The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1886-01-14
FAM0I : NORTH CAR0IlNltNS
SOME EMINENT MN NORTH CAR
oIi>A Ht> PROpt CID.
} udss iias ood. " m. ltoopst. >amuri
Johnston. Jas. Ir.drll, Nash, Avery.
Alfred Moorr and I'm. u. Davis.

.
We h.-gin today = >krteh b., thc isi.
judge Battle. of "Juisc Hap s,-.i and t.,
4 contemporaries. published n the T.,
/ University Magazine il 1860 eu- readers
+ viii fnd il Of exceeding interest Ia
In running the parallel b,tseeu tas. F,
/ sal profession ia lhe ullst State Aua n
Great Britain. which Mr. Rush at our tEsnr
! Attorney General Of the | nste~l ~iat,=S
seemcd Ia think that va might do without
/ discredlt 10 our country, Is must H. a
source OF qualification aud prsdc 70 ever,
North Carolinian to r.iicct that hss sNu
State furnished her fun proportion of
learning 10 the general mass 81 professional
ability and renown. Indeed, when 80 eau
slider the comparative poverty 81 our state
AT that early day, arising from the facts
that size had no large commercial town
within her borders. aud thai hcr great
mineral aud agricultural resources. had
then scarcely begun To bc developed Wc
may Justly claim that she contributed mofr
Than her average share 81 eminent uatfrs
To the great roll OF American lawyer
/ Among these names none stood higher
than that Of the principal subject Of ;hi,
| brief sketch.
| john Haywood was born III the count,
OF liailfaN, few years before the com.
menceUcut of the American Revolution.
formed. His father Egbcrt Haywood. Was
member of the convention. cor congress a.
II was then called which sal III the town ~
Halifax IN the latter par: Of the year 1876
and adopted the constitution Of the State
and he represented the county Of Halifax
IN the House of Commons during the two
succeeding years. Ia the distracted con
dltlon of the country during the progress
of the war and for short time after It's
close, the means of instruction were SO
scanty that the sons of gentlemen of even
comparative wealth could with difficulty
obtain a respectable education. From
this, or some other cause, young Haywood
was compelled TO enter the profession for
which he was destined under the great
disadvantage of an imperfect preparation
for it. He was in this respect, more un
fortunate than those who came To the bar
either before the commencement of thc
Revolution, or some years after peace was
established, when schools of Il high order
began 10 spring up IN the country. 10 the
want of systematic intellectual culture.
was added the dlsad vantage of an uugaiuly
person and a harsh voice. but being poss
cSSed of strong mental powers. an ardent
love Of study, aud a stirring ambition to
take high rank III his chosen profession,
he soon overcome all difficulties and began
and to contend succ, ssfully with it's ablest
advocates for its emolumcnts aud its hon
ors About the time when hc made his
debut there We're not a few men whose
place at the bar was already well secured,
"A place which they had nobly won, not
only by the exercise of great talents IN
their profession, but by the performances
of patriotic deeds, some in the civil, and
Others III the military. service of their
country. Among the most distinguished
of these were William Hooper. and Arch
ibald McLane, of Wilmington, Samuel
Johnston, and James lredell, of Edcntou
Abner Nash, of New Bernc. Waightstill
Avery, of Mecklenburg county, Alfred
Moore, of Brunswick county, and William
X. Davie, of the tom of Halifax. Rich
ard Caswcll, of the county OF Dobbs, tat
terwards LenoirJ and Thomas Burke, Of
the county Of Orange, the first and third
Governors of the State, had been eminent
lawyers prior to the Revolution, but dur
ing its progress and at il close. they We're
too much occupied with the great affairs
of State, to allow Of "A return To the prac-
tlce of the Courts. Indeed the latter gen
tleman was prevented by death from re
turning to the bar after the war, as he
died he same year in which the dehnltIyc
treaty of peace was ratified between the
United States and Great Britain Three
other gentlemen of emlncncc iii the pro
fession were withdrawn from the bar by
beng chosen to fill seats on the b. nch Of
the Superior which was the highest court
established in 11.1, upon the organization
Of the Judiciary system of the state. The
gentlemen first selected for that office
We're Samuel Ashe, of the county Of New
Hanover. Samuel Spencer, of the county
of Anson, and James Iredcll, Of Edenton.
a few months, when the Office was tender
cd to Richard Henderson, who had been
a Jud e under the colonial government
but he declined to accept 1T, IN cOnSe-
quence, probably Of his being President Of
of the ransylvania land company. Arch
ibald McIane, was then elected To fill it,
but he declined To accept whcrcupon it
was conferred upon Colonel John Williams.
Of the couIijy of Granville.
OF those whom We have named as rcsum-
ing a practice at the bar which the war had
interrupted, the greater number still con
tinued the discharge of high public trusts
whenever they could do so without entire
y neglectIng the private interests Of their
clients. William Hooper had been mem
Der OF the continental Congress OF 1916,
and as such had had the rare honor OF con
Meeting his name indsSolubly with the
history Of the Independence Of his coun-
try by becoming one Of the sIguers Of It's
Declaration. He afterwards served few
sessions as d member Of the state Legs
lature. He was one Of the most elegant
writer's of his day, and q such was select
ed by his compatrlots 10 prepare some Of
the most important documents Of that
! time Those. who read his letters, to his
| friends, during that interesting period Of
! his country's history. cannot but admire
! that curl US felicity Of language, those *
/ quisite turns Of humor, and that occasional
severity of sarcasm which, reproduced by
/ his grandson in his Address, entitled
| Fifty Years Since gained from Pre.i
! dent Buchanan the high compliment Of
! being the finest specimen Of wit and hu-
/ NOR he had ever heard In his style Of
! public speaking, Mr. Hooper was stately
I by his fine attalnments - !, classical sehol
ar, it is not surprising that his return 10
the bar. should bc followed hy an exteu
( sive practice. It's fellow toan-ulan Arch
llalu Mel aIe, ia never q member of the
Continental (ungres-s bat he hlled, dur
ing the war, All important public trust
III the State as prominent meInter Of the
Committee Of safety for the town OF Va
mingtoa. and subsequently, for tho district
ia which Wilmington Wa situated. he
was devoid OF the lea ming and accom-
plishments OF Hooper but he had strong
native power of intellect which enabled
him TO grapple successfully with the dl nj
.f la. t,.I