The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-01-07
JUDGE h. h. CHALMERS.


On Sunday the 4th inst, this commu-
ity was startled by the announcement
{ the death of Judge CHALMERS, of the
supreme Court of this State, who had
,een engaged in his official duties the !
ay before, having left the Capitol late I
n the evening. He retired to bed at
he usual hour, about IL o'clock, and
vas soon discovered by his wife TO be
breathing heavily, and unconscious.
Physicians were summoned who found
lin suffering from a stroke of apoplexy
and beyond the reach of human efforts.
He died at half-past three o'clock On
the morning of the 4th-
Judge CHALMERS was born on Octo-
Der Is, 1885, at the residence of his
mothers father in Rockingham county, (
y. c., though his father was a native, and |
at the time a resident of Virginia, and
was brought, when yet child, by his pa
rents to Holly Springs where he spent
his childhood and attained manhood.
He graduated with honor at the Uniyer-
sity Of Mississippi and came to this city
and studied law in the office of the late
ID. c. GLENN, then Attorney-General
He was successfully Librarian and
Keeper of the Capitol, in 1854 and 1879,
and Secretary of the Senate in 1856
and 1871. Having been admitted to
the bar he settled in 1azoo City to
practice, and after a short residence
there removed to New Orleans, where
he remained for time, and then re-
moved TO fernando in DeSoto county,
where he resided until his duties as a
Judge of the Supreme Court made a
residence in this city desirable.
Judge CHALMERS was well educated
and widely read. His intellect was of a
high order, his temper genial and his
spirits buoyant. He attained high rank
at the bar, and his success was marked.
/ His practice was extensive and be was
/
Ia the spring of 1876 he was appointed
| by Governor STONE, with the advice
and consent of the Senate, to fill the
| uuexpired term of Judge PEYToN ON
| tl.c Supreme bench of the State, and
soon indicated the wisdom of his selec
ton. He served out the six years for
which he was appointed and was then
appointed by Governor LOWRY as his
own successor, or to full term of nine
years, not quite three of which have ex
pred.
That Judge CHALMERS death is great
loss to the State is indisputable. He was
capable and faithful Judge and has rem
dered most important service as such
| When he came on the bench the bust
ness of the court was very much il
arrear. The docket was large, and oveI
one hundred cases were on submission
many of which had been in the consul
tation room of the court for months, anC
some for years. 1t was then not infrequen
for years to elapse before case was de
cided after 1t had been taken to the court
which, with STAtRALL, CHALMERS ans
CAMPBELL, soon gave practical meaning
to the Constitutional provision that jus
tice shall be administered without sale
denial or delay 1t came to be realized
that every case was disposed of at eacl
term of court, and the practice, formerl,
quite prevalent, of bringing cases t.
the court for delay ceased, and the onl.
cases brought up were those in which tn
judgment of the court was desired. Tel
volumes of reports contain the case
ordered to be reported during the perio'
in which Judge CHALMERS has been
member of the court, and they shoS
that he performed full part in its bus
mess. Besides the reported cases Their
were many decided and not reported
1t is probable that not far shortof thre
thousand cases have been finally dis
posed of by the court during the tim
1
bench. His opinions as shown in tn
reports bear evidence of vigorou
thought and classic style. He though
clearly, reasoned accurately, and eS
pressed himself fuently. He attaine,
and maintained high rank as judge
and enjoyed the respect and coniidenc
of those who were familiar with his il
dicial career. He devoted himself wit
constancy and earnestness to his hig
duties and labored faithfully TO NEE
the obligations of the responsible plac
he occupied; and he deserved to til
,, fullest extent the confidence reposed i
his capacity and fidelity. His survivin
brethren of the bench are lavish in the
praises Of his valuable services as judg'
and of the pleasant companionship wit
him in judicial life.
, In addition to Judge CHALMERS j.
dicial learning and labors he was mo:
agreeable member of society. Blesse
with sunny disposition, and furnishe
by reading and observation with muC
J rare and interesting information, he SC
dom failed not only to entertain but
instruct those with whom he associated
and did we speak of his domestic Giro
we could picture home where unself:
devotion to family made him the vel
light and JOY of a household now bowt
: with a grief that can scarcely be born