San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-07-12

.
Bar, Thos. II. Franklin ESQ. has fur.
ni,ned Tor publication in the Free
Press. the speech recently deliver ed
by him before the county Court Of
Hays county, on the occasion therein
referred ,e:-The resolutions referred
to being the same recently Published IN
this paper. The speech is as follows
1t is proper that 10 presenting Il ese
resolutions l should make O. few 70.
marks upon the lite and character of
our deceased fellow-member. and it is
a source OF regre; to me that some
one better fitted than myself for the
task was not selected-some one who
has known him longer than I.
But, Sir. although ! had not known
our deceased friend for great leugth
Of ,ime-oar acquaintance having DO |
lguu only few years ago-yet during,
that time knew him well and inti..
mately. knew him Sufficiently we'll to.
bear witness here to day to his kind,
ness Of heart, to his open handed geper''
rosity, to his faithtulness to his friends,
to his adherence to principle. to his /,
high sense of honor and to his UPRIGHT,
ness Of character. hrs i,
Faults he had, it is true so have we
all. Had he been faultles he would.
not have been human. But that he
had many virtues the grief that we. !
his associates at the bar, now feel at,
his loss loudly testifies. And. Sir,
whilst the faults he possessed we're
nerer such as to lead him to do DELHI
crate injury to his fellow ma u, the vir..
tues he owned we're those that belong to.
one who loves his neighbor and reveres
his God. His faults we're rather failinys
that spring from high strung temper
ament, while his virtues were the at.
tributes of q loving heart and kindly.
disposition.
Of his ability as lawyer all of
those who have heard him in the
court room can give evidence. For
three years lie was the prosecuting at
torney OF this county, aud no one can
say that in aught was he faithless to
his oath of Office, or recrsant to the
trusts con6ded to him by his fellow
citizens. Earnest, jealous, able, he was
feared by evil doors, admired by his
brother attorneys, trusted by all.
Though but little past thirty years
Of age lie had attained rank in his
profession that brought him into con-
test with many of the veterans of his
calling, and had his life been spared
until the hot blood and quick impulses
of youth we're toned down by the cool
Judgment and calm reason of maturer
years he would have risen to an emf.
nence that few have reached.
But while the future stretched be-
fore him bright and brilliant, like q
pathway 1ripged with flowers, and am.
bition whispered onward, there are
roses you may pluck )" and while Hope
Health, and Youth attended on his
footsteps ever calling to him forward,
he was stricken down with pain, and
sickness stretched her bony hand be-
fore him and harshly babe him halt"
And then there followed days and
nights and weeks of suffering, as lie
slowly neared the portals that open to
the world beyond, and through them
passed into another sphere. Worn and
weary, weak and tired, wrung by pain
and racked with agony, in the black.
proved spirit of death he doubtless
saw fair faced angel of mercy.
Now his career is ended, his journey
finished, his life-work done, and on
his tomb VT must write those sad, sad,
words: He died young" Had he
lived his triumphs would have ca lied
for our applause; he is dead, and grief
bids us water his grave with our tears.
Perhaps it is better so. Life would
have brought care aud trouble while
some rejoiced in his success, others
would have. envied his prosperity
while many applauded his triumph,
| some would have piled the.bitter tongue
of SANDER. and every laurel wreath
he gained in the worlds rude battles
would have harbored the foul reptiles
of envy. hatred and malice.