Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-03-18
Rev. Euxene BanIei's Address.

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state OF our own hearts toward all men; to that in
ward feeling Of respect which we should entertain
for others. And then, in the next place, it refers
10 the outward expression OF what is tnus felt in
the heart; so tbs the full meaning of the injunc
lion is: Possess and cultivate sentiment OF
respect for all mankind, aud give to that senti-
ment its appropriate expression" Honor all
mem" You observe that the injunction is unre.
stricted. The persons for whom We are TO feel
aud to express regard are all who belong 10 the
great family OF huma.ity. Christianity proceeds
upon tbe postulate that there is some
,hing intIinsicslly valuable, something worthy
of the b!ood-shedding of Jesus Christ, in
every individual OF Adams race Humanity as
that tribute we are here warned not TO withhold.
OF course it is furthermore implied, as il is else
be in proportion to the honor deserved Honor all
men, and in so doing render 10 every man that de-
Is clearly expressed In the context: Love the
brotherhood" "Honor the king Servants be
subject TO masters" which simply means honor
all men according to their several relations, and
according to the degrees Of honor which they re-
spectively deserve. The meaning OF the text is,
therefore, perfectly plain. Il teaches us that
every member If the great lace 10 which we be-
long is entitled TO q certain measure OF rCgard by
reason of the fact tsst he is a man, and, that
whenever we find human soul in human body
we TO honor IL as having an essential and IN
trinsic value, which is above tae price OF rubies.
II teaches that different men are entitled to diff
ferent degrees Of respect, ano that we are 10 give
all the most generous appreciation according TO
their real worth.
zens, carry out the spirit of this text Eighteen
years ago q young man came to Memphis, stran,
ger in a strange land. Had he then been cal ed
from rh, and his mental remains consigned to
the cemetery, only very small circle OF his own
personal friends aud relatives would have been
present TO have returned his dust TO its kindred
dust. But during these eighteen years you have
seen that young man rise from one position OF
honor to another, ard bind to himself from the
number of our citizens, friend after friend and to-
day as we crowd around his bier, all Memphis
mourns. The presence of This vast audience, the
solemn stiffness OF this griefstTiCken assembly,
what does all this mean? It signifies that this man,
tried IN the balances of popular judgment for The
past eighteen years, has not been TO and wanting;
that the genuineness OF his manhood has been
tilnAton of this community, here lies the form of
one who is we'll worthy to receive the highest
need of honor which it is possible for the citizens
The question here arises: What was there in this
man, aud in his life, which entitled him to this
exalted position? This question let me attempt
briefly to answer.
First-1n the first place, We give him extrsor
binary honor because We have discovered in him
extraordinary endowments of mind. l refer now
not SO much to that which BECAME his as the pro-
duct of his industry 10 those native powers
with which he was evidently endowed by his Gre
ator. It cannot be denied that to some men are
given five talents while to others given only
two, or. peIchance only one. And while 1t is
true that he who has less of natural talent often,
by his dihgent application, outstrips him who,
having more is NOT so energetic, still it is evident
that extraordinary intellectual endowments are
immensely advantageous i'll the case of one who
will industriously use them. Some men are born
with the elements OF greatness and do not think
of our honored friend, or listen 10 his voice.
catch the expires ion of his eye. or mark the
rap,dity OF his mental operations as evinced by
the celebrity and the corresponding accuracy with
which he reached his conclusions-no man could
note to what an extent he possessed that strange
ana m ysterious will power thst had but to COM
msnd in order to be obeyed-without instinctivey
recognizing the truth that in him to be found
native talent, and that OF the very fiJst order.
