Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-03-02

All earth an give that earth has best.
And heaven at foarscore years and twenty"
Responded to by L. T. Carleton, Esq.
Informal speeches were made by various
other gentlemen and the exercises were
continued to late hour.
In opening the speechmaking Mr.. Cor.
nish suggested the desirability of organiz-
ing state bar association, a suggestion
which was earnestly ratified by many Of
the speakers, and . committee was chosen
to take the necessary steps toward the re.
organization Of the association chartered in
1881.
1t was voted unanimously that Mr..
Bradbury ALLOW his remarks to be printed
and we therefore give them in full:
Mr.. Chairman did not Gee how could
vel! decline your kind request and have
ventured out this evening contrary 10 nv
usual practice OF late to manifest BIZ nv
presence the interest feel in the bar with
~slch have been connected for more than
so years and for half century during my
active practice quite intimately and 10 man
ifest also my high appreciation Of .hs legal
profession aud Of the honor conferred
upon us By the presence Of the distn-
g1lshed gentlemen who have adorned It in
other portions of the State From the
sentiment to which | am called upon q
respond understand il is desired that
should say few words in respect to
the kennebec bar when I frs. knew IT,
My acquaintance commenced in 1880. In
April of that year opened an office for
practice in Augusta. The new granite
court house had just been completed, AMI
the May term of the Law Court wss held
IN it by Chief Justice Mellen and his
associate justices Weston and Farris. This
was my first opportunity of seeing any Coz
siderable humber of the members OF the
kennebec bar and hearing any Of them In
the argument Of their causes.
Chief Justice Mellen was gentleman Of
the old school. Of imposing presence and
dlgnitied manners. H. ead his two asso-
GATES constituted the Supreme Judicial
Court The Court Of Common Pleas
was also composed cf chief
justice and two associate Justices
The kennebec bar then contained u con.
stellation Of learned aud able lawyers, such
as can rarely be found IN any bar In the
country, many of them were eminent sew
eral aohived nstionsi distinction, aud all
left an honorable record, which their de-
scen3snts and the profession can look upon
with pleasure and pride They have all
passed swxy. | am unsble to recall sin
gle survivor Of the whole number. then so
active and prominent, aud acting 30 impor
tsnt part in the community in the worlds
business affairs. with the single exception
of Horstio Bridge, who commenced the
practice about the time | did, but absn.
doned it in few years for other pursuits,
in which he achieved success sni dist notion.
| look around in ysin for single other sur
vivor. While to most of you Of the present
generation they were personally unknown,
th' If names and reputation are familiar 10
you all Allow me to recspitulste the
names as Teeolicct them, while | will not
uespsss up0a your patience with any
sketch of more than two or three ct the
number In Augusta there were Reuel
Williams, Dsniel Williams, Henry w. Full
Ter, Williams Emmona. John Potter, Rich
sri II. Wore. Horaiio Bridge aud Frederick
A. Fuller, the father nf the prescI. chief
justice of the United States.
In HaIlo~eli, Peles Sprsgue, Sslvs1us
W. Robinson. W ". Fuller. William
Clark, John Otis aud Il. II. Lombard.
IL Gardner, George Evans, Frederick
Amen Anu kutH II lfSAUe.
In waterville, Timothy Boutslle. Samuel
Wills, Asa Rsdiogton ard James Stackpole'
In Winsl9w, Thomas Rice aud Theodore
s. Brown.
In China. Jacob Smith
In Fsrmington, Hiram Beleher and
Nstbsa Cutter.
In Wilton, Robert Goodeaos.
In Winthrop Alexsnier Belcher.
In 4 Enlfcr AMI L 4.
Huutcol.
Their. was al array Of ability in the bar
that made Il equal to that of Cumberland
county, where Simon Ggeenlssf, Ssmu |
Fesscnden, Stephen Lonsfellow, Thomas
A Dsblois and william Willis were then
in the full praciics Of the profession.
Lest I should weary your patience.
must pass over the sketches OF Alien,
Bou,elle, Wills. Daniel williams Em
mons, Voss ard others who sstsissd
distinction, and sllude particularly t.
to emily three OF the mo.t eminent, Reuel
Williams. George Evans and Peleg
Sprsgue, each men of power in their srgu'
menss TO the court or jary, while there was
q marked difference in their manner OF
presenting their cases. that msy give you
some ideS of the bar a. thst time.
Mr., Williams arguments, whether to the
court or jury, were calm, clear, strong and
with convincing effect, npon the we'll Sc
lsc,ed points, on which the decision must
rest. All nniutportant matters were brushed
aside, so as to leave his view of the case
distinct, Ia bold relief He hal become
so familiar with The Jaw applicable 70 real
estate by ressoa of his connection with the
Plymouth Company. that by common con-
sent he WAS regarded IS stsrding 1t the
head Of the bar Of the STATE ia that de-
psrtmens of the law.
Mr.. Evans was man Of signal ability.
The county has produced fev men who
surpassed him in intellectual power His
misd WAS Of the Webstsrisn order. When
he made an effort it vas difficult 70 zee how
anything more could be said, or better
said, on hts siie of the question. The
subject would be exhausted. sn3 the
speaker forgotten in the thought uron the
argument.
Mr.. Sprasus alwsys commanded interest
BY his elcquencs. He added TO cultivated
mind, we'll grounded in the principles Of
Law, a graceful person and coed voice,
and he Introduced to this bar styie OF
elocuton more imps.sioned srd deciam-
atcry than hal been the custom. He srsued
vita .it qseEcs and force. and with gaol
deal ef action and rhsterics, display. he
Was very ples,iog speaker. Everything
he said, even to the uskias of moaon in
court. was done with e.egsnce and finish.
He never forgot himself. When he closed
one of his impsssionsd sppesls the most
natural exclamation would be. What al el,-
qusns orator, When Exams closed The ex-
clsmatoni~ould be ~hata convinciog srsu-
meat Among the next additions to the bsr
were Wymsn b. s. Moore, 5 insn Of marked
ability aud intellectual vigor; Henry w,
Paine. wha after successful career in the
courts Of Maine removed to Massachusetts,
in 1855. and there took and sustained .
high place among the eminent lawyers OF
the Suffolk Bar. always - conspicuous tor
his eaador and fairness in practice as fer
clear conception Of principles and power OF
enforcing their application; and Joseph
Baker. who hiss so recently departed thAt
many Of the present membefs have been
Witnesses Of his learning ard, power. sns
his Singular felicity in few words il his
opening Of impressively stating his case.
About the same time Seth May Was ad
mieted 20 the Bar. and subsequently, be-
came one Of the justices Of the Supreme
Judicial Court. Following these we come
to the next genefation Of members whQ