The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-27
TRIBUTES FROM THE BAR.

The Memorial Adopted at Largely At
tended Meeting in This S.:y yesterday.
largely attended meeting of the members OF
the bar was held in the fedora. court room yes
terday afternoon, at o'clock, to take appropriate
action regarding the death of Judge Davis, who
was well known to many of the members of the
profession here from his service on the bench of
the United States Court in this circuit.
Among those who were present wore
ex-senator Mcdonald, Governor Gray.
Judge Woods, Major Calkins, General
John Coburn, ex>Mayor McMaster. Addison C.
Harris, Jonathan W. Gordon, Oscar B. Hord,
Judge John c. Robinson. Stanton J. Peelle E. B.
Martindale, and many others of the most prom
inent members of the bar. Judge Gresham pre-
sided, and, on taking the chair, paid a fitting
tribute to Judge Davis. between whom and the
Indianapolis bar he said, relations of friendship
had existed for many years. 1t was, therefore,
proper that some expression should be made on
the occasion of his death. Judge Davis was
the friend OF Abraham Lincoln, and when the
latter became President. he appointed Mr.. Davis
to o federal iudgeship The service which he
rendered showed that President Lincoln knew
many other responsible positions, but it is fair
to say that he attained his reputation on the
bench He was statesman. One of the pecul-
lar attributes Of his mind was that he possessed
an eminent sense of justice. He believed that if
our institutions are to be maintained, it is es-
sential that the constitutional restraints be not
disregarded in time of popular discord and
clamor. No sophstry could lead him astray,
and his mind moved with unerring certainty
upon straight lines.
A memorial committee was appointed consist
ing of ex Senator Mcdonald. Gen. John Coburn,
Noble G. Butler, Oscar B. Hord and E. B. Mar
tindale, who, after an absence of a few minutes,
reported the following:
'In the death of David Davis our country has
lost one of its greatest men, Hs occupied con-
spcuous place in its history as of the justices
of it's highest court and as one Of the members
and the presiding officer of its highest legislative
body Upon the supreme bench and in the Sen
ate of the United States, he was a strong and
positive influence. and has left permanent inn
preston upon the records of both.
"While upon the State bench in Illinois he was
the associate and friend of Abraham Lincoln,
by whom he was afterwards appointed to posi-
ton in the federal judiciary. His service as
federal Judge was long and honorable His I'M
erring perception of right and wrong and his
resolute sense of justice made him an ad-
mirabe chancellor. He was never BETRAYED
by any sophistry into acts of injustice.
He had no taste for mere acumen or
legal fence. He could not be reached
by arguments which had not their basis
in earnest and sincere conviction. Moral pur-
pose counted for more with him than intellect
ual dexterity. Laws were regarded by him as
instruments for the promotion of justice. and
he never lost sight of the purpose of their
actmeht or suffered it 10 fail in the cases that
were tried before him. He was never entanged
by rules or confused by precedents
into doing less than equity. Popu-
lar clamor could not subjugate him
constrain him to abats one jot of his convc-
tions. He stood for the rights of the citizen as