The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-06-13
LEWIS WARDLAW SMITH.
Remarks of w. G.. Renet, ESQ.,, at the
Memorial Meeting of the Able.
willie Rnr.

Remarks of w. G.. Renet, Esq, at tn,
Memorial Meeting of the Able
willie Bar.
In our report of the proceedings Of the Ba
meeting in memory of the late j.. WardlaV
Smith, Esq, published last week, the remarks
made on that occasion by Mr.. Benet were un
avoidabIy omitted. Just before Judge Wal
lace began his closing remarks, Mr.. Bene
said:
Man II pledse yo,.,' Honour-Having only JUS
returned from attending Court in Sumter,
was not aware unit Il few minutes ago tina
the members Of the Bar were TO hold this sol.
emn meeting this evening. But cannot si
silent and suffer these snd proceedings tc
come to close without adding TO what mas
already by so many been SO fcelingly and fit
tingly said, my tribute of grief, OF praise ano
OF affection, In memory OF Lewis WardlaW
Smith.
l have this evening listened to the eulogies
which have been pronounced upon him by
my brethren Of the Bar; they have expressed
ardent admiration, and high praise, and have
man. a citizen and lawyer. Yet have they
not come up to the full measure OF the noble
character OF our deceased brother. The inti
mate relations which existed between him
Well do remember him us first saw him,
the bright, blue'cyed, fair-haired boy, the eld
er of the two sons Of their young war-WidoW'
ed mother. From that time until death clos
ed his eyes. have known him as one of my
School-boys. as young man, and AS my part
ner in the law, and may 1T please your Hon
our, manlier boy, nobler man, than ward.
law Smith it has not been Heavcn'swill that
should meet with on life'S journey.
will not speak Of him as lawyer;-that
has already been done and we'll done by my
brother Bradley, and other brethren of the
Bar but this will add to what they have
said Your Honour belongs to n generation
Of lawyers who sometimes fear that the stand
ards Of our profession. which were wont to be
so high in South Carolina, are now In danger
OF being lowered by the altered circumstances
brought about by the war. Let me assure you
that If 1t were vouchsafed to the Bar OF each
County in the state to produce young law.
would never be lowered. His hands were
clean, his heart was pure, his work In the Of
flee or at the Bar was free from guile, high,
honest, straightforward. There Is not left In
the Courts Of our State today, o lawyer OF
loitier aims and purer practices.
Those who became his clients remained his
friends. cannot forget how one OF them
told me, with tears coursing down his wither.
ed cheeks, that next to the bereaved mother
and brother, he would mourn the loss OF
Wardlaw Smith and feel it most.
When travelling on the railway last Mon
day saw in the Atlanta Constitution that the
Bar OF Atlanta had met and passed resolu-
tons on the death Of our lamented brother.
And when thought, IN connection with this,
OF what had been said OF bis death by the
press of this State and of Georgia, could not
but be profoundly impressed, your Honour,
by this fact-that here was q man, O young
man, not in public life nor seeker after po-
litical place and prominence, only young
lawyer who did his duty in the law-courts,
and yet whose death was mourned by the Bar
and the press OF two States as If great man
had fallen.
Faithful to the truth, faithful to his work,
faithful to his friends, to You who knew him
can better describe him? To me he was far
more than friend. He was more like q
younger brother, nay, he was such q friend as
Sticketh closer than brother. The heart
knoweth It's own bitterness; but my lips are
not able to utter what my heart would fain
express.
AS he lived, so he died. Although the grim
messenger beckoned to him in the midst OF
his youth. and summoned him TO leave his
life of active work and usefulness, of hope
and high ambition, and submit to the rigid
regimen Of an invalids doomed existence,
still did he give obedience as became a man
and Christian. Neither suffering nor the
sure approach of death could make his cheer
fulness abate nor his manliness complain.
And when with startling suddenness the end
drew nigh, and he read in the faces of friends
around his bed that his last hour had come,
he met death with the faith OF child and
the courage of hero.
"The pilgrim they laid In q chamber whose
window opened toward the sun-rising. The
name OF the chamber was Peace. There he
lay till break of day, and then he awoke and
sang"