The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-05-10
with dill his accustomed neal and firmness

4yHheut t3 Pne restrlotlOn apu abolition OF
slavery By constitutional and moral
means: These opinions Brought him
into lntimate Fellowship with the great
anAi.sIaYery pioneerA Of his native, State,
among a7!, whom we recall Theodore D.
Smith and Wi1liamF Goode{l. AS the
great conflict deepened and wiiened
threatening to swallow mp the peace of
the country apd rupture the national
unity, Judge Platt planted himself moro
firmly on the Constitutional views Of the
great WGig leaders Of 1850, and parted
company WITH that bnnd of anti-alayery
apostles with whom he had acted 40. long.
fsos .ho loss earnestly. .howeyer, Gid ne
oppose the entertainments of what was
called the slave power, but the legal and
constitutional cast of his rnind-hut.
:moretthan all, ,his enthusiastic, and de-
voted love OF. the Union led him to
shrlnk from the precipice of disunion,
which seemed to yRwn before him.
T" When,< however, the dny. of compro-
misH was ended,. when, argument was
closed, and the bugles Of war sounded
through the startled land, Judge Platt's
Voice, pen, purse. tilf were thrown quick
~ into the scnle of the Union. More
conspicpons almost than any other trait
OF his character. or passion of his life,
was his faith in the Justice and perpetu-
ity Of onf republican form Of govern.
ment; and no power was too Hust,. no eff.
fort too. gFeatf nd sacrifice .tooappnlling.
when the union 81 onr American States
sWas, mepnoed. In tue great results Of
the, Wer he had d profound 'sympathy44a
feeling never Of triumph tover:ra FALLEN
people, 'butar deep sense,bf the immense
stake at issue and the vast gain secured.
4 Iha mental traits of Judge .Platt were.
e. as haye said, Of the Solid and snbstan-
tial KIND. His legal Training had been
thorough, and his early experience ,asi a
lawyer shad ,imbued ,hjsI mind with the
.griaelpies, : especially: toi equity jnEisprn.
Ge1nloe, WMch received such full and
learned exposition from the bench 'of his
native State during the career of ithatsii-'
instrlous line Of tohanaellars from Kent
Pa aets hs ti e Il sssmin aom
plications. higinddStlf lfy}aiifI is sfahinInG au
th6rities, wefenwsllr known to all ssho.
observed his effosAs end: gavs him the
;9aca1 ;a oP1fiag1Se R.* of the prolessiop iR bic
) sdlf,' ths ssfong ihoftnatioa 81 his cha: :
raoter was TO cling fast to the great nm
derlying principles OF. jnsttqe,l to the
comparative neglect of technical rules
and hloe distinctions In,the statement.
enforcement and application of general
principles, he was peculiarly strong and
.9onAyipcing; and think T do not err in
saying that he Impressed ali who knew,
him with the conviction that his ideal of
Justice and. judicial INTEGRITY was high,
pure and up Wavering., He grasped the
lsscalea With o. firm hand, and neither. pre-.
5Gdico, ingenuity. ;. eloqGence nor sympa-
thy could ahake the perfect balance
which he sought to- maintain. With
uick'sympathies he mingled rigid JUS
ttioe.i With heart full OF kindness for
1nedIlvldual eI suffering, he never lost sight
OF tile gfeht' function which he was ap.
pointed to discharges protection Of
society and the maintenance of public
Justice and order. 4; ',' .8l!
= IN his religious character, Judge Platt
exhtbibedfthe, same deep and firm con-
victlone., a Presbyterian in his denomi-
nationai associations, deyout and fer
vent believer in the Gospel, his life was
gnIded by the precepts Of. Christian
fGIthi and he mot death with hone md
frnet born Of humble faith in the inf
mite goodness Of God and the atonine
merits OF his Son. In his life he had
met great Affections, and of eight chill
dren; four only we're spared to him.
The great sorrow Of his life came to him
IN the death Of his eldest son, young
man OF brilliant promise, whose early
decease evoked from all who knew him
the most tender tributes to his great
worth OF character and his brilliant pro-
mise. Yet his cheerful Christia1i faith
soothed the bitterness OF this grief. and
enabled him to go faithfully forward
when life hid lost its greatest charm.
Jndge Platt came before the people OF
our State at time Of great civil coammo O.
tion and dpolitical excitement. His post
/ was arduous, delicate and responsible
AZ; times, no doubt his peace OF mind
|, was aorely disturbed by the unkind feel
ing which bis presence at such q time
naturally would create. Yet doubt il,
I'M the length and breadth OF the. State.
there be one who. would to-day seek to
affix single stain upon bis character,
or deny him the high praise Of upright
ness of conduct and aim. . i-,tio l
+. In later days,:he met with the most
kind and oonsiderate treatment in the
discharge Of his. duties; and as his life
drew to its close, he was comforted with
m9ny. evidences that he had won the
confidence OF the community in .wlicl,
'hig. Lot Waa coak ---------