The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-10
THE WONDERFUL CAREER OF A CON
FEDERATE EXILE.

nriation thereof as constituting the who'll
rroparty of tho then Secretary Of State Of tn
aynnfederste States The contents consisted
ri Tebuantepec bonds, and the Confederate
sr,oretarv, when informed of Buffers exulta
zion over his capture, remarked with smile
That with the loss of those bonds he would bt
lnft without u dollar In the world.
This confession was made at q dinner at
which dish of rusty bacon cooked with cow
gesas and washed down with corn coffee COM
posed the whole meau A gentleman over
fifty, who had for thirty years enjoyed an ID
come of over 40, 900 per annum. was reduced
tn this condition In two years BY his devotion
IN duty, to principle and to the demands Of
honor aud patriotism. .5.= mr5MM@.@
1t WINS grand sacrifice. worthy of oonsptc-
nous record among the many other similar
examples Of sef-sacriice and sincerity of con-
yiction and duty on the part of those who have
been 90 grossly maligned as Interested and
designing politicians In the late war.
It Is grateful task, such as is more often
performed by the writer's Of romances and
dramas than by sober historians and truthful
mhronicers, TO add to this record Of disaster
and misfortune another chapter In this gen
ileman's career, as refulgent with triumphs
and marvellous achievements az the preced-
ing one was dark with calamity and disaster.
I'm 1866 the impoverished Secretary of State of
abe late Confederaey, after the downfall OF the
apnfederacy and the dispersion of Its govern
antsnt, tramped on foot from Central Georgia
10 Florida and escaped in an open boat to
Nassau with single ten-dollar gold piece ia
ais pocket, which he gave to the negro who
Fpwed the small boat that SO safely carried
min beyond the reach of the pursuing foe!
Tn 1879. fourteen years afterward. this fugi-
tive becomes the recognized head OF an insti-
tuition OF all others the most exclusive
and difficult In which TO attain pr0mi-
nence and success, The bar Of England. One
gratifying proof Of the reality Of this achieve
ment Is furnished BY thu fact, which we learn
automatically, that Mr.. ]. 7. Benjamin, c. c.,
recently purchased very elegant residence
in Paris. giving therefor three hundred thou
sand francs cash 1T Is added that this large
sum does not exceed one-half Of his yearly in
come from his practice in the highest courts
Df Great Britain. To these courts the large
pressure upon his time and labor has COM
PEELED Mr.. Benjamin to limit his practice.
The briefs declined by him would double his in
come But always accustomed to do well and
completely everything he undertook, he has
bsen forced to reduce the amount of his labor
within the compass Of his wonderful capacity
and industry We doubt il these have ever
been eauaed by any other aspirant for dis
ainction and success ut the English or Amer-
can bar.
From gentlemen who have recently called
an him III London, we learn that bis labors
are necessarily prosecuted in his Office for at
beast twelve hours out Of the twenty-four,
and that he still has a few hours to spare for
enjoyment and recreation with his friends
10 whom he is always welcome as one Of
ahs most genial and vivacious OF compan-
aone. So far from being affected by this
Intense labor his physique exhibits scarcely
n perceptible change from that which 1t exhib-
tied when he was leader at our bar, and at
that of the United States Supreme Court, q Sen
ator from Louisiana, and the most brilliant
and effective orator and debater In that body
twenty odd years ago, or when Secretary Of
State of the Confederate States fourteen years |
ago,
His hair still maintains Its raven hue, I'M
frosted by sixty Seven years OF trial and |
sat0rs. his flashing eyes have all their old |
aTillancy needing no aid of glasses to per-
form their work; and his handsome face
wears still that winning smile, which is |
rarely preserved by masculine couhtenances, |
and is on" of the happest constituents OF
WNulanIy beauty.
Jhr only percoptihle change observable In I
VIZ manners Il III the greater gravity and I
pn'cisiou Of his uttrrancn ana III tina restraint
~ a yiyacity which i'll his middle age might
AAa properly described ~ boyieh III lis free
lifaln and gay"ty.
sEhia change is. doubtless. dli" t. the isci-
pline st the Eng,h bar, where extreme sIow
Deas and dellDeration are 50 vigorously en-
Enrced in argument MS frequently To run into
ahe extreme Of stammering, cloudy and con
fusingly involved style Of speaking.
There is little danger Of Mr.. benjamin ever
falling into this style. One Of his highest
gifts, and the principal secret Of his wonderful
success as an advocate has been the marvel
ous clearness. force and dramatic power Of
his statements and the exquisite art Of
the facts and law Of the case be
has in charge.
The recognition Of this remarkable power
was happily expressed by the late venerable
Chief Justice of the United States Supreme
Court In aside observation to brother JUS
tioe after hearing Mr. Benjamins statement
of his case on his first appearance before that
Tribunal:
Ii appears to me, Brother O., that your
Hittle New Orleans lawyer has stated his adj
Sarsaries out OF court" And SO 1t proved.
md these adversaries were no less distin-
gnished counsellors than Reyerdy johnson
and Caleb Gushing.
re even the present generation we have
thought II not uninteresting and uninstruct-
rye TO present this sketch Of the career and
fae character OF one who was SO long identi-
ned with the political, judicial and social his
tory OF our State, and ia whose splendid