The sun., 1891-05-10
GEORGIA HISTORY,

GEORGIA HISTORY.
The Great Old Lawyers-Judge Cnmpbell.
Lumpkin. Alexander Stephens. "Bob"
Toombs-StorIes of some Great Jurists.
TX
tCopyrieht.l
From tho beginning the Northern Circuit OF
Georgia was especially distinguished for it's
bar: for more than half a century no other had
such an array OF lawyers Thomas W. Cobb
ana Stephen Upson died long before my time
] have henrd said that the former was tie full
equal OF either OF his eminent kinsmen who
came on afterward. aud that tho latter. not
withstanding his Northern nativity and rear
ing. rose with greater rapidity than any other
man OF his generation and seemed to have
prospects OF being at the very head OF the bar: !:
but he died at the age OF 80. must pass also
tho name OF John A. Campbell. because, al
though born and reared in the circuit
he removed soon after reaching man
hood to Alabama. Yet he never lost any OF
tho fondness for his native region. l have
heard him say that in Washington. when he
wns lad. society was fully equal to what It
has been Mt any time since lie remembered
the first suit for divorce that had ever been
brought in the State. He has told mo Of the
visitines OF young men land young women. all
on horseback. from Hancock. and OF the merry
entertainments that were given during their
stay About year before he died he said that
not long back. when in Atlanta. he had made
up his mind to mako ono last visit to this dear
old homo. and while inuuring at the ticket
office as to the route. young man near by said
that he lived in Wilkes. In answer to his in
quiry about the Campbell place. tho young man
said that he knew it well. aud that his father
dwelt not far from 1t.
Il was born there" said the Judge.
THAT SO? Your name is -"
"Campbell used to be Judge In the su-
preme Court"
Indeed! I've henrd Of him often. but I
never knew he was Of our Campbells."
After that" said the Judge. sadly smiling.
rejecting unon how long since any OF the
family had dwelt there and how utterly l
should be wthSus turned
1 believe it is conceded generally that the
country never has prod uced more able Iurlst
old lawyers. Joseph Henry LumpEin was not
only a far greater orator than any other In bis
Whu@ the Stale
tn Know ", ib not now & to n; of;ompars hin NTH Wat.
M eSesp
with Forsyth. whose greatest endeavors were
expended M upon o dilerent arena And D. SO il
raneucs OF Lumpkln before luries have never
been surpassed IN the state most probably
hcaId the reasons why he did not perseyere in
the political course which. when a youth OF
FIVE sEnd sEsi,,t ,ttwenty; hs began and was runn.ng
0glethorpe in the General Assembly. diverg-
Ing from the politics OF his older brother. VIII
the m st eloquent OF that eminent array OF the
parti.ans Of Gov. Troup in the discussions
new" treaties with the Indians which were
G s TIE he ISs r COW
Noon aftarward although losa
tions he devoted his time almost entirely 70 his
profession. Herein great as were many OF his
" m 10 tho lead. have Heard alexander rs sterhe,,s
The whole United States was never a more clio.
Guent lawyer, An emin' mt lurist once told
stephens, then not very long come to he bar
fSs SSs 'se Sss %Ess sssks %9lsA
bssans dsepfy interested in his Clients Sehsli
the examlnation OF the Witnesses. He was en-
titled to tho concluding argument. Stephens
himself fiery. was expected to indulge 10 pas;
when, in onversatonal tones, he calmly sifted
the evidence. taking care 70 do full Justice to
ending with modest expression Of HIS opinion
tlat. upon dispassionate Gonsideration Of the
tie 1orlcs I T his een ns seemsi
disappointed and was made unable TO fight
Wtn much an Mh9 nIG
what was possible alter his Ire had been thus
BIT the shS srass +.
who told me Of the incident said TO him
,.Mhy. Aeek. you SURPRISED me: From the
isXpscted YOU to make a flaming haranene."
was deeply excited" was the answer. but
lumrkin. 1 saw. was more so. lie had the
sonIn bo On MADE e cool doSn taoehana H
hed tear to pieces 10th mo and my case
elab 'Iate efforts were expended in behalf OF
those whom rs II seemed to him. tho public Or
such times there % Was 10 resstance' 'psih to his ap
peal ngs His voice hlsh and low. was musical
Ike !ute, Amongthe last. perhaps the very
fence of II you"2 man In Augusta who was
charged with commission of murder IN cir
TO ing IN the community. and for some time
afr the trial much unfa'orabe comment
rse rsers that sme h sT
had defended such an ro"ity at all, particu-
larly with so ardent pntting forth Of his utmost
afterwards. while h. and j. at his house, were
spsaking 9f the case. no said u me. with con-
Yes, excitement was very hiRh in Augusta.
but most OF the hostility was directed against
young man when The greate.t ! Fart was merited
py that man ,.ao.., wh utter the insult AN
tryng one had b" sGsn nnt mpon HIM
snhmt,,ng sui to i. lie was tho most guilty in
:, My recollection is that some infrmiy in his
I IN ont nlnced By long series Of passiol ate
haranges, 10 TO Ms re eirement. from the bar.
ana. OH tho establshmrut o, III Supreme
Court. accepIanco %! tho lirst long tei m on that
bench. Sine. have cen living IL Baltimore
| nave often heard en'nent lawyers speak In
highest praise ol his decisions. In Maryland
he se0ms 10 he re AIDED Tho greatest Judge
who ever has - in thai court.
The fofssn ost hgure nt tn" tar, when, I grew
mn, was u omb'. although he wns then not
much baynh n No lawver IN the state, OK
such ~ rapd,ty' Ne had had excellent facilities
'ance II ompetent means OF living indspen-
dent OF profession al income enab ed him to get
such library M ne needed and TO pursue
his -tudles without hin!ren,e. That was u
very erroneous op,n ion VIII ca 1 have heard
expressed by many; that he WAS not and ne ar
had been worry close student. On tho con-
tiary, he vas laborious ona. even " hon ON the
circuit. In reunions IN the big sitting rooms
OF village towns, he was always q leader in
narratlons OF stories and nne.dotas tho mem
or es OF whoso raciness and the fearful laugh
ter provoked by them, II il n,,w fond yet sad.
for mo to- recall Yet, when the company had
dispersed he retired to his chamber, whore,
before going to rest, he often spent several
Ia NkA