Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-04-12

ter than most men, he lived not fol- it acne. He
claimed Father in Heaven: in that Fathers
house are many mansions and one of these man
As some evidence of our bereavement at his
death, and as all imperfect testimonial of our re-
gard for the memory OF the deceased 1t is by this
Resolped, That the Courts holden in this city
records; that a copy thereof be sent to the family
of our departed brother; that the same be pub
ermore, that the members of the bar here assem-
bled will attend in body, the funeral of the de-
ceased and wear the usual badge of mourning for
thirty days.
CAPT. JAMES BUMGARDNER, JR.
Capt. James Bumgardner, Jr., the law
partner of Judge Shelley, rose to speak. He
was laboring under deep emotion and it was
with difficulty he could master it sufficiently
to speak at all. He said, that of Judge
Sheffey as a lawyer, as a public man, as a
devoted son of the church-the bar, the
community, and the Church knew as much
as he, the speaker, did. But for twenty-five
years he had occupied to Judge Sheffey
position as close, as intimate, as cOnfden-
tial las it was possible for son and father, or
two brothers, or the most intimate relations
of life to be. During all that time he had
shared his innermost thoughts and knew
his heart as well as man can know what
passes in the heart of another. OF his con-
tests at the bar it was his habit to speak to
him in the most confidential way, and in all
those years, he could truthfully say that he
had never heard him speak of any human
being except in kindness, and the collisions
xrI,;o oh ha1 boH 10I,h
heart without leaving scar. He had never
known him to speak unkindly of single
human being, or uncharitably of a single
human act.
CAPT. JOHN N. OPIE.
Capt. Jno. N. Opie said Of Judge Sheffey,
that physically he was fraif, but Intellectual
ly giant. AS Chri stian he lived up to
his credible fed the hungry and clothed
the naked. He had his faults, but who of us
are without them? If we are as charitable
to his faults now that he is dead, las he was
to ours while he was yet alive, they will
find no place in our memory. Capt. Opie said
he had known Judge Sheffey for thirty
years and had never known him to make an
unkind OF uncharitable remark, or to in
dulge in idle gossip.
LETTER FROM HON. A. H. A. STUART.
The following letter from Hon. A. III. III.
Stuart to the meeting was read:
Mr.. Chairman:
/ regret very much that in consequence Of
my advanced age and infrm health, do
not feel able to attend and take part in the
House at 10 o'clock this morning to pay the last
| tribute of respect to the memory of our late as
known Judge shefey from his boyhood and for
nearly forty years we were active practitioners at
many important controversies. During ali this =
time he was recognized as learned lawyer and an
dent and impuisive temperament he was often un-
der the excitement of contest, led to use inds-
Ways nromn to make His hears
was free from everything like malice, and he new
respective professional duties We occasionally
had unpleasant collisions at the bar, but they
| friendly relations. On one occasion after an
pleasant encounter had taken place which led to
Of the Court and he had had time for Gefection,
he became satisfied that he had done me injus-
house to express his regrets and offer apology.
| Judge Shelley was man of deep religious feel
his is duty to his God and to his fellow men. He
twas charitable and generous in his benefactions
90 Zone o@
| us, and isabsence will leave vacancy which
| cannot readily be filled
| II he had faults-and who has not ?-they were
like those of ST. Peter the offspring of an impetu-
Gus nature, and often leaned to virtues side.
| Very Truly Yours,
On motion of Capt. Opie the letter was
recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
HON. H. ST. GEO. TUCKER.
i Hon. H. st. Geo. Tucker said that twelve
years ago he had come to Staunton strang-
er and knowing only two persons here. Judge
Sheffey s hand was one of the first to well
: come him, and his home one Of. the first to
receive him. He was peculiarly kind to the
young lawyer and was always willing to
| give him advice, and able to give the best
advice. Only about ten days ago, the speak
er was listening to Judge S. giving some
"reminiscences of his life from 1880 to 1850,
and especially Of the convention of 1850,
and when they parted Judge S. had asked
that he should come again and he would
continue the conversation. Heleft the city
and returning was shocked to hear that
Judge S. was on his death bed. He was an
eminently charitable man. The speaker re-
membered that after two hotly contested
cases in this court, talking about them
afterwards Judge Sheffey made not
single criticism upon the counsel that
opposed him, but only spoke in praise
of their courage, their skill and their
demeanor. But there are others than the
members Of this bar that will miss Judge
Shelley; there are the poor none of whom
ever went from him empty handed.
>. HON. JOHN RANDOLPH TUCKER.
Hon. John Randolph Tucker said there
could be but little tNadd to what had been
so well said. He made the acquaintance Of
Judge Shelley in 1857, when he, himself,
was just entering upon his duties as 'Attor-
ney General He had met him since at the
bar and felt his power. Of all men he had
ever known, Judge Sheffey was lawyer of
the most marvellous preparation, reaching
into the minutest detail of his case, whether
the case itself be great or small. They had
had hard fights together sometimes one
!. victorious, sometimes the other, and he
always found him as generous as the victor
as he was magnanimous as the vanquished.
The last time they were pitted against each
, other was year ago at Lexington, when
Judge Sheffey, exhausted in the discharge
of.his duty, fell in the courtroom. The
court adjourned, and Judge Sheffey came
back into court the next day and developed
an ability that he had never excelled in his
career, and won his case. The browning
honor. of Judges. S life was his long, sincere,
and devoted attachment to the Church Of
his Saviour, and it will be well for us all,