The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-08-05

4new nothing OF him save - he Wa Nanifosted
IN his intellectual efforts at the bar : and con.
iese thst my Impression Of his character was
tnas while he was extraordinarily So
bright, and thoroughly verssd in his profession.
| that no waa man in measure without imagi.
| nation and without sentiment. Latsr In ifs
came to know him better. came 70 know him
more - IN associate and companion: and vas
much surprised to find that had misconceiyed
his character, that had seen but one br;vht
phase Of it; and first discovered from The
reading OF some beautiful lines which he had
composed, called the "Sea Corals Dream" Dat
he was . man Of brilliant imagination. and of
inimitsble taste and Of profound research in
literature; and when read that little poem en-.
titled The Worship Of the Woods" discover.
ed that he was man Of deep sympathy and DO.
etic thought and that he wae capable of senti.
ments of the most lofty, and at the same time Of
the most refined character. The thought Of that
poem 10 enc that will never be forgotten BY me.
The suggestion 10 made there that in the works
OF nature We are brought to appreciate the OK.
istense OF God; the great Creator il brought
to oar minas BY the manifestation Of the grand.
eur OF nature. he saggests that when ws stand
upon the border OF the broad ocean and Gee the
deep waves rolling We are profoundly lmprsssed
that they are the work of God but that poem
suggests that it presents the Deitv avav in tha
distance and gives us the idea of His srandeur.
but it Is far of So. he says, when We come M.
on the broad prairies Of the northwest, their inn.
mensity and their grandeur present to us vsry
iorcioly the idea Of existence, action, and cen.
trolling presence in this world Of great Creator
of Deity with all his grandeur and infinite
powers-but they still present to as tho idea Of
y God away of in the distance. But whom Va
come into the woods where the little leaflets
and the flowers are 1t our feet, it makes us feel
that God 10 near 70 NJ, and the "worship Of tho
woods" has more to do with the heart, with tho
sympathies. and the affections, than those
thoughts suggested by the board ocean and tho
grand prairie. 1t struck me ~ one of the most
beautiful, sound, sentimental thoughts, that I
have ever found in the writings Of any poet in
the world. present this merely As an illustra.
ton. As has been justly said Of him, hs CON.
bined perhaps greater variety OF the faculties
of the mind than is often found in one man. He
was the close ressoner, he WAS the diligent sta.
dent with hns tsste and degree of culture
that few Of Us had aay appreciation Of until We
had known him longer. But he is gone. One
by one We are dropping away. When l look
around over the list OF the bar to-day, aud then
look back over the 30 years sinss irst came
here aud engaged in the practice Of Law, find
but one member OF the bar here that was sugsg.
ed In the practice At that time. We had then .
full and numerous bar; We have had them since
but one by one they are gone, gone, Nm til now
the gentlemen that constitute the bar of La Sale
County are men Of comparatively few yssrs here.
Fifteen or sixteen years will cover the time that
most OF Us have been here. 1t gives picture Of
the changes that are constantly taking place in
life. and many Of them BY the means Of death.
Our time must coon come. May his example
teach Us to think more Of each other, 10 Judge Of
each other more chsritably, and in our profess
sional conflicts to be more careful thss We attrib
ute no motive TO our adversary that IL not Justly
chargeable upon him that We may learn TO do
our dsty-our whole duty-to our CHI ents, with.
out asperity "nd without doing injustice 10
Others.
Frank J. Crawford, Esq, spoke a. follows:
MR. CnAIRMAN-ln rising n say few words
before the vote Is taken upon these resolutions,
l hope may not DO open TO the charge OF intru.
sion upon what is perhaps the pre,oystve OF older
members OF the bar, TO speak on occasions Of this
kind; believing - do that the younger men
should also esteem it right and an honor to offer
tribute OF respect to the memory Of our departed
friend and brother, Oliver C.Gray. Fifteen yesrs
ago WAS here. young man. without acqusiut.
ances, without means, aud without profession
Undecided what COARSE in life to adopt called
upon Mr.. Gray for advice He received mo
kindly, gave me words Of encouragement, and
told me could by diliseAt Industry and study
become successful lAwysr,,-furnished me .
list Of text books which he recommended - .
proper course II stsdy, and assured me that III
would pursus that course faithfully, his word
for it would not fail. A few years afterwards
he assisted me when tried my frat case in
court. Always when I have gone to Nj. Gray
for the solution OF some legal problem, which to
me was difficult, he heard me patiently aud
cheerfully gave me the benefit Of bis great learn.
ing. have frequently net him - an a.tsgou.
let in court, but he invariably treated me with
consideration and respect, and have no COIN.
plant to make OF his ever having made mo the
target OF the scathing invsotivs which he could,
if necessary, employ. believe my experiences
in this respect is Identical substantially with
that Vt his juniors Ut the bar generally. We
hold the sentiment in common that M. Gray
WAS kind and confederate in his treatment Of
the young men OF the profession. He watched
our progress with solicitude. and when We gave
promise of success it filled him with enthusiastic
delight. We admired his genius and were ever
proud OF his triumphs and Of the honorable dis.
| tinction he achieved at the bar. He inspired in
US An admiration for the science of the Law, for
he had profound admiration for it himself; he
| commended to Us the wisdom of the ss9es Of the
law, taking for his own models no less men than
Mansfield and Marshall. He used to charm rs
no less by his power III unfolding the mysteries
of the law and in perGsiving and mastering its
intricacies, than by his artistic skill in the pre-.
ptratiou and management OF his cases. He ives
| a brilliant and impressive speaker. The prece-
dents TO be found the files Of our courts, pre-.
pared by him, are monument of his ability as
ple~der. In addition to his ability and skill,
he possessed what is an important condition os
success, industry and strict attention to his pro-
fessionL duties. He was an earnest and Jealous
worker. and he took great pride in the progress