The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1872-04-03
"REMINISCENCES
PUBLIC MEN. 8 i,
BY Ex.eoyERNoR B. r. PERRY.
: looNTINUED FROM L4sT wEEK.]
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suu, 9lE, JOSIAH j., EVANS. a4s O..

- IN1s@~eS. y~s'Sy f"eNs dh y az
qnantance with JudgesEvans com
menced:@ ] was an applicant fol
admission to, the, Bar--and he wa.
one Of the examining committee
together with Chancellor Harpe,
and Governor Miller. They were
all then practicing lawyers, bp,
Immediately afterwards transfer
red to high posts of honor. 1t was
not customary in those days fol
the applicants to be previously ex
amined Ivy. :be committee, or have
the slightest intimation as to the
questions to be proponnded.. Blu,
the manner Of Judge Evans i'm con
Quoting the examination was SO
kind and gentle, 80 courteous and
Instructive, that lie completely
won our hearts. The students ia
vited him and other members Of
the committee to a sumptous din
ner, that evening, at the United
States Hotel. They accepted the
invitation and we had a most pleas.
ant, agreeable and Joyous party.
In the course of conversation, one
OF the students remarked to tile
Judge, that from his manner Of
propounding the ,qucstions, the
class had come to the conclusion
that he must have been, at some
period of his life,, O, school,mastcr.
lie replied that our conclusion was
correct, for he had once taught
school, but was not aware that the
pedagogne was so visible in, his
manner as to show itself in the
presence of their Honors, Judges
Mott, johnson and Colcock. who
then composed the Court, of Ap.
peals. s.a.. s.. a.9. l@.aga@s. o.
At that time. Judge Evans was
Solicitor of the Eastern Circuit-an
office which he had filled for many
years with great ability; and to.
gether with Governor Miller, stood
pre- eminent as a lawyer in that
section of the State. I had the
pleasure Of hearing him once only
in the Court of Appeals before his
election to the Bench. He argued
his case with great learning and
ability, and spoke with great flnen.
cy and animation. He was eyi.
IDENTIFY excited, but his manner was
earnest, sincere and most digniti-
ed. He felt the truth of the posi-
tions he took in his argument; bnt
there was no ,efo,t at display-no
rhetorical fourishes. q, Every word
told and was to the point. His
Language was chaste and beautiful.
| :enie" :ber his style of speaking
reminded me, at the time, of my
revered preceptor in the law,
Judge Earle.
Judge Evans was the model of
Circuit Judge. lie never had a
superior in South Carolina. His
mind and his character were Judi.
cial. He thought as a judge, he
spoke as Judge, and acted as a
Judge, On the Bench.I knew him
well, practiced before him long,
and had tho honor of his conf
dence, and intimacy. In a letter
now before me he says: "Up to
the last moment when it was prac.
ticable, it was my intention to have
gone to- Columbia, but / had SO
many things to do, preparatory to
such a, long absence. that ] had
finally to give it up. Nothing
could have gratified me more than
to see (as | woald have dunetbere)
80 many dear friends, and among
the rest, none more valued than
yourself" He was well read and
learned in bis profession. His
mind and memory were strongly
inibued with The great principles
OF the common law, and he was
particularly familiar with all our
legislative enactments and the de-
clslons OF our courts. I, He was en-
dowed by nature with a clear cad
well balanced mind, and an an!
erring judgment. He was always
cool, calm, and dispassionate,g and
neveraat fault aonlthe Bench. He
never took sides in any case, as, a
Judge, but always weighed The
Testimony carefully, and Submit
ted it most impartially to the iury.
They could see him holding tile
scales OF justice with a firm, steady
hand, and 3balapcing :, the beam
with a firmness and impartiality
which showed him far, above the
shadow OF passion, or prejndicel-lu
in his charges on, the. law, he ,was
plain, positive, direct and decided.
Dishonest cunning in a politician
very often avoids responsibilities.
and sometimes honest ignorance III III
a Judge iDdacss the came course.
judge Evans never felt this virtn..
ous iiecesslty. He was q inost pa,
tient J udge, great yifne In d
Judge, next TO those Of bopestv