The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-10-15
,cohpells he to say he was not nea9 f5ear- 81,
Ifect band; i'perhaps,o it, is WE'LL
that the.3riendo andn' associatenwf1o

PLACES; this garland .;on his gray
has the. frapkness >, and tb
fifrtnin1easSss to a1lude to what may b.
e6tsidefea THE defect in Judg'
Waedlaw' judicial character BIZ
which Iiattribute,to his earnestnes'
and his purity, As a Circui
Judge, he was ,dignifed, prompr
| and Severely in. earnest, SO inten
EWash he oil his work, that he some
Etimts appeared to berstern and i'm
tpatAnt.Y JWe have all nheard hin
[spe4k in a tone of rebuke to mem
bera Of the bar, and felt, at the
timS, some resentment: But !
I'have reason to Know, a that we die
the Inaan injustice he never intend
ted'pbe harsh, or to hurt the feel
,ipgS of the brother. addressed. His
pref ebaration while at the bar was Sc
perfect, SO complete, that he die
-n1ioH understand how any lawyer
could come into court not thor
ouAly acquainted with his case
and so, when the court was detain'
ed, Svlile the counsel consulted hls
clidht, he would exhibit. impatience
and sometimes express himself in
a Why to mortify and irritate. But
this didn't often happen after he
gained experience on the bench
and when it did, it was not intend,
ed TO rebuke or mortify, but to
urge the business Of the court. BE
that as. it may, however, when ne
came to charge the jury or to de-
eide the point of law, there was
such a clearness of expression,
such a sense Of justice pervading
cveryrsentence that he uttered, such
manifest purpose to do right and
administer the law impartlally, that
all feelings of resentment vanished.
Besides, may it please your Hon
orr there is another consideration
not so well understood by members
Of the bar, but which I.--suspect
your Honor begins to appreciate
It was the habit Of every depart
ment of the State Government, to
conduct the most rigid economy,
and every officer was held to the
strictest7 accountability. 4 Hence,
the Judges made an effort to avoid
extra coyrts, as well to save the
expense to the State as the incon-
venience and loss Of time to jurors,
witues and suitors. Therefore,
when the Judge commenced his
circuit, if, on examination, he
found the dockets crowded, he was
compelled to urge business, and ,in,so
urging Judge Wardlaw sometimes
bad aperemptoriness Of expression
apesitipenessof mahner, that APP
pearea harsh andojarrede on the
Sensitive nature IN all such cases
I think we judge him Iipeorrectly,
if We We suppose lie disregarided the
feelings Of those to whom he spoke;
it2wasnot the main 1who was care
less iofiwounding,i but the Judge
who knew that he had agreat deal
to do and but a short time to- do il,
Working under such a pressure, it
is not surprising, that in. bis, ,anx-
iety he Sometimes unconsciously
gave offence. We all know that
the young lawyer, ore'frequently
the old lawyer, when he gets into
his case, with his client-at his back
seems to be oblivious. that there
are any other lawyers or any other
clients in the Court House. Per
laps it is the only case the young
man has on the docket, and in his
agitation. and anxiety to do well
and satisfy !. his client, is not con-
sciousyef4a useless consumption OF
time. With the old practitioner,
it may be a pet case in which he is
particularly anxious to succeed,
and when he warns up to his work,
glowing with the excitement OF the
mental conflict, he does not care
how much time is consumed, so
that he makes his points success
fully and wins his cause, But the
Judge who has examined the dock
cts, is admonished by his expert
ence that he must push to get
through, and avoid the inconve-
nience and expense of an extra
court. So, from the moment he
opens his court, his constant effort
is to economize time in the exami-
nation of witnesses and the con-
duct of the case. ]. have even
known a Judge to limit counsel in
their arguments. Although Judge
Wardlaw never restricted argu-
ment, (he was too just minded for
that), yet, when he was working
against an extra court, there was a
positiveness of manner that almost
appeared to be rebuke, an impa-
tience at the consumption OF time
in consulting clients or examining
witnesses, that" irritated. - but l
know, that he constantly endeavtor-
ed to correct this, and I i thinlkl lll that that
YOU and my brethren will bear me
out when [ say that he had, nearly
overcome it before he left the Cir
cult for the Appeal bench III doubt,
however, if any dissatisfaction or
resentment continued long after
+Lo oo,,rt, odionrnnd for when we