Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-03-18
IN MEMoRrAM.
Resolutions In Respect to the Late eah'A"
John Hapna--an Eloquent SP'oe"
by Captain =. W. hall In the


District Court.
Shortly after district court con
.. yened Yesterday afternoon, Captain
f. w, Hall arose and said he had bee
APPOINTED a committee to present 20 the
court certain resolutions passed 10y the
=, Fort Worth bar, in respect 10 the late
:, Captain John Hanna. The following
. Is Captain Balls speech;
MAY 1t please the court:-I hold in
/ my hand "A COPY of certain resolutions
pissed at meeting OF the Fort Worth
I bar, the subject matter Of which con-
/ Germs the recent death of Captain John
| Hanna an honored member of this
bar. beg that the resolution may be
: read alou II by the clerk.
pray your honor's indulgence for
O few moments, that | may speak
briefly 10 these resolutions. 1t has
been said, sir, that "an honest man is
the nub!est work of God l take 1t
that the aduge and It's meaning is not
TO be limited TO mere integrity in pc
cuiiiary transactions, 10 mere financial
honesty; for this quality is often pro-
lessed 10y both the ignorant and the
! vicious.
The 'honestyn that is attributed
thus mentioned by the poet rs the
| Goods noblest work. is the honesty
that dares TO do right when to do
wrong would he most eXpedient: that |
will do no wrong although to do right |
may result in temporary injury. Il il |
| that honesty Of heart; that integrity Of |
| purpose that should control every good
man in all the transactions of this life:
IL Is that quality, the intoxicating of
which is The chief cornerstone of
every humane system of philosophy,
and which at last finds expression in
that rule Of Christian theology which
bids US 'do unto others rs you would
have others do unto you"
Sir, Capt. John Hanna was an hon
est man in the broadest sense of the
word. a man of pronounced opinions
upon every subject under his notice:
strong in the advocacy of those opin-
ions To the verge of combativeness.
His worst enemy, If enemy he had,
always granted his sincerity and his
integrity 1t was that quality of hon
esty that commanded for him the alb
solute confidence aud respect of all his
brethren of the bar, whether they were
engaged upon the same side or against
him. His co-counsel always found
that honesty n bulwark and strength
-adversaries found ii flaming sword.
The word cXpediency, sir, was not
% be found in Capt. Hanna's diciiona-
y. When his mind had arrived at
he point of conviction he always pro-
his opinion, regardless of con-
sequences. His stern and unheeding
integrity did not permit him To CON
'ider the consequences of advocating
" hat he believed TO be right; it was
nillcient for him TO believe IL was
Han |
nent Of opinion, for il was foreign to
his nature.
AS to his industry and ability, the
ecords OF this court aud his brethren OF =
he bar bear full witness. AS henever
rappled with subject, nor with
ase, but that he explored il to the ut
ermost depths. He did nothing
uperticially, he did everything
| suppose, sir that it is
n uudoubtcd fact that Capt, llama
lad read more law tnan any other
pwyer in this part of the state. His (
curse of reading was like himself,
borough. The books in his library y
we're not there for ornament, nor for z
nere casual reference; they were there
y he read aud studied; and each of
hem bear testimony in his own hand
writing that their contents were mas
cred by him.
To the younger members of the bar
he was ever kind and considerable.
venture the assertion that no young
lawyer ever applied TO him for assist :
ance IN difficulty, but that Capt
Hanna cheerfully gave him the ben
eft of his vast experience and erudi-
ton. To the other members he was
ever courteous, n valued co.adiutor and
n dreaded, though respected adversary.
have dwelt chiefly, your honor upon
Capt. Hanna's qualities as lawyer. / >,
need only say that those qualities
which gave him eminence rs u lawyer,
controlled his actions c
and made up his character as a citi-
zen. He was Il firm aud sincere be.
lever in the great doctrine of Christi y
anity, advocating his faith both by 9
precept and example. While he never u
with wrong doing, he
was not pharisaical and did not claim II
to be himself immacuate, and beneath d
n somewhat austere exterior he CON G.
cealed n warm and tender heart The V
oppressed could never call upon him II
in vain-the weak never cried aloud
to him for help that he did not re-
spond. The thoughts of his very last J
moments, before death suddenly over u
NNNN ''ih'i WNi', hs alit lllOTIlleu, ue- |
voted to the protection Of las he be- u
lieved, and rs 1 believe) persecu- 81
ted female innocence and female viz
tue. Sir, in Captain Hanna
this bar has lost one OF Il
Its ablest members, Fort Worth il
has lost one Of its best citizens, society a
has lost one of its brightest ornaments, r
and his family have lost kind and I,
devoted husband and father. n
For and on behalf of this bar, I re-
request that the resolutions
read by the clerk may be spread upon q
the minutes of this court" G.
The court ordered the resoluti ions -
spread on the minutes, rs we'll rs Capt. {,
Balls remarks. h
"A motion was made and carried "
that the papers of the $,
city be requested % publish the ad-
dress.