The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-16

MEETING or THE BAR IN HONOR or THE
LATE VIM. NJ. RANDOLPH.

MEETING OF THE BAR IN HONOR or TJf1
! LATE VIM. NJ. RANDOLPH.
The meeting was called 10 order b,
Judge Kennedy, who nominated fo
Chairman Judge J. Campbell, for Secre
tary II. j. Leoyy, ESD. Judge Camp
boil, on taking tho chair, madc few
appropriate remarks, after which Judge
Kennedy moved that u committee OF nine
to prepare resolutions, be appointed
After u short absence the committee re
turned and submitted tho following
which were read by r. J. Semmes, Esq.
Resolped. That the bar Of Now Orlean,
hns heard, with decpregret., Of the dcatt
long one Of It's distinguished members
Resoiped, That In his death we de-
plore the loss Of the profound jurist the
accomplished scholar and orator; the
Christian citizen and patriot; the de.
voted friend. without nn enemy, In
whom all the manly virtues ''contcndcd
for empire; whose intellect, attain.
ments and rigid adherence to principle
md propriety, In all the relations ol
life, unmingled with self-assertion, COM
mandod our admiration, while his
warm, open nature and genial manners
won our willing affection.
Res0ired, That we will wear tho usual
badge OF mourning during thirty days,
In token OF our respect for his memory.
ResOired, That u copy OF these pro-
ceedings be presented to the Supreme
Court Of tho State, the district courts
OF this parish, and the courts of the
United States in this district, to be en-
tered on their respective records.
RcsOlrcd, That q copy also be trans
mitted TO the family of the deceased by
tho chairman and secretary OF this meet
ing, with u fitting expression Of our re-
spectful sympathy and coincidence.
Which we're adopted. Major New
then delivered the following
EULooy:
II u picture were painted to represent
the life of man, the most prominent, ay
we'll M tho saddest thought. suggested
by its contemplation, would bo that Qf
separation.
Ifthe scene represented battle field,
we Wiould gaze on ranks tbinned by
fallen soldiers, I'm every stage of the con-
iiict. II journey were portrayed, 1t
start, or in tho middle Of the way,
who never reach the end together II
with pious pencil the lines were drawn,
and men were sketched as but camping
on n waste, preparatory TO entering on
the sweet fields Of living green waving
in tho back ground, all over the plain,
we should dwell on tents that were
folded forever, and should be fancying
the Dir trembling with farewells.
Familiar w we are, from the dawn to
the evening Of our lives, with the sorrow
embalmed In that word separation,
each instance Of parting fetches pang
AZ keen as though our circle OF love had
never been broken.
No custom or use can draw tho sting
from the arrow OF death No old scars
can soften u new wound Rather, as
we move to the stiffness OF Our rest, we
feel the blow that takes away u friend
with keener sensibility and increasing
plin. And when that friend has been
ono who has Iightened our burdens,
who has frightened our pathway by the
radiance OF his smiles, and warmed our
hearts by the beams Of his love, we
stand nulnbed In the eclipse Of our grief
as IL our own feet were wet by the wa
tors of the dark river
SO, to-day, we stand, while the air IL
yet heavy with the tidings Of the death
OF William M. Randolph.
room seems to brighten.
Pleasant associations cluster about IL,
M close as color 10 the rose. The mind,
"the music breathing from the face"
tunes our hearts In unison with his, Ind
fills our souls with lofty aims. The low,
soft voice that Lear found 30 excellent u
thing In woinan falls on our ears ls the
dew on the grass; tit vehicles for words
always kind and warm with human SYM
patl1y.
The commanding presence, the grace
ful movement, the flashing merry eyes
nrc now with u.s. and we almost feel the
grasp of the delicate hand. Some men
arc like sun dials They record only
the light Clouds pass over them and
leave no mark. Such was our friend.
His entrance 10 q room was like opening
u window that gives on u garden You
felt the sweet. pure air that came In
with him. You turned to him M you do
to music. Yot went to him AZ naturally
ls YOU do to flowers on II common, the
brightest thing in sight.
You stayed with him rs you do by the
sea. charmed by It's symphonies and
lwed by its grandeur Surrounding him
was an influence as gentle and softening
~ that which comes from galleries Of
pictured saints or lovely women. Harsh
voices grew smooth In his presence.
Loud words sank to calm, us the waves
If the sea beneath rain What was
good In you came to the surface when
With him, as plants to the spring. The
clouds on your brow vanished The
wrinkles Of care lifted their corners and
turned to smiles.
There could have been but one fairy
over his birth. Her name was
Love. She must have kissed his eysc
when she blessed him, and sent him
gorth unable to see, save through her
.oftening and beautifying medium. And
rs the world Is bright or dark as we
choose to see IL, or as we arc formed to
see il, he looked upon its worst as child
loes on the clouds nOtas portents OF
storms but as golden banks Of color or
shifting masses Of lovely forms
The soughing of winds. among the
trees were not sigh for him. 1t was
but natures fingers running over the
KEYS OF one OF her many instruments,
awakening music for man's 8 delight. The
ills that befall us, the dangers that en- |
viron US, the fears that plague US and
The hopes that mock us, seen through his |
lnnointed eyes were but as the whole |
some training OF the athlete, to prepare |
him for the prize at the end Of the race.
Even in the rough conflicts Of the bar,
where the zeal OF the contestants some |
times rides over the gentle courtesies
and amenities Of social life, it was I'm |
possible to forget in the joust with |
William Randolph that behind the ad- |
vocate there was something far nOblcr |
and higher-the gentleman. While no