Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1890-01-29
IN MEMORIAM.
Action Of the supreme Court ana me
Bar IN Memory Of Judge Green

On January 18th, 1890, at o'clock P m,
in the SUPREME Court room of the Capitol
of West Virginia, at Charleston, at a meet
inc IF the members Of the West Virginia
Bar practieiug in said court called to take
action concerning the death Of the late
Thomas Claiborne Green, Judge Of the Su-
preme Court of Appeals OF this state on
motion Of Governor E. W. Wilson, Judge
Okey Johnson was called to the chair, aud
on motion OF Gen. Joseph Sprigg, j. NJ.
PAYNE. ESQ. was elected secretary.
Gen. Sprigy moved that the chair appoint
a committee on resolutions, which being
adopted the following gentlemen were Sc
.ec,ed by the chair. Gen. Jos Sprigg, Gov
E. w. Wilson, W. W. Adams, r. w. Mon
roe Tbos L. Broun, W. f. R. Byrne and
IN. Hamilton, who retired and soon after
reported the resolutions hereto attached.
The recent death OF Judge Thomas Clai-
horne Green calls for an expression ifom
the legal profession differing from IN orui-
nary SCI phrase of grief. or the customary
resolutions of respect During fourteen
e-entful and laborious years he discharged
with honor to himself aud with incalcu.abie
benefit to The State the duties of Judge Of
tbe Court Of Appeals and during a portion
of tbqt time he was President of the Court
his eminent services In that responsible po-
sirion need no euiogy. lie has erected for
himself I'm the volumes iu which his Opln-
.f...N IN TuUlIlT-
inc than brass The result of his labor' Is
permanen, and fsr-reachins and The mark
of his analytic mind wall be plainly emilia
zoned upon our system of jurisprudence as
long as the commonwealth endures.
But while our weak words of praise can
add nothing 90 his fame, lt Is still right ana
proper FOR MS TO place upon record our esti-
mate of his high character and our appreci-
alton of DIS judicial learning
Born in the year 1920 ia Cuipepet coun-
tv Virriuia. be was one of q family of law
vcrs. several OF whom rose 90 eminence ID
th, profession His father was distin-
cufsbed Judge of the Supreme Court of APP
psals of Virginia, and his brother, William
Green. was Tor many years before his death
REGARDED rs the most learned lawyer of the
virginia bar. Thomas Claiborne Green
was successful practitioner at the bar IN
Hampshire county aud afterwards m Jeiter
SON until bis appointment TO the bench OF
the Supreme Court OF Appeals IN this state
in 1873. He was elected in 1876 90 hll the
uuexpired fou- years of the term Of the late
/ Judge james PAUL, and IN looO was re-
elected tor the tull term of twelve years.
I'm the discharge of his official duties his
industry was patient aud indeiatlgao e. tie
| had q strong love for pure mathematics, a
love which displayed It's influence M all his
processes OF reasoning. and there Is some
ching OF the strict and close logic ofalgebra-
re demonstration I'm his legal opinions. lie
knew nothing of the parties Co any coutco-
vcrsv which came before him for decision ;
he often failed t0 remember even the name
ofthe luigants; the plaintiff and defendant
were Oh him as impers0nai as the letters OF
an equation: and Die applied himself 20 the
solution of the questions presented as u he
were searching bv known end indeN0ie
mathematical processes for an unknown
quantity. Truth was The object of his search
and he followed 10 with au ulerring ludg-
mont.
When engaged i'm the Investigation of a
judicial question his mind would sometimes
become SO completely absorbed IN The tram
of his Thought as Co make him iorgetiuI OF
the demands of phvsic1. comfort. and bodily
health and this mo- doubt shortened his
DAVIS. BE was not au old man in the Ordl-
nary accepatioD of ,ho term; but his men
U' activity wore out and consumed the
weaker physical organization until the
weary wheels of life stood stiii 80 at an age
which finds many men in the enjoyment of
Wimpaircl strength and ylgor
Men and communities are almost always
selfish 300 their grief We mourn for the
loss we have suffered; tlr the still greater
benefits we might have received from che
continued services Of che eminent man whose
death $50 dep'ore: for the loss oft @ personal
compani0nship which had become dear Co
O, "a, our most treasured possession for all
the heart ache and woe with which we long
For the touch ola vanished hand
And the sound of voice chat is still.
Bu. Cor the dead himself there should be
no signing, for him there should be no tears
His IS the clearer vision OF Immortality; the
mnurous activity of q soul no longer iet-
tered by this muddy ve-ture OF decay,
the vast realm of knowledge to which hui
mainly cannot attain. 20 that God in whose
existence and attributes De ,-eadG-tly be-
ieved and Oh whose loving kindness he
looked during all his life with unfa ering
trust. use commend Che soul of our departed
brother andup1n lhesame gracious Being
che GOD of the widow and the atierless
may al. the bereayed east the heavy burden
of tLeir cares.
To-rpU SrrrcG