The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-02-24
FAMOUS NORTH CiROLINIANS
SOME EMINENT MEN NORTH CAR
OIINA HAS PRODUCED.
\ sketch OF tho Late Col. Duncan x.
McRae. Il Leading Member OF the " IL
mington Bar.

\ sketch of tn" Late Col. Duncan Il.
McRae. ii Leading Member of the Vii
mington Bar.
Last week 5 CHRONICLE announced the
death Of Coi Duncan X. McRae, a leader
Of the Wilmington bar, at his daughters
residence in Brooklyn, n. Y, Feb. 18th,
after a long illness. So great had been
MS suffering that death came to him as
release from pain. He was born III Fay
etteville in 1919, and was in his s9th year.
All his life. he was an extraordinary man.
In youth he was marvellOuSly precocious,
delivering al the age of SIX years, an ad
dress of welcome TO General Lafayette,
upon the occasion of the visit of that dis
tinguished soldier to Fayetteville in 1925
His education was obtained at William &
Mary College, Virginia We reckon Col
McRae as among the eminent North Caro-
Inians wlo have added to the glory and
reputation OF the State of their birth.
Col McRae had a unique intellectually.
He thought along lines, and read books
altogether unthought Of and unknown by
many of his brother lawyers. He had a
passion for the curious III literature, espec
tally in the line of romance. He had
lively imagination, and the lofty and the
beautiful sentiments of the best novelists
and historians had a peculiar charm for
him. In his intellectual make up, he was
a genius-u -uuqueStionably. Few men have
imagination. Wit and sarcasm and strong
reasoning powers. Col. McRae possessed
all three, and all of them in a high degree.
His oratiOns (this writer, as school boy
several years ago, heard him deliver a
lecture on Genius and Talent, and one
on ''Humor," and the impression made
is lasting to this day were models
whether we have regard to elegance
Of dicton, purity of English, aptness
OF illustration, and fullness of infor-
nation. or TO attractivenesS of delivery
and grace He had rather a thin, piping
Voice which, at first, grated unpleasantly
on the ear, but this apparent defect made
his lectures all the more impressive His
Voice compelled you to listen. The beauty
Of his diction charmed you, and the sub
ject matter of his lecture held you atten-
tivelv 10 the close To Us il has often been
a matter of regret that North CarOhnians
did not oftener make demand upon this
gifted man for literary treats Had he
lived in the North he could have made
much money by delivering lectures. ON
the lecture platform be was al his besl
He had fund Of humoI that was delight
full if often it gave sting. His sarcasm
was the most cutting ald the brightest.
Tie was armed capaple. He never failed
10 interest, to please, to amuse, and TO in
Struct his audiences. Sme OF his lectures
and oratlons ought to bt given permanent
shape. and handed down to coming gen
erations of North Carolinans. They would
read these lectures with interest, and the
peculiarities Of the man which impressed,
sometimes favorably and sometimes un-
favorably, his cotemporales would not IN
huence their estimate Of his real ability
and scholarship.
Col. McRae loved the intricacies and
nice points and shades of he law. 1t was
sometimes said Of him tat his love for
the nice shades and distintions made him
stick in the bark" II, souetimes brought
cases to the Supreme Cour upon points Of
law which, to his mind, we're clear and
strong, but which could mt be gIasped OF
understood by the unproessional man.
He never gave up case. He fought fol
his clients TO the last ditel. He went il
to win and he burned hisoridges behind
him He fought to the last appellate
court, and used every plea known to law
yers But while he Eeversurrendered, he
scorned to accept as his rule Of profes
sional conduct the rule lai down by Lore
Brougham, as Counsel for queen Caroline
which was: IAN advocat, by the sacred
duty which he owes to hi client, knows
in the discharge Of that oice but one per
son in the world, and n'ne others. T(
save that client by all expdient means
TO protect that client at III hazards ant
cost to all others. and among others t
hilnself-is the highest an most unqueS
toned of his duties: and ie must not re
gard the alarm, the sufferIg, the torment
the destruction which he lay bring upol
any others While goingas far for nj
CIltliL as IL was pOooiDIc " = elHd
his professional and peronal integrity
Col. McRae did not confom his practlc
to Lord Brougham's rule. 1e rather con
formed his own conduct tohe principle
laid down by Lord Langdalen Hutchinsol
VS. Stephens. Lord Langdle SAID: y
counsel supposes himself } be the mer
advocate or agent Of his Uent to gain
victory, if he can, on a particular occasion
The zeal and arguments of,very counsel
knowing what is due TO tmself and hi
honorable profession, are qualified nc
ONLY by considerations affcting his Ow
character As a man of hODr, eXperlenc
and learning, but also byconslderatlon
affecting the general intertts OF justice.
Col McRae had been a fi;d student an
he knew the law. When went INTO tt
court room to Try a case knew ever.
thing about it. If his clle1 had wOunde
a man, he knew more abOL that branc
of surgery than the doctor allied as an e.
pert His mind had beel well trained
and he could master any sDiect with eas
and rapidity. He was dangerous al
taponist, because he knew very fact, ne;
4 l