The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1885-12-24

joyed unrivalled reputation, in North Car
oina His was not a cold and mercenary
advocacy. Such was the warmth of his
sympathy, that from the moment he heard
the story of the wrongs or miSfOrtunes Of
his client he became his Jealous friend
He threw himself, heart and soul, into the
Defense and made it his own personal
cause. Who can forget that noble form,
rs he rose to address the Jury in some case
Of life or death; the head slightly declined,
the calm grey eye, the expansive juttlng
brow, Oycrohaded with thought; the en-
barrassed beginning, hesitatlng, pausing,
stumbling along; the words falling olngly,
slow, like drops Of rain before the storm,
but kindling an unaccOuntable interest
and curiosity; but now the manner be
comes more animated, words come like
disciplined troops, obedient to the Will and
arrange themselves In their position, each
50 apt and expressive; and now and then
one concentrating such world Of thought
il seems to fly to and bury itself in your
heart. The deep grey eyes, now luminous
with the fire Of thought, look on you, and
you beheld, in their bright mysterious
depths, unutteraDle thoughts, of which
the words which now fall like snowfakes,
are but the dim echoes. The earnest, EN-
! phatic gesture seems but the action of the
thought. Those deep deliberate, tones,
! are earnest indeed You feel it is no holi-
| day show, no spOuting rhctorician you are
seeing, but man deeply moved, earnest
| ly thinking The thought that consoles
the orator is effused in your soul You
sit enclained, entranced, time, space, Wis
| ible realities are forgotten. The thought
| that fills you, alone, IS real; you live but
/ in the thought that you breathe in, like
some maddening gas, and yield yourself
subIucd and willing, to the power Of 9
spirit mightier than your own"
Mr. Gaston's devotion to North Carolina
was such, as to preclude his acceptance OF
emOlumcnt and fame elsewhere. PROV
/ dencr has placed me her, and It's my duty
| as We'll as pleasure, TO do what | can fol
| my native State" was the answer he ever
! gave to all solicitations for removal. Ht
declined to exchange his seat on the Su
j preme Bench Of North Carolina for one II
the Senate Of the United States. Chief
Justice Marshall was repeatedly heard tt
| say that he would che-Gfuly resign his
seat if, by 50 doing. he could secure the
| appointment Of Judge Castor, III his stead
/ Mild and conciliatory III his manner; just
and benevolent in thought as well as deed
coNeting only the means OF dong good
we know not which we most admire, hls
great requirements, or the humility ina
was 50 apparent III MS Intercourse VIII
/ society.
Having early acquired Il taste for lltera
tutc, Mr. Castor always found time fo
general reading, during a life devoted t'
duties, professional, legislative and judi
cal; that he could accomplish so much
must aStoui III ali who did not know hi
habits of industry, and ;hat power Of iiX
ing his attention steadily on whatever en-
gagged him at the time.
Mr. CASTOR ! address before the literar,
societies at Chapel Hill in 1882. should b,
the wade mecum Of the young graduates Q
his beloved North Carolina, an,! the adde's
at Princeton III S3i must prove Invaluable
to him, who would he prepared 10 Stant
for his last examination and take his las
degree-his examination and degree IL
Eternity
ON the tie morning of the 23rd OF Jan
uary, 1871, Judge Castor attended cour
at Raleigh, in his usual health, and was il
the active discharge of his duties when II
was suddenly stricken down by apopleEy
BY timely and Slilfui application of RENE
dies he revived, and was engaged i
cheerful conversation with the friend
who surrounded him, till within five min
utes of his death He was relating tn
particulars Of Il conyiyial party. at Waol
ington, many years before, and was speak
, in Of one, who, on that occasion, ha
: ayowed himself Il frec-thlnker IN religion
''from that day" said Judge CASTOR, :
ALWAYS looked on that man with diStrllst
5 | do no say that free thinker may nc
+ scOrn to do a mean action, but dare nc
: trust him \ belief in an overrulng ID
t vinity who shapes our ends, whose eyes
upon US, and who will reward us accorc
t ing to orr deeds, is necessary. We mus
5 believe and feel, that there is a God al
4 wise and. raising himself and seeming t
5 swell with the thought, ''Almighty." Sue
) were the last words of William Castor.
I; In his death, North Carolina lost he
: favorite son, of whom the public voiC
: proclaimed, ga simple and unvarnishe
: history of his life will be the highest eul'
! gum that can be afforded to his name.