The Portland daily press., 1872-10-02

|
berland Bar Association met at the Library
Room yesterday morning, Vice President Webb
presiding. Mr.. Webb as chairman of the COM
mittee appointed to draft resolutions expressive
of the sentiments of the bar upon the death OF
Judge Lane, submitted the following:
Resolved, That we, the Cumberland Bar
Association, would express our sense OF pro-
found sorrow and regret at the bereavement
which has visited us in the death OF the Hon
orable MARQUIS d. L. Lane late Judge of the
Superior Court of Cumberland County. The
event, solemn, and significant in itself, is rem
dered more significant and speaks with more
emphatic utterance from its suddenness, and
from the fact that our brother was cut off in
the prime of his strength and in the midst of
his judicial labors to which he was so lately
called.
Resolred, That we, his professional brothers,
would render our grateful tribute Of respect
for the integrity and ability of Judge Lane as
a lawyer, and his assiduity, candor, and con-
scientious fidelity as Judge, but especially
would we record our loving remembrance of
his generosity of nature, his gentle affections,
his courtesy and affability of manners. his ten
der sympathy, which have endeared him to all
with whom he came into association and rem
dered his loss personal bereavement to us.
RESOLVED, That while it is fitting and ap-
| propriate that we as members of the legal
profession should thus testify to the worth of
Judge Lane, we would not forget we are but
small portion of those that mourn. The whole
community joins in our sorrow and deplores
the loss of useful citizen, an upright magis-
trate, and true Christian gentleman.
Resolred, That we deeply sympathize with
the family of our departed brother, in this
affiiction laid upon them.
Resoloed, That copy of these resolutions
be sent to the family by the Secretary, and
that they be presented to the Superior Court
| with a request to have them entered On its
records.
The resolutions were accepted and it was an
nouRced that Hon. F. o. J. Smith and Judge
Goddard had consented to offer some remarks
on their presentation in Court.
PROCEEDINGS IN COURT.
AT 1Oa o'clock there was very large assem-
blage of people in the Court room, come to lis
ten to the solemn and interesting exercises
which it had been announced would take place.
Nearly every member of the Bar in the city
was present. Rev. B. HI. Bailey, late of the
First Parish Church, occupied seat by the side
of Judge Symonds. U. S. District Attorney
Webb addressed the Court in few words, stat
ing that on him had devoved the melancholy
duty of presenting the resolutions adopted by
the Bar on the sad decease of the late Judge
Lane. After Mr.. Webb had concluded the read
Ing of the resolutions, Judge Goddard address
ed the Court as follows:
REMARKS OF JUDGE GODDARD.
May it please the CoWt,-With profound
sorrow, rise to second the resolutions which
have just been presented to your Honor by
| the District Attorney of the United States in
| behalf of the Committee and the bar of Cum
berland.
A mysterious Providence has suddenly
shrouded this courtroom in gloom and fallen
with appalling weight on the City and Coun-
| ty: we come to-day to mourn the untimely
taking off of the sole Justice of this court, in
the midst of term, in the full vigor of mind
and body, in the prime of his usefulness and
honors.
The judges of Maine have been distinguished
for soundness of health, length of days and an
extraordinary prolongation of physical and
mental vigor. Since its organization in 1920.
our Supreme Bench has never lost member
by death, and it is more than 20 years since
Judge Cole of the District Court of this State
died in office. And yet, within the compass
OF single fortnight, this bar has witnessed
the opening of a term of the Superior Court
with the usual solemnities, the delivery of the
annual charge to the Grand Jury, the dis
charge of the responsible duties of civil and
criminal session during several days, the re-
tirement of the presiding justice under the
pressure of disease, his death and his funeral
honors.
On me, sir, as we'll as on yourself, this un-
expected bereavement descends with startling
impressiveness. Irresistibly my mind recalls
the opening ceremonies of our last November
term, when it became my pleasant duty, in
obedience to executive authority, to resign
the judicial ermine to our beloved and
lamented judge.
His stalwart frame, his exuberant health,
his unfailing good nature and his exhaustless
flow OF animal spirits-all gave promise of
long life,-a promise to which his temperate,
regular and virtuous life seemed almost to set
the seal of assurance. When such manly
form is stricken down without warning, those
of us who stand next him in years or in duties
must be dull indeed if we are not for the time
at least, aroused by the shock to a vivid real
ization of our own frailty and mortality.
How strange that amid the conflicts, the
hopes the disappointments, or the triumphs of
life, again immersed in its cares its excite
ments and its pleasures we SO soon forget
"what shadows we are, and what shadows we
pursued"
GAN men think all men mortal but themselves;
Themselves, when some alarming shock of fate
Strikes thrO' their wounded hearts the sudden
But their hearts wounded like the wounded air,
Soon close; where pass'd the shaft, no trace is
found.
As from the wing no the sky retains;
The parted wave no 1urrow from the keel
So dies in human hearts the thought of death;
Even with the tender tear which Nature sheds
Ger those we love we drop it in their grave"
But while this is the inevitable lesson of
our friend death, with what consolation we
recall the memory of his life.
Judge Lane was a remarkably well-bal,
anced man. His fine natural gifts had been
cultivated by liberal education, developed
and disciplined by professional training and
improved by foreign travel.
His perception was quick. his judgment
sound, and his knowledge of men intuitive.
He was repeatedly called into public ser
vice, by the city,the county and the State.
our national representative at the principal
port of Mexico, he distinguished himself and
reflected honor on his country
by his ability, independence
moral courage and patriotism during the
critical period which comprehended our own
rebellion and the French invasion of that re-
public. While the political agents of all the
European powers either welcomed the usurper
| or abandoned their posts, the American
Consul renamed at Vera Cruz, refusing to
salute the flag or recognize the pretensions
of the unhappy Macmillan, that wretched
victim of the destroyer of the liberties of
France. AS municipal judge, as consul and
as SENATOR Judge Lane displayed marked
ability, and served with honor and success.
AS Justice of this court for nearly year, it
must be confessed that he surpassed the high
expectations of his friends. Graphing with
its severe labors with untiring energy and in.
dustry, he devoted his whole time to his
judicial work, with zeal and patience, sim
plicity, modesty and impartiality' which in
sured distinction if he had been spared to the
BENCH, .....t
In all the varied relations of life, public,
private and domestic, he was the same quiet,
heightened gentleman, an admirable exemplar
of the best type of American character. Con-
ciliatory but firm, courteous yet sincere,
courageous but modest, dignifed though SIM
pie, learned but unpretending, hopeful but
cautious, generous yet prudent, witty without
severity, frank but adroi', man of tact as
well as of principle, unspoiled by foreign
travel of simple tastes and pure morals, the
symmetry of his character was almost fault
| less;
"Iateger Utae scelerisque purus."
Such qualities in such harmonious per-
lection constitute the wise, just and honorable
man, commanding respect although not OF
themselves winning affection.
Divine wisdom has declared, "a man that
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