Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-16
For The EVENING STAR.
y. COX.s FIRST iSE iSALAyYEE.
His First Sun-fSursf.

my mind by chance examination of ore of nv
old notebooks:
In the year 1915 a friendly contest arose in
Cincinnati between another gentleman and my
self. which we mutually agreed to have tried in
court, each employing his own counsel The
amount at issue was twenty-five dollars.
Little sam Cox. as he was then called. and by
which name alone knew him, was a lad about
seventeen years old. law student in the Office
OF Nachel Worthington. HE was shrewd
little fellow, working hard as an office boy, to
pay the expenses of his education; and every-
body was his friend. / determined, partly In
the spirit OF fun, and partly to test the boys
capabilities. to employ him my counsel. |
made him we'll acquainted with the character of
the case Ga trial for debit, and the trial was to
be had before old Judge D. T. Snelbacker
father of Col. Snellbacker of the Theater
Comique. in this city. Little Sam worked like
Trojan to master the proper points. sitting up
late at night to consult legal authorities In
which he had the assistance of Stanley Matthews.
now supreme judge of the United States; and,
at the converting of the court, he was ready for
action, with legal guns well shOtted
witnesses were called and examined Nv
opponent strove hard, with counsel to win. and
little sam was not a whit behind him in his
efforts. His points. tcrscly and precisely pre-
scented. met every argument that was made by
my opponent. The boys dream Of ambition
neryed him on in the struggle When his turn
came TO sum up the evidence and make his
maiden plea, he entered upon it with q little
tlm'dlty at first: but this he gradually threw off
until he came to his spread-eagIe perorati0n
As nearly as memory will serve and with the
help of my notes, it was as follows:
Your honor, demand for my client only sim
PIE Justice. II ycU refuse him this yOu Will violate
every rule OF jurisprudence-rules as Old as jr1s-
prudence itSef-WhiCn have been left UuiistiIrbed
t;-ar planted his foot upon English soil after the
conquest OF t,aul. since the day when the first In
dian explored the western Wi!dS Gf Ohio Why
81! refuse justice to my client, and yUu VIII Shake
IN" tabernacle of his soul. ana cause him TO trcn-
BE for the deatInies OF his country. Your honor
~ c!st 10 mt Il as clear a the sun at MONDAY,
When its beams penetrate, like sh ats Of living light
down 20 the bottom Of the slumher.n- sea. The ct
laL- nee OF mat heavenly orb ran TathOm the pro
inuiie>t depths OF the lAman heart. ana open wide
It's portals that we may read its secret workings.
Gear as that crystal sun. the mind OF man pen
etrateS the deep rccHSseS OF the brain where are
op"ni wide to his prophetic vision thoughts which
a. he turns over the leaves of that mu4ty volume
widowed by the breath OF tITne-eaves which have
bttn SIZED 70 the gaze ol man since creations
Ordct'S Of the departed ages. Casting his minds
eye stu backward, he beh0dS the trfious and
Gu'dli.ho4s OF human beings that have passed
away, ana prophetic vision sees the untold billions
OF billions Yet 10 CCine-all OF whom had and all viii
have. brightest hopes and aspirations, fully equal
TO our own, and all uttering the universal cry OF
justice"
Justice. your honor. blended with mercy. should
be set in disIcIn high as the 1nffnirht hegyans
and surrounded by haloo brightest planets there
In letters OF living light To shine Derpetually that
the moon and the stars, In their regular rounds,
may pay obedience. and bow In devotion to those
taliSlnanic words, justice ana mercy'
'sir the heather HOttenfOt ana the American saw
age have those heavenly attributes engrarted upon
every princlpIeOr HE AMI action. They behold IL
in the sun moon, and stars; they hear It in every
wind that blows 1t VIII be the Magma Charta OF
all generations OF men, Why sir, 1nS piration and
poetry spring from thoughts Of justice and mercy
for, blended with theses the poetry of the Heavens
when. in the CnrgeOusueSs OF light the sun prp-
claims, voiced as with golden lyre the powers OF
the eternal; or N night when the moon and stars
give 1oTth, III snYeIy accents, the same adoring
hymn. In those we ind the poetry OF the sea- when
IL speaks IN ripped measure or thuniiers In the
voice of rs Own reSOuGdirg pillows; OF the Storm
gardens
"Your honor. Justice IS what demand from yo!.
lhhj justice With which Armand de Ncheeu ruled
France Tor hiteeh years when he held her 10 his
bosom. II thu dreadful Strc7 which desnIated her
held her there, pllowed upon Justice. Why, sir
thoughts iiY through my brain i'll numbers like as
blades oi grass upon our bOundlcsS western pra-
rleS.-thickly as the hosts or Lucifer when he mar
shalled his forces upon the seashore TO attack
tilt alSelS,-ln numbers as many The autumnal
leaves that strew the ripped brooks on my own
Classic Muskingum."
With this. in part his maiden speech the
young lawyer held the audience and court spell
bound for more than an hour, and when it was
concluded cheers upon cheers rang through that
ola justice hall such as We're never heard there
before, and little sam was the hero of the hour.
His opponent arose and simply stated to the
court that as Cox had fairly coveredt the grounds
upon both sides of the case he had nothing to
say, except that he knew his honor would decide
the cause by the strict rule of justice.
1t required but moment for the court to rem
der decision. 1t was: Judgment in full for the
amount claimed by the plaintiff and costs to be
paid by the defendant" The sum at issue and
costs were at once paid, and all present, includ-
ing the Judge, the officers of the court and de-
PENDANT and counsel, were invited by the plain
till to walk over to the Gait House to partake of
basket of champagne OF choicest vintage.
Many were the tOasts drank to little Sam Cox.
When the time came for parting Cox was asked
what his fee was. With blushing modesty and
timidty he asked:
"ls five dollars too mucn?'
4 remember well with what frOWn re-
garded him for moment
Young man" said |, you will never make a
lawyer; you do lot know even the first princi-
pie OF the profession. You don't know how to
charge. Here, take the whole amount awarded
by the court"
This placed in his hand, and it was his first
fee a a lawyer.
Thirty-four years afterwards the above indi-
dents having been forgotten In the graver affairs
OF HE, received. one day, when in far dis
tant city, a note bearing the signature IS S.
Cox, New York." In which the writer expressed
desire that would call upon him at his hotel.
While going thther, l wondered who "S. 8.
for me. Ny card was sent TO his room, and soon
gentleman made his appearance, who cordially
grasped my hand, saying:
Why, old fellow! am glad to meet you once
mOre,"
Excuse me SIR" 1 replied, 81 have not the
pleasure Of your acquaintance. know by repu.
taton Hon. g. 8. Cox, of New York, and / pre-
sumo that Sunset Cox Is the same person"
81 am that same person." said he.
But sir. where did ever know you?"
Don't you remember little Sam Cox who
studied law with Judge WOrthingtOn at Cincjn.
natif and don't you remember the speech that
he made for youths maiden speech-at Judge
Snellbacker's cOurtl"
Recognition, Of courie followed instantly. In
the social hour that spent with him he told
me that thousand times, while speaking about
his life to Others his first cause In court and his
nrst speech was mentioned with nv name
always in connection with them. He declared
That the experience then gained gave him
greater confidence In himself and nerved him
IN his forensic efforts more than ANYTHING else
tie always told those who listened to the Incl.
dent that his client not only gave him for his
Zee the whole amount at issue, but that he
spent more than double the sum in honor of
that, his nrst and successful effort.
CAPT. JOHN A. DUBLE.
washington, D. c., February 18th, 1884
n. De Lesseps predicts that the Panama canal
will be opened before 1888.