Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-04-26

sole desire seemed to be to know and un
derstand the law, and administer it in it
purity, irrespective of the consequences
either personal or partisan. His uniform
patience and affability upon the bench t
all who addressed him, whether tht
youngest member of the profession, a
well as those Of ripper years, whose expe.
rience OF over a quarter of a century al
the bar naturally gave great weight tc
their opinions; he gave to both the sam
patient hearing, and based his decisions
upon the law and the authorities, as pre-.
scented, and not upon the argument ofthe
advocate who addressed him.
ReSoiUed, b we tender to his family
u heartfelt sympathies in their afiic.
ton, n direct the Secretary of this
meeting to transmit a copy of the pro
ceedings and the foregoing resolutions to
them.
Resslped, That the judges of the sew
eral courts of the city of Memphis and
Shelby county, be requested to spread q
copy of these resOlutionssupon the min
utes of their respective courts.
Signed, ED. A. BEECHER, Chm,
j. B. HEIsKELL,
l.. g. HARRIS.
w. NJ. RANDOLPH.
On motion the following gentlemen
were requested to present the resolutions
to the various courts: Major Beecher,
Circuit Court; Mr.. Gregory, Criminal
Court; Colonel w. T. Avery, Law Court;
Mr.. v. Sanford, Municipal Court, and
Hon. ". M. Smith, C~hancery Court.
BY COLONEL AVERY.
Colonel w. I. Avery, in mosing the
adoption of the resolutions, said that he
had been on intimate terms with the de-
ceased for over a quarter of a century,
and in every relation in life in which he
had known Judge Reeves he had ever
found him upright and honorable in all
his dealings,a conscientious Christian and
true gentleman. Colonel Avery then re-
ferred to the great loss which thew had
all sustained in the death of so excellent
a lawyer and so eminent a iurist as the
deceased had ever proved himself to be,
so that his memory would aver be re-
vered by the members of the bar.
REMARKS BY Mr.. CHARLES KoRTRECHT.
Mr.. Charles Kortrecht then rose and
spoke as follows:
Mr.. Chairman: In secOnding the mo-
ton to adopt the report and resolutions
just read, / wish to pay a brief tribute to
Judge Reeves. With three or four ex-
ceptions, / think / had known him longer
than any of the Memphis bar. Ny ae-
quaintance with him commenced in the
summer OF lS47, now within a few months
of twenty-three years ago. He was then
a quiet, u~npretending mechanic citizen
of Somerville, the county town of our
neighboring county of Fayette. He then,
and if my memory serves me, for several
years after, carried on his shop, and
worked daily at his forge and anvil. But
his fellOw-citiZens had already, before
l knew him, learned his sterling
good sense, and modest, unpretend-
ing worth, and in token of their
appreciation of him, had elected him to
the position of Justice. NY impression
is that he was then Presiding Justice of
Fayette County Court. If not, he was not
long after placed in that responsible Of
nee, which, l think, he continued to be
annually elected to for eight or ten years.
The acquaintance between Judge
Reeves and myself commenced during
the memorable Congressional canvass Of
lS47, between f. P. Stanton, now of
Washington, d. c., and Hon. John W.
Harris, now Chancellor of the Somarville
District. In that canvass Judge Reeves
took an active interest, and he and I agree
ing in political views, il so CHANGED that
an acquaintance between US was COM
menced which soon ripened into a life
long friendship.
Judge Reeves was not educated a law
yer. His youth, and a considerable part
of his manhood, he devoted to daily man
toll a. that mechanical pursuit which
is classed among the most laborious and
to the physical energies. Literally,
by the sweat Of bis brow he earned lot
only his bread, but a support and compe-
tency for a considerable family. The
bulk of his estate was accumulated by his
industry and thrift while he still worked
at his trade. And while thus devOting
his physical energies to daily toll, his
leisure hours were spent In study and in
his mind with that knowledge
fitted him to be a valuable public
-.ra a-l 4, kN-zRA W--.s@- o. = /
Is that we stop to consider how much
credit and higher honor are due
to those who, by their own unaided exer-
tons, Mt themselves to be valuable pub
lie servants, han to those who are born
to all the advantages which wealth, fam
lily influence and carly education and
training can bestoW7 And yet, the his
tory of u country, and of the world,
that self-made men have been the
public benefactors, and nave, in
all occupations in life, conferred the most
benefits upon their fellow-men.
Judge Reeves was a elf-made man.
be was also p-re-eminently a modest,
unobtrusive gentleman. de
never pressed his views or opinions
upon others, unasked. While in all !
CONVICTIONS Of principle, and
bis politics, his views Of statesmansbin
and Of his public duties, he was as firm
aud immovAb le as the everlasting hills
offended 2 one by unreasonable ex-
lf h~iSppiniOns, and he frankly
and freely OoncR ed to all men the same
lnqualiSe righApf private Judgment in
things which Railways exercised him
self. And quiet al AuRpretending ashe |
vas, Judge Reeves mas a brave mar
more especiagN brave in Hhaye
In that catas &e which ere saks
t. possessor to adhere SaS9is conxY .2ons,
md do what he consciex FHTfS2believes
o be his duty, in the assigp need be,
It common Opinioh the Ind op-
nd :dihdent he NalWays
eemed, aud, in fact, was, my COM Hieas
him, after an acquaintance of tV uety-
hree years, were, that be never kueV Ne
nesnlng OF tue WORD fear, except to
0 DO wrong. But he had as sincerf
ear Of violating, or rather determinatiTS
lot 10 violate his convictions of duty,
ny man L ever kaew. Judge ReevesC
Ias 9 sincere, earnest, QnpFetepdiRq[
lhFistian. During the last sevsn or elghseI
ears of his life he suffered many LOST {
privations, but he bore all Within
fortitude and trust ESGod.
-fter passing through the losse< Of the :
'ar, a destructive are at SomerYiile, Y
q year ago, consumed most OF his |
3malnlng property. But he bore il all !
leerfully, and looked hopefully to the
lture. !
The last time ! saw him was when he :
sld his eeprt here last September; and b
, then seemed IN his usual good spirits. =
ut his health did not seem good. The 4
'xt We heard was in January, that he G.
as sick; and the next, a few days since, s.
at he was dead. 81
Mr.. Chairman, he Is gone. We shall ses O.
"a no more IN this life. hat by the p
9dY OF his character and practice of his p
WI may improve ourselves. and S,
rhaps be aided in preparation to meet e
in the life to cone, b
The resolutions were then put and car OF
d, aud the meeting adjourned. &