The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-10

self. He was in Congress during the years
of vast expenditure, Of war and waste,
when the credit of the nation was loaned
to individuals, when claims were thick as
leaves in june when the amendment Of
statute, the change OF single word, meant
millions and when empires were given to
corporations. He stood at the sum-
NIT OF his power--peer Of the
greatest--a leader tried and trusted.
He had the tastes of a prince, the
fortune OF peasant, and yet he never
swerved. No corporation was great
enough or rich enough to purchase him.
His vote could not be bought "for all the
sun sees, or the close earth wombs, or the
profound seas hide" His hand was never
touched by any bride, and on his soul
there never was a sordid stain. Poverty
was his priceless crown.
Above his marvellous intellectual gifts
above all place he ever reached-above
the ermine, he reiused-rises his integrity
like some great mountain peak-and there
it stands firm MS the earth beneath, pure
us the stars above.
He was great lawyer. He understood
the frame work, the anatomy, the founda-
ton of law; was familiar with the great
streams and currents and tides OF au-
thority.
lie knew the history OF legislation, the
principles that have been settled upon the
fields OF war. He knew the maxims,
those crystallizations OF common seuse,
those hand-greDades OF argument.
He was not case-lawyer, decision in
dex, or an echo; he was original, thought
full and profound. He had breadth and
scope, resource, learning, logic, and above
all, n sense OF Justice.
lie was painstaking and conscientious,
anxious to know the facts, preparing for
every attack, ready for every defense. He
rested only when the end was reached.
During the contest, he neither sent nor re-
ceiyed flag Of truce.
He was true TO his clients-maling their
case his. Feeling responsibility, he listened
patiently to details, and to his industry
there were only the limits OF time and
strength. He was student OF the consti-
tuition He knew the boundaries OF State
and federal Jurisdiction, and no man was
more familiar with those great decisions
that are the peaks and promontories, the
headlands and the beacons OF the law.
He was an orator-earnest, logical, in
tense and picturesque. He laid the foun-
dation with care, with accuracy and skill,
and rose by cold graduation and well
balanced form" from the cornerstone Of
statement TO the domed conclusion. He
filed the stage. lie satisfied the eye-the
audience was his. lie had that indefin-
able thing called presence. Tall, COM
handing, erect, ample in speech, graceful
in compliment, titanic in denunciation,
rich in Illustration, prodigal OF comparison
and metaphor, and his sentences, meas
ured and rythmical, fell like music on The
enraptured throng
He abhored the pharisee and loathed all
conscientious fraud. He had q profound
aversion for those who insist ON putting
others. He wore no mask. He knew his
iricnds--hs enemies knew him.
He had no patience with pretense-
with patriotic reasons for unmanly acts.
He did his work and bfavely spoke his
thought. Sensitive TO the last degree, he
keenly felt the blows and stabs Of the
enyious and obscure-of the smallest, OF
the weakest-but the greatest could not
drive him from convictions filed. He
would not stop TO askor give an explana-
ton. lie left his words and deedsto Justify
themselves.
lie held in light esteem n friend who
heard with half-believing ears the SANDER
Of foe. lie walked n highway OF his own,
and kept the company OF his self-respect.
lie would not turn aside 10 avoid a foe, 10
greet or gain friend.
In his nature there was no compromise.
To him there were but two paths, tho
right and wrong. He was maligncd, mis-
represented and misunderstood; but he
could not answer He knew that character
speaks louder far than any words. He was
rs silent then as he isnow; and hissilcnce,
better than any form OF speech, refuted
every charge.
File was an American, proud Of his
country that always was andalways viii be
OF him. lie did not grow small and
shrunken, withercd and apologize In the
/, presence OF those upon whom greatness
had been thrust by chance. He could
! not be oyerawed by dukes or lords, moi
! fattered into vertebrateless subseryiency
! by the patronizing smiles ofkings. In the
= midst Of conyentionalities he had the feel
ng OF suiIocation He believed In the
royalty OF man, In the sovereignty OF the
,, citizen aud in the matches greatness
! OF this republic.
lie was OF the classic mold-a figure
from the antique world. lie had the pose
, Of tho great statues-the pride and bear.
ing Of the intellectual Greek, OF the con
quering Roman, and he stood In the wide
5 free air as though within his veins there
; flowed the blood OF hundred kings.
And as he lived no died. Proudly h,
, entered the darkness-or the dawn-tha
we call death. Unshrinkingly no passed
. beyond our horizon, beyond the twilight
: purple hills, beyond the utmost reach o
! human harm OF help-to that vast realm
OF silence or OF Joy where the innumerabl,
] dwell, and ho left with us his wealth o
thought and deed, the memory Of n brave
; imporious, honest man, who bowed alon,