Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-12-06

veil the principles upon which they must b
determined; AMI BY he clear, analytica
power Of reasoning and argument, be va.
careful to .. cure every right that the cause o,
his client presented. II can be truly said o.
Mr.. Baker that he achieved distinction and
emineDce in the profession of the law And
it Is profession which when rightly pursued
10 high and noble one. II has for its object
the practical vindication of right and justice
that have their foundation in the moral laws
of our natures-the reign of Law instead oil
brute force-the protection of the veal
lagainst the expressions of the strong. What
more noble calling? what more honorable
source of employ ment than to appeal to q
court or jury to stand by and maintain the
eternal principles Of right and law, by which
alone the life, the property and the liberty Of
the people is preserved!
/ 1t 10 tribute that the legal profession has
earned in the worlds history of civilization,
| that in the struggle Of the masses against
tyranny and oppression that the great lights of
the Law have noble position as leaders in
the vindication of liberty and right. In this
place and on this occasion we have referred
primarily to the deceased as a member of the
bar. His influence, however, was not re-
stricted TO the legal profession. He was for
Dore than 80 wears member of the Con-
/
years laborious teacher in the Sunday
school, and a regular and an active partcipa-
tor in the exercises of the weekly, social, re-
ligious meetings in the chapel OF the society.
| humble Christian. looking for acceptance
| TO Him who so loved us as to lay down his
| life for US. our late associate has passed from
| life here to life hereafter. By death We pass
| from one stage of our existence to another.
How forcibly we are reminded by the event
we are now conte mplating. of the imminence
and the sadness of the change
Mr.. Sewall Lancaster said:
May it please Your Honor: The distin-
guished gentlemen who have preceded me
have very fully and very ably covered the
whole ground in this matter. and, although l
have known Bro. Baker intimately for many
years and vas Q partner with him for several
years Of that time, do not deem it necessary
for me to speak Of him particularly except
so far as relates to some of the characters
tics of his life He came to the bar under
great disadvantages, as my brother Bradbury
has well said, when there were among its
members many prominent, distinguished and
able lawyers, when it required industry, ener
gy, perseverance and knowledge to work
ones self into practice. Mr.. Baker worked
industriously. He worked with untiring
application; he worked with great perse-
verance all through his life. Such was the
case when knew him most intimately, and
such was my observation ever after. l think
he must have labored under the inspiration
of a remark once heard attributed to Dan
iel Webster at a certain time, when perhaps
the prospects in that distinguished mans life
were not very haitering. The remark might
have been made when he contemplating
the study of the law, or it might nave been
made after he had pursued his studies and
had been admitted to the bar and was then
looking for practice. Some one spoke to
him in a discouraging manner saying that the
bar was full and crowded. and there seemed
to be no room for more. And Mr.. Webster
is reported to have said ''But there is
room at the top" All through Mr.. Bakers
life his conduct would seem to indicate that
he was laboring under the inspiration of
motto like that He persevered, and he did
not cease his labors until he found room
enough for all the business he could do.
He acquired eminence and distinction. But
there was another prominent idea in Mr..
Bakers mind which | never saw more fully
disclosed in the life of any one, and that was
his regard for his son. He spared neither
labor nor means in the education and training
of that son, who has grown up and become
the educated man. the accomplished scholar,
the well informed lawyer, and who has en-
tered into the practice of law with an energy,
an ability, an industry and perseverance
and success which must have been entirely
satisfactory to the father. Mr.. Baker might
well have considered. and probably did, that
all his fond hopes and expectations in that
son had been fnlly realized. Those de sires
accomplished, he departed
"Like who wraps
The drepery of his couch about him, and lies down
TO pleasant Dreams"
And it would seem that his mantle had fallen
upon that son who has already given assur-
ance that he will be able to wear il, and wear
it worthily.
Mr.. Lorenzo Clay said
May it please Your Honor, rise not as q
matter of duty, but rather as an esteemed
privilege, to say a few words to express my
great respect and kind regards for our de-
parted friend. For 80 years past l have had
the honor and the great pleasure of a person.
al acquaintance with the deceased. My pro-
fessional intercourse has been more extensive
and more intimate with him than
with any other member of the
Kennebec bar. Our personal rela-
tons have always been most friendly,
and hence can speak from the impulses Of
nv heart Of him as a friend whom | knew
only to admire and revere. As sound law
yer and able advocate he had few equals and
no superiors. Always calm and firm, he
never allowed himself to be Disconnected by
a witness or opposing counsel. His chief
aspiration was to excel as a lawyer. He un-
derstood thoroughly the rules and details of
practice He had quick and clear percep-
ton His most striking characteristic was
his devotion to his client; always faithful aad
true He once told me that when the ques-
ton was courtesy to brother lawyer or duty
to his client. he must do his duty and not
allow the interests of his client to suffer for
the sake of courtesy to other members of the
bar, and I think he always adopted and ad-
hered to that rnle-his duty to his client first,
last and all the time. Endowed with
strong mental powers and a clear intellect he
pursued his chosen profession with arduous
toll and close devotion. Labor omn,a rin-
eef'' was his motto. No man in the legal pro-
fession has done more by his example to
stimulate and encourage the younger mem
bers of the profession to persevere and over
come by work and labor all difficulties in tie
way of success.
As an advocate he was earnest and thor
ough, never losing sight of the end he de-
sired to reach, and never emitting or over
looking any point of law or testimony which
would tend to illustrate his case or convince
the jury Mis- wonderful success and increas-