The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-06-25

rounded. The change, TOO; ;as with
many of us, reached his own per-
sonal condition, and greatly affected
many who were near and dear!to
him.. We cannot doubt that, du-
ring even the few years that elapsed
before Judge Wardlew reached the
allotted span Of "three score years
and ten," his life was one Of "heav-
mess and SORROW" and the five
years of the eighth decade, when
age had increased and infrmity be-
gun, must have made the, call to
another world a welcome summons.
To Judge Wardlaw himself death
was a relief, but it is not the less
incumbent ON the survivors, who,
in happier days, knew the deceased,
to bear testimony to his worth, and
offer some fitting tribute to his
memory. -
Judge Wardlaw was no ordinary
man. Gifted with fine memory,
quick perception, a power Of dis
crimination, almost too nice, if it
had not been tempered with great
good sense. and sound Judgment
these, combined with an assiduity
and persistent and untiring power
of application, which everywhere
and at all times attended him-a
distinguished position in the pro.
,fession Of the law was the inevita.
Bile result. 1t was I'M his nature to
be honest and true, and in all times
Judge Wardlaw would have ad-
ministered what he deemed to be
the law justly, uninauenced by fear,
favor or affection. AS to an entire
freedom from all suspicion of bri.
berry, corruption, or the bias of per
sonal interest IN any shape, Judge
Wardlaw deserves nospecial merit
for during the whole history Of the
cid South Carolina, from the Revo.
luton down, not the shadow of a
shade Of suspicion ever rested upon
any judge OF making profit out so1
his position, outside Of his salary,
The offence was deemed in the old
Carolina as impossible as parricide
among the old Romans. For
1twenty-seven years Judge Ward.
law was an ornament to our judi
ciary, exhibiting a learning, up
rightness and ability of which any
country might be proud Upon
the Inauguration, however, OF the
new order of things, he, with the
rest of bis brethren Of the bench,
was legislated out of office. and
since bad occupied a private sta
ton. He supported himself as best
he might under his changed circum-
stances, ever exhibiting a bright
example of manly cheerfulness and
Christian resignation to our afflicted
and stricken people. ~
Judge Wardlaw was born in Alb
neville District, on the. 2sthSday Of
March, 1899. In 1910, be was sent
to the celebrated school of DR..
Waddel, the nursery sf1so many of
South Carolina's distinguished sons
among them, Calhoun, McDuMe,
Petigru. all of Abbeville, and
many Others. Thence, in 1914, he
went to the South Carolina College,
when he was fifteen years of age,
entering the Junior class, and grad
uated with the first honors of the
institution in December, 1916. His
younger and equally gifted brother,
Chancellor F. II, Wardlaw, gradu-1
ated at the same institution with
the first honors of 1917. In 1920,
Judge Wardlaw was admitted to
the bar. He very soon rose to en-
inence, and very few have more
persistently and exclusively devoted
themselves through a long life to
the legal profession tits especial
ly incumbent on the bar to 90 hon
or u to his memory. At an early
age he was sent to the Legislature.
But this was scarce az episode.
Our General Assembly, in those
primitive days, seldom sat for more
than three weeks, and at an expense
Of loss than thirty thousand dol
lars. .
He was a member of each sue
cessive convention of the people
1892, 1852, 1859, 1861, 1862 and
1865 (of this one he was presldent)
up to 1868 (of. that one he was
not a member.) In his day, a seat
in a convention of the people was
q position, such as William
Lowndes considered the Presiden-
cy of the United States, "neither to
be sought nor declined
It was while he was mepber OF
the General Assembly, very
young man, that he acted as one ,, OF
the impeachment committee IN the
case Of Judge James, and a very
remarkable committee it was. The
committee consisted, besides him.
self. of A. Pickens Butler, r. Barn
we'll Rhett and Robert W. Barn.
we'll, all afterwards distinguished u!
in the State, and beyond it. The
defence was conducted by Wm. @.
Preston, so famous for his eloquence
and who, like the three last com:
mitteemen, afterwards represented
the State in the United States Sen