The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-09-15

Gcations, then they must have been early
disciplined in all the arts and sciences
10 all the departments of knowledge accessi-
bic TO the clerk Of law Office, or the in
spector of male and female school teachers;
a conclusion to which the biographer. OF
Mr.. Adams gives his unqualified assent,
and to which we also incline, by reason of
the accurate and minute acquaintance they
display with regard to legal and judicial re-
quirements, and their eaRerness to make
the application personal to themselves.
Returning from this DEPRESSION, occasion
ed by an allusion to the Address OF the
Bar" the memoirs further state that in
1875 the firm of Sturgeon & Adams was
formed, and they continued associated
together as such until July last. The
great and erudite editor Of the Union, in
his capacity of biographer, for the most
part seems disposed to deal fairly and
Justly with the material at hand, but in
regard to the causes which led to the
dissolution of the law firm of Sturgeon u
Adams he is singuiarly reticent. The
high an unimpeachable character of the
biographer forbids the thought that his
intention is to suppress any Of tie facts :
at least it is much more charitable and
proper to attribute it to lapse of memory,
and in doing so it becomes eminently proper
that we should supply the omission. As
already stated, the honor of originating
and preparing the Address Of the Bar
is popularity believed to have been the joint
production of the late firm of Sturgeon Il
Adams, and it is equally the popular belief
that having attempted to fix the standard
of qualifications so as to exclude all candi-
dates for the iudgeship, except "a lawyer
engaged in the actual and active practice
of his profession" they both became pos.
sessed of an ardent and yearning desire tC
fill the place. Unfortunately they were bott
members of, and constituted one and thu
same law firm, and- as it occurred to the
great Mansfield that he was already county
superintendent of schools, and nigh
! possibly be re-nominated for the same
position in case he failed of the judgeship
and provided also that he did not have tt
} encounter the objection of making two nom
' inees from the same firm, he and his able
! coadjutor agreed to disagree, resolved t
, dissolve partnership, and separately tr!
| kha1v, IL g. N{4sa r1orlvv =
! firm of Sturgeon 4 Adams ceased to exist
both caught the fever for Office, in boil
{ cases it went to the brain, AM
i both, on the 18th of Sept, 1877, me
: death politically in the arms of a repub
+ lican convention, Their names are insep
s arably linked together as rivals for pro
e fessional aud official distinction, yet iik
: brothers cherishing for each other tn
/ most devoted and tender attachment
e each viewing the other as the ornament {
! the bar, each urging the other incessantl
i to run for Office, and each relying chief
r upon the genius displayed in the Addres
S Of the Bar for their chances of success
being nominated by strict party CONVEX
e ton for the two really non partizan Office
e of county Judge and county supt. Of con
n mon schools.
The late Mr.. Lucian Adams is pecu
liarly fortunate in his biographer. n
one but the accomplished and scholar
seven years editor Of the Union would eve
have undertaken snch herculean task, {
" having once undertaken il could have a,
y, complished so much from such scaut mi
- terial. These memoirs unquestionab
accomplish the feat Of making much out
= little The work was ably and conscier
y tiously done and as thoroughly erhdustiv
y Everything that was ever SAID or done |
- the deceased, of public or profession
character, has heeu faithfully chronicle
" and set forth 10 the memoirs. No dOu'
- the memoirs are labor Of love, token
sincere esteem, of exalted respect. No
~ withstanding the incessant and exhaustiI
~ labors of seven years experience as a lou
- nalist, and that too upon paper of Il
~ utation Of the Union, and moreover
9 spite the mental halucinatious of an owe
IL taxed brain and the crushing responsib
y tiles of party dirty work, the amiable al
- =, kind-hearted biographer has succeeded
. his lucid moments and at intervals
~ rest from other pressing engagements,
nc paying a loving tribute to the memory
departed greatness in short, in the FL
u ness of matured intellect and the rene
d of conscious manhood, in language at on
'' neat and nervous, delicate and correct,
1e has written the memoirs Of his friend ir
~ manner which exhibits ripe SCHOLARSHIP
% exquisite taste, and profound learning
:" 1t is one of the few Instances in whiC
no like BosN ellis life of DR.. Johnson, the
ographer has proven himself greater tn
ar the subject of his biography.
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IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.