The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1872-11-06
a.. "REMINISCENCES s.f
-,.- ,.z.g ,sst OF ,6 s f5s- ss
p U lib Il IC MI E N
Continued from last JVeek.1
HENRY C. YOUNG,
BY Ex GOVERNOR b. y. rERn,

anu eScellent men, fair-minded and pure
| hearted gentlemen, sincere in every thought,
word and action kind, amiable and honora>
/ bic, by. nature as well as education but
never knew one who possessed all these csti'
mablc and noble qualities in n higher degree
than Henry Clinton Young, Esq, Of Laurens,
S. G. twas my good fortune to havo been
on terms of great intimacy with him for moro
than the third of q century, and to have en-.
joyed his cordial and unbroken friendship dur
ing the whole of this period. Never, to my
knowledge, was there a hard or unkind feeling
between us, and know there reye or was on nv
part. We rode the Western Circuit together
for thirty years, and generally employed on
opposite sides in most Of our practice. There
were no railroads in those days, and lawyers
travelled from court to cou, t, first in their sul>
kies, and then, as civilization and improves
ment progressed, in their tuggies and carri
ages. We stopped between court houses, at
some cool spring, on the road side, and took n
lunch, at one or two o'clock rested an hour
or two under n shade If the weather was warm,
or built fire if it was cold cracked our jokes,
told our stories, smoked our cigars, (pipes were
not then in vogue with gentlemen,) and took
glass of wine or glass of brandy. In the
same style we travelled to Columbia, twice eve.
ry year, to attend the Court of Appeals and
the sitting Of tho Legislature. Mr.. Young
and myself served together many years in
both branches of the Legislature, and sat at
the same desk whilst members of the Senate,
and always boarded Mt the same hotel. But
Notwithstanding this intimacy and close asso.
citation for so long time, we differed widely
in our political views and sentiments. He
was q warm and jealous Nullificr, Secession
list and Disunionist; whilst was equally as
firm and consistent a devotce to the Federal
UniCn.
Mr.. Young was born in North Carolina, hut
his futher moved to Laurens District whilst lie
was quite boy, and settled at the place af.
terwards known us "Young's Store" where he
lived to an advanced old age, aad died re.
spcctod and esteemed by all who know him.-
lie was planter and merchant, and served
his District in the State Convention of 1882,
whilst his son, Henry, was a member Of the
Legislature which called the Convention to-
gether. In the Legislature preceding this,
n!l the members from Laurcns were Union
msn, except Henry C. Young. He was so
popular, aud 50 great favoritc with the pco,
pie, that they elected him in spite Of his poll
tics. The other leading Nullilicrs of Laurens,
Gen. Thos. +. Jones and Col. James ii. Irbv,
were beaten by Union men. higher cons
plimnnt TO Mr.. Young's fairness, integrity and
uprightness could not have been paid him. for
party spirit ran high at that time, and was
bitter throughout the State.
Mr.. Ioung's early education was defective,
and he never graduated, or went to any col.
lcge. lie read law at Laurens @. H., and was
admitted to thc Bar when he was twenty-five
years old. lie formed n copartncrshp with
Colonel Downes, n prominent lawyer of his
day, with an extensive practice, and for ten
years Mr. Young never attcm pied to argue a
case in court! This always dcvolved on his
senior partner. How many young lawyers
are kept in the background for years, by an in.
Judicious partnership with old member of
the Bar? 1t is always better for young man
to start alone in his profession. lie soon ac>
qdires self-rcliance and the habit of speaking
II he has no senior partner. In the fall after
my admission to the Bar went to Laurcns
court with Judge llugcr, and we stopped at
Mr.. Harvey Clcveland's. Mr.. Young called
to see the Judge, after having argued some
important criminal case in court that day.
The Judge complimcnted him on his speech,
and L remember Mr.. Young said it was the
first speech he had ever made in court, nj.
though he had been practicing law ten years
FROM that day to the day of his retirement
from the Bar, Mr. Young nevor failed to ar
gue his cases with great ability and
learning. lie was very fluent and pleasant
speaker and always spoke with great zeal and
animation, tiercely and to the points of his
case. have heard him mako many able and
exhaustive arguments, both on the Circuit and
the Court OF Appeals. For many years, it
may be said, he stood at the head of our Bar.
and had perhaps n moro extensive practice
than any lawyer on the Western Circuit. lie
had a partner at every Court. house on the
Circuit, and never failed to attend all the
courts. l have no doubt his practice was
much more extensive than profitable. Local
partners may bring business to an eminent
lawyer, but doubt whether they bring profit
Mr.. Young was likewise very negligent in
collecting his counsel fees and tax sosts.-
Many lawyer, with his practice. would have
made five times the money ho did. His char.
ges were always very moderate, much less than
those of other lawyers on the oirouit, and
then he never mado any EFFORT to collect his
fees, or have settlements with his partners
Ii his clients and partners saw it to pay him
anything, it was very we'll; and il they did
not, they were In no danger Of being dunned
Although Mr.. Young, after ten years silence,
on coming to tho Bar, became great and
most successful advocate in civil and criminal
cases, speaking every day, at every court he
attended yet, strange to say, he rarely if ev.
or attempted to speak in the Legislature. I
served with him certainly fifteen or twenty
years in the Legislature, and cannot now re-
call to my mind a single speech that ever
heard him make in either House! This was
very remarkable, and no doubt owing, 10 a
! great meafhrs, to his modosty and diaidence.
lie was not only an able lawyer. well read in
his profession, but he was a gentleman Of con-