Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-10-29

ceased, and the following gentlemen
were appointed to present them to the
various courts in which ne practiced.
A. H. Douglass, to the Federal Court;
7. w. Brown, Chancery Court; u.
W. Miller, Circuit Court; R. G. Will
hanson, Criminal Court; and Geo.
Gillian, Probate Court.
RESOLUTIONS.
The members Of the bar of Mem
phis and Shelby county, with whom
their late associate, NJ. d. l.. Stewart.
Esq, has been for many years in init.
mate contact, either as public officer
or practitioner of law, deem it not less
honorable to themselves than due to
the deceased to render to his virtues
and memory this just tribute.
M. D. l.. Stewart, after passing
manfully through an arduous struggle
with poverty and untoward fortunes
that beset his youth, mainly by his
own exertions acquired fair aca-
demic education, as complete as West
Tennessee at that day afforded. After
several years occupation inlthe very
noble calling of a school teacher, he
was admitted 10 the bar of Shelby
county, and at the time of his death
held, perhaps, the oldest certificate Of
admission to this bar. The popularity
of his manners and the well grounded
esteem of his fellow citizens placed him
in public Office, in which he spent
many years of his life. These offices
were various in their functions, but
all devolved on him great pecuniary
responsibility and delicate trusts. Ii
is not creditable to any people OF
government that such conditions
should exist as make it a special merit
in public officer that he was honest
and faithful in the discharge Of duty.
la this dissolute period the deceased
was faithful to every official trust, and
left each Office without stain on his
name or even a suspicion of wrong.
This passage in his career, we feel,
should be mado prominent, not
only in justice to his merits, but as an
incitement to other public officers
clothed with responsible trusts to so
deport themselves in the discharge Of
duty, to deserve and receive the high
est encomiums now yielded to our de-
ceased brother.
In the private relations of the de-
ceased, he was not less faithful to the
obligations of friendship and individ-
ual duty than to his public duties.
When friend, he was faithful, true
and self-sacrifcing. There was no
duplicity in the man. Though polite,
of even temper and popular habit, bis
friends all knew where to find him.
Though far from harsh or vindictive
toward his enemies, they were never
deceived by him. Ever grateful for
favor or courtesies done him, he never
failed to repay them with in
terest. His relations toward bis
fellow.men and society were ad-
Ijusted on the very highest principle
of doing to others as he would be done
by. This principle he carried out
with as much cOnstancy as frail hu
man nature would permit. 1t was his
desire to do we'll by his fellow men
and perform his duties as he under.
stood them. His conception of these
duties did not rest in conformity to
certain external conventionalities,
ever the hiding place of the selfish
and hypocritic, but in deeds of prac.
ticed and unobtrusive charities and
generous aid to friends-in the exer-
else of all activities on behalf of the
community. There have been but
few men in our midst whose public
spirit has been more efficiently mani
tested.
With less pretensions thar
many Of his professional brothers
his knowledge was sufficient.
ly accurate and extensive to max,
him safe adviser and very clever
practitioner. 1t can truthfully b.
said that very few of the bar woulC
be so much missed as the deceased
! To the sorrowing wife and relation
we extend our most earnest sympathy
Consolation in such bereavoments i
not within mortal power.
At Conference of the committe
of the Bar and the Masons, the fol
lowing were selected as pail. bearers
and are requested to meet at tn
Masonic Temple al q o'clock pm
to morrow:
LIB. Horrigan, G. w. Metcalf, T. E
Edgington, ]. r. Flippin, G. w. Fra
ger, l.. W. Finlay, r. D. Frayser, II
@. Mccall.