The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-02
1UpeE sPEER REMEMBERED.
ria Members Of the Macon Bar Make
Him a Handsome Present.

Ina Macon bar, OF chaste and costly cut
lass punch bowl to Judge Speer.
The ceremony was quite formal aud IN
..,4ad by the donors TO be public mark Of
...,sarn aud appreciation of Judge Speer's
;udicial administration.
!Utbout forty gentlemen Of the bar assem-
,lsd Al the United States court room at 10
1i,Iock a. m, aud organized by electing Mr..
prsston as chairman and Robert Hodges as
iacretary. COMMITTEES composed of
Nsssrs Warren. Nottingham, OHa, VIM
IsrIv and j. W. Robinson were then on
,o,ti7n appointed TO invite Judge Speer to
onpesr before the body.
The committee presently returned with
the Judge in honOrably custody, AMI in
yited him to a seat on the bench by the
chairman.
The large, massive and ornate gift was
ortbrO-ed in all of its glisteninR beauty on
ona of the large bar tables in the center Of
tbe handsome court room, and Immediately
bahind it sat Hon. r. W. Patterson, who
had been delegated TO make the. presenta-
ton address.
Mr.. Preston. the chairman, in welcoming
the Judge. gave brief but happy aud en-
nbatic expression OF personal regard for the
Gentleman in whose honor they had gath
AIRED and Of admiration of his judicial
career.
Mr.. Patterson, with that charming ele-
cance and ease OF diction for which he Is SO
Widely known, amid the applause Of his
cultured audience, gave expression 10 the
following brief but beautiful address:
PRESENTATION SPEECH.
Mr. Patterson said: May it please your
honor. on the minutes of that great court
over which Time, the most impartial of all
Judges, presides, the page consecrated to
ms day Is left blank 50 that all mankind
may write thereon what token they desire
Of admiration and affection cherished by
frisnds for friend. Taking advantage OF
this opportunity the bar this morning have
left their Christmas firesides, the bright
ewes o. their children, the aiFectiouate ten
derness Of their wives and mayhaps their
sgeethearts to invade this court room, and
have summoned you before them TO receive
the Judgment which they desire 10 pass
upon your administration of justice here
For more than six years your
honor has presided over this court II l
we're asked 60 define the severest ordeal
through which a lawyer and a man can
pass | would say that it was that which
comes TO one who had been elevated to the
bench and been thus placed on trial by
Jury OF his peers in that delicate aud Diff
cult position which judge occupies toward
the members of an able bar, whose sharp
conflicts evoke all his eruditlOn and ability
as lawyer and turn the fierce light OF pub
lie criticism upon his integrity and impair
tiality as a man. As to the manner in which
you have passed through this ordeal,
this rare and costly GIFT, freighted With
the admiration and attachment of the bar
which practices before you, speaks with a
symbolic eloquence which no poor words of
mine could amplify or adorn. Deep "a the
learning of the court, it is so beautifully
clear as the diction with which the erudi-
ton is nodded in its opinions. Flawless as
the impartiality Of the judge, this crystal
circle, ancient emblem of immortality, tes-
titles the endurance of the admiration which
We entertain for the judge, and its sugges-
tons Of hospitality are eloquent of the
courtesy we have received from the man.
FLOWERS, FRUITS OR PUNCH.
81 have not been instructed by my fellow
members of the bar to name this gift, for
am aware there is a division OF opinion
among them as to the uses to which it may
be put. Some think lis crystal depths
should be redolent with the perfumes of
flowers, and some that the fruits of the
earth shall find in this a fitting casket for
these jewels with which the hand of nature
is wont to deck It's bride, the earth. There
ore others who believe that it was made to
contain that which at once embodies the
sweetness Of the one with the lusciousness
Of the other. | would suggest to youc
honor, that when you wish Co place i'll
liquidation the choicest part OF mans
estate, this crystal bowl will DO
appointed as the receiver Of the court.
Long may that fund remain In chencerv
since n 1t the court AS well as counsel may
have its share, and whenever the court
shall have that cause before it, whatever
counsel may in after years assist the judge
IN It's proper disposition, rest assured that
none VIII appear before your honor who
will entertain a higher admiration for the
administration of justice as it has been CON
Quoted in these halls, or with more cordial
friendship TO him who graces this bench,
than Is felt by those who thus testify their
yeneration FOR the judge and their affection
Tor th5 man.
RESPONSE BY JUDGE sPEER.
Judge Speer resp onded as follows:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen-I feel
that need now assure you how truly and
deeply l am sensible of the personal good
VIII which has prompted this exquisite gift
ana lis broader and most gratifying signd-
cance IL have indeed merited as Judge
Vue encomlumS which your spokes nan has
50 gracefully and eloquently bestowed upon
me, then truly the measure Ell my happiness
filled to OVERLOOKING.
This much | can say, have attempted
70 merit them During the seven years ia
which have had the honor to preside in
Inese courts, have had but one ambition
ana that Is to be a good judge. Ambition
las had and con have no higher distinction
io' NE. 1t Is true that the task has not
oeen entirely without difficulty. The
functions OF federal judge in any OF the
s'aCes IN our union, are often of an exceed
lngly delicate and critical nature. Exer-
SlSing as we do, merely those powers which
nave been delegated by the people, through
tue adoption Of the constitution, our
.uuIclaI dellverance are very narrowly scru-
unlzed and our judgments subjected to the
CioSesV examination. 1t is well for the
Gouhtry that this is true, and think that it
wen both for the judge and for the people,
tuat ne should, as a rule, be chosen from the
people among whom his duties are to be
performed. lmbued, then, with their senti,
vents, recurring TO their traditions, appre-
eating their necessities, while he may act
WIN due andproper respect for the enforce
lneHt OF the laws Of our country. Yet in
t.uahy cases ne is enabled to protect them
from too severe and rigid application Of
4a"s defining offenses, which are merely
mu'd pfohtbitd aud not ndla in Sc To
Illustrate this: knowing the plain people OF
ueorgla as do, and loving them, it is not
unnatural that should conclude that when
poor Fellow runs distillery made from
nlS "lIes wash pot, and his spring branch
Luke makeS run" from the produce Of his own
W W. neld, ordinarily he need not be sent Off
~ w. we penltentiary, but that a more moder-
case
There are many such cases where teoh-
n'ai and literal enforcement of the statutes
a