Such gifts of mind if not neglected nor perverted
to ignoble ends always have been honored and
always will deserve to be. They are among the
aTyD n n
Second-But again, the people of Memphis re-
spected and honored Judge HorrigAn because they
believed that he had faithfully used his talents aud
had made himself thoroughly acquainted with that
department of jurisprudence TO which he had
iieved that he knew what he protested to know,
and they honoTed him accordingly. The bane of
this age is its superfcisliiy. The minds of the
multitude are permitted TO fit hither, according
to fancy over the wide realms OF science and art;
whereas thoroughnesS and accuracy can be OBJ
tanned only by concentrating all the energies of
the body, mind and soul upon the one vocation
whereunto the individual feels himself called. A
man may be but imperfectly acquainted with
everything else; there may be score OF sciences
he has never studied; there may be hundred ave-
nues OF learning that he has had the time to
enter; but still, If he be known as q complete
master OF the grand art which ne declares
to the people ne Goes understand he will invaria
bly, command their respect and achieve their ad-
miration. AS there is nothing we more truly con-
tenn than mere pretension OF knowledge, SO, on
the other hand, there is nothing which more GER
tainly challenges our highest reverence than to
sec that the man to whom, as q physcian, or
lawyer, or an educator, or minister, we are COM
hitting vast interests of body or of soul is thor
oughly competent TO assume the trust. Thus did
the people Of Memphis feel with respect TO Judge
. Horrigan. We have had an abiding faith in his
knowledge of the one thing he professed to know
We have had conviction, ever strengthening as
the years went by, that upon the bench he sat as
judge whose own personal acquaintance with
the law was SO thorough as 10 enable him to be
absolutely independent in making his deciSions-
80 that neither by plausible arguments, nor by
specious attempts to introduce irrelevant
testimony bV artful eQdeayOrG TO
suppress necessary evidence, could mis-
apSs ~ s,hsfsnti,i i1etica Ne ~ h.vs we
ed the position of judge OF the Criminal Court
one of tremendous respon Utility. In the views of
great extent holds in his hands the lives aud the
personal reputation of his felow-ctiZens as well
as the purity of society aud the peacefulness of
the community. And just as it should occasion
dismay to see such momentous interests intrusted
to one whose limited knowiedge would make him
but the feeble aud eaclllatng instrument OF ON
ers, so 1t hiss given US profound satisfaction to
know that the late ruler over this department of
Justice was indeed its ruler a man whose breadth
of intel ect and whose thoroughness snd accuracy
of knowledge were adequate to every emergency
that might arise in the discharge OF his Official
duty We have respected him and valued his
services because we have felt that never through
his ignorarce Of the law could crime go un,
whipped of justice, innocence bowling its head
under false accusation. go dosn in sorrow to i'm
prisonment, and in shame to the grave, Yes, We
have honored him because we could see that he
did know Just what he protested to know.
Third-But there is third reason why Judge
Horrisan has received SO mueh honor from me
a man of native talent not only lawyer OF broad
J SttainmeniS, but also fair impartial, and, as
Judge In the discharge OF his duty he hss shown
himself as firm GiGraltar's rock. We believe
that he has executed the laws.without fear, or
favor. or affection. To do this always and under
all circumstances, requires resolute will and the
strongest conscientious conviction OF duty. The
that If he committed crime his wealth would avail
him naught when he came to stand in the court of
this lust Judge; and, on the other hand, the
hum6lest of our citizens if conscious OF his limo
cence entered that court feeling that his poverty
could present no barrier in the way OF an impair
tial trial and 8 triumphant vindicstion. We felt
that while ,he sat upon that judsmentseat he
was absolutely respecter OF persons In his ad-
ministTation Of justice there was no difference
made between Jew and Gentle, rich and poor
learned and ignorant, white and blaek-al TO him
we've but men, alike the subjects OF law alike the
objects of punishment if by them that law was
| violated. Never have we seen man who seemed
more nobly to rise above all extraneous influences
AID do what he himself considered right, ire
kpecliye of what the opinions of Others might be.
| Here he exhibited moral heroism which was
| simply sublime. To him the clamor OF the multi
| tude was but as the idle wind which ne regarded
not The views of others were no criterion Tor
| him He had his own intellect, kept his own con-
science, maintained the dignity OF his own Office
own oficial decisions. 1t was this suf-
| fieiency of the man unto himself in his
denee in his own persuasious Of r3ght-that went
| far toward enabling him to subdae opposition,
| Uhile he controlled others almost as By divine
| prerogative. There is something of even awful
grandeur in such spectacle as this There are &C
| Few among US who are thus strictly just Oul
/ prejudices We allow to warp our judgments. 0ul
opinions in multitudes Of cases are formed hsstl
| and rashly, and we rush onward to Try, and con
| yict and cor denim. and punish. as far as we car
| punish with the tongue of censure, those wnoH
| we have never allowed the opportunity OF self-de
tense. Then, again how often is our sense OF Jus
| tce blunted by our timid dread OF the popular
| freWn! How many times are We diverted from tht
path of strict righteousness By our love OF popula
| praise AAd have often thought that there \
something ennobhng in the law, properly studied
| every quest D, and cultiyates the faculty o
weighing evidence impartislly before reaching
conclusion. That faculty our honered friend ha(
evidently developed 10 wonderful degree Of Per
fection- Wherever Judicial imparuality Is regard
ed as worthy of praise; whereser the administrz
ton OF handed justice is reckoned as OF gool
| IL zzill the nf i z h