The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-05-13

from this fair land OF ours that freeman
might possess IL. And next Patric
: Henry, the very embodiment OF the spiri
OF the Revolution and then George Masol
and Thomas Jefferson, who formulated th
principles OF the Revolution in the Bill O
Rights and the Declaration OF Indepen
dence; and then Nelson, one OF the fore
most generals Of the Revolution, who a
Yorktown turned his guns upon his owl
house (where CORVALLIS was sheltered) e
drive out the invader; aud then John Mar
shall, the type OF justice and the expoundel
OF the Constitution, who first laid On,
foundation OF the jurisprudence OF this
great republic. And, above all. the cap.
stone OF the great monument and the
climax OF the noble group, is the peer
less Washington, whose name is the battle
cry OF every nation struggling for liberty.
We may therefore think OF our dead
brother not only ~ a learned and success
ful lawyer, but whenever we walk through
our beautiful Capitol Square we may think
OF him as one who has contributed so
much TO please the eye and to stimulate
State aud national pride.
Robert Guild.
These two distinguished lawyers and
eminent citizens had passed away many
years from the public gaze-tbe infrmities
OF age combining them TO their home, and
they died after living fourscore years.
when death might not only be expected
but welcomed by them and their friends
to relieve them from growing weakness
and suffering. But now | am to speak of
another, who was cut down in the prime
Of life, in the midst OF his usefulness, and
in the full zenith OF his fair fame, glory,
and power. | can hardly trust myself to
speak OF him. He was my friend-the friend
OF my early youth and OF my matured man.
hood. | had known him longer and better
than any one else now living. When ]
was boy, in Washington, where was
educated. Robert Ould was then the rising
young lawyer OF that city, noted for his
clOquence and power rs an advocate, and
shortly afterwards appointed District at
torney, when he made national reputa-
ton in his grand prosecution OF Sycles for
the murder OF Key. From that time he
leaped at once into the front rank OF the
profession in Washington, and was the
peer OF any and all OF the many great men
at the bar at that time.
When Virginia seeded, being am ardent
Virginian and an earnest believer in the
doctrine Of State rights. he left Washing
ton, and east his fortunes with his native
State. He was appointed to the important
Office OF commissioner for the exchange OF
prisoners by the Confederate States Govern
ment. How well and how ably he COLI
Quoted the difficult and delicate affairs OF
| that Office is now a matter OF history. The
archives OF the fallen COnfederacy and the
lost cause can show no more able, or elo-
qucnt. or patriotic state papers than those
penned by the hand Of Robert Ould.
After the close Of the war he commenced
the practice Of his profession in this city,
and then the acquaintance commenced in
my boyhood was renewed with him. For
seventeen years on the bench OF the Circuit
Court OF this city, and the Court OF APP
peals. heard him at the bar almost daily;
and ! can say after no small experience
that Robert Ould was the greatest adyo-
cate and the greatest intellectual giant
ever saw. He was man OF wonderful
versatility OF genius; logical TO the last de-
gree, eloquent 10 the highest degree, with
an exquisite wit and humor unsurpassed;
quick at repartee, sharp and incisiye i'm sar-
casm. with the most wonderful ingenuity
TO turn the weapons OF his antagonist
against him, with inveetiye as oyerwhelm-
ing as a rushing torrent, and with per-
sOnal magnetism which few men possessed.
He was i'm forensic strife gladiator, who
welded both the battle-aXe of CGur de
Lion and the scimitar OF Saadin.
can say with truth, after hearing him
so often, that it was not safe for any jury
or any court, even an appellate court, to
decide case fresh from the influence Of
his powerful logic and burning eloquence.
III he could have been i'm the Senate OF
the United states, where Virginia ought TO
have placed him as her representative, he
would have been the peer, il not the SUI
peror. OF any mau in that national arena in
debate. II is sad, sad thing that he
should have been cut down in the zenith
Of his power.
1t is sad to recall his last appearance at
this Bar, when, standing where | now
stand, he pronounced that grand eulogy
on that great and good man Judge Mon
cure, which will 90 down TO all time as a
gem unsurpassed OF its kind, aud equal in
eloquence and beauty and pathos TO any,
thing ever written or spoken i'm the Eng
fish language.
| cannot forbear. just here. TO read the
closing words OF that matchless eulogy,
which were the last words he ever uttered
| i'm public. They are as follows:
1.-THE shadows had been long gathered about
him, each day deepening the gloom. and the plain
| tive cry was wruug from him by bodily anguish
| that the darkenne twilight might close at once 10
night. But even in this the sensitive soul feared
| that he might show a lack Of submission 10 the
| Divine VIII. The release came IN lis appointed
| time. welcomed by no one as 10y him the silver
| cord was lOosed and the golden bowl broken
Let Us thank God that lac gave ~ the country such
patriot, Ia the state such citizen, 10 the admin
law -t4tsla la
| that loved bin such a FRIEND"
| Grown me with flowers" cried Mirabeau In his
| last hour, and loving friends brought them But
our elder brother needed no human hands to bring
him garlands, for God had already crowned him,
and out of pure and noble life had already sprung
eternal flowers. which blOOmed not only on earth,
but We're glorious enough To be trausplanted from
that quiet Stafford deatl-bed 20 the celestial gar
dcns. Though a senior 10 all Of us, he has pre-
ccded us but a little. The hearts Of even the
| Youngest of rs are but "muied drums, beating
funeral-marches 10 the graye.n Even while we
are viewing the procession OF the dead the order
comes for rs 10 fall I'M. And now, In this moment,
| when am speaking the last words which Will
ever utter I'm the of this court as Is now
formed. can express no better hope for Bench
may receive and welcome II as did our friend and
chief
II was a sad. sad scene-I shall never for
get it-when he uttered the words which
seemed to be prophetic Of his own death ::
"Though senior to all OF us, he has
preceded us but little. The hearts Of
even the Youngest OF us are but muflied
drums beating funeral marches TO the grave.
Even while we are viewing the procession
OF the dead the order comes for us to fall
in; and now i'm this moment, when am
speaking the last words | shall ever utter
I'm the presence OF this court" (and here
he paused, and his voice trembled, and his
eyes filed with tears and he added, "as
II is now formed. can express no better
hope for Bench and Bar than that when our
sumons comes we may receive and well
come il rs did our friend and chief"
| felt then, sitting where you ait, and he
standing where now stand, that his words
were prophetic; and that this would be the