reproSch,
and a heart fee from guile"
l well remember, As your Honor and
others here 10, the leading circumstances
under whick, nearly nineteen years ago,
he was first elected to q place on the
banch. His election then was by the
Legislature, before, by the amendmsst
Of our State Constitution, the election or
Judges was given to the people. HIS
Competitor for the judgeship n
this judicial circuit, had filed
the place fer one or more terms, was q
learned lawyer and estinabls gentle
man, and had many and ardent friends
throughout the State. BY the almost
superhuman eXertiOus o. that patriot cit
izeu and exesllent lawyer, Hon. Gran
vile d. Ssarcy, who was many years
ago gathered to his fathers, but who, at
the time of the election, represented this
district ia the Stale Senate, aided and
sustained by q few others, who had
learned his real worth and attainments,
Judge Humphreys was elected over his
better known and personally very p0Pu-
lar competitor. Well do 1 rsoolleot
the misgIviUg3 and doubts OF some very
excellent lawyers Of Memphis ct the
change, and their very natural preju-
dices in favor of their defeated faVoTics.
But their misgiyiDgs, doubts and preja-
were OF snort duration. When
judge Humphreys had come down to
Shelby county, aHd held Court two or
three terms, and ali had Witnessed his
impartiaiity and fairness, learned
his ready familiarity with every rule
Of practice and evidence the ease, quiet
aud afability with which he koV-
erned his Court; the simplicity
aud terseness, tbs purity OF die
lion, and precisiOn of learning which
distinguished his Instructions TO juries,
and, in fact, all that fell from his
lips or was shaped by bis pen all of mis-
or doubt were changed to sdmirs-
lion for the Judge all Of prejudice to
love and affection for the man. Those
who had been most disappointed and
dissatisfied by his election, were soon /
among bis admirers and wRrmest friends.
Among the many attractions In the
character Of Judge Humphreys, his per-
feet impArtiality was always prominent.
Kind aud considerate alike OF the feel
.ngs of all, no practitioner before him
sver complained that he did not receive
! fair and patient hearing and eonside-
alton Of his case. No young man, |
making his first speech or appearance Of
he bar, ever had his feelings wounded, |
)r received from him-unless there was
for it-a discoursging word, look
,r gesture. Often having cause to call
advocates before him back to the real
point or question st issue, and
never hesitating to do SO Than sat |
SIZED the occasion demanded it, it
vas always done with such gentle
lesS Of mAnne such amiability
II temper, and such evident accuracy OF
Judgment; and, with all -beaming from
and features, such sincerity and pu-
OF motive, that 1t never wounded
ceilings, and was generally a source of
teal pleasure and satisfaction to De so
corrected.
Toe attorneys who praetieed before
Judge Humphreys viii recOllect the
tOne and spirit OF their remarks
20 esch other, about his rulings and de-
Ia thsir cases, when the contest
n the courtroom was over. These re-
narks of lawyers among themselvss
about their suits just tria6 and decided, /
probably best Indicate TIE zsal estimate
he bar has foEmsd Of the occupant OF
he bench.
AS 8 rule, may it please your Honor,
when lawyers lose cases they are dis
posed, too often, to complain Of the
Judge and OF bis decision of the law
Iuestions involved. But this rule
lid not hold good among the
practitioners before Judge Humphreys.
For the twelve years he served Is as
Judge in Shelby county, | believe / at
ended every term Of his Court here, and
have no recollection Of ever hearing a
practitioners before him complain-in the