The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-25
THE LATE JUDGE LAMAR.


Judge Lamar, who died on Monday. was
a not undistinguished member of distin-
gushed family. His ancestors were Hugue-
nots, who lett France after the revocation
of the edict of Nantes; some of them set
tied in Georgia, while others took up land
on Staten Island. New York They were
still French at heart when the French Revo-
luton broke out. and they shared the fad of
that day for classical names. Thus both
the Judge and his father were named
Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus, while his
uncle, in Difference to French republican,
ism, was christened MiEabeau Bonaparte.
All the Lamars were clear-headed. reso-
lutte men. Mirabeau Bouaparte removed
from Georgia TO Texas, became general of
the Texan army ana afterward President;
he was filling that Office when the indepen-
denee of Texas was acknowledged by the
European powers. His cousin Gazaway b.
Lamar. made fortune in cotton, moved to
New York, was chosen president of the
Bank OF the Republic, ana was the head of
the pro-slavery colony in that city until he
was locked up by Mr. Lincoln as Southern
shy. The Judges father was lawyer Of
distinction in Georgia. ana served one or
two terms on the bench; he committed
suicide inst before the civil war other
members of the family acquired uotoriety
as advocates Of the reopening of the slave
trade.
This was q eoneeit of the Lamar who
was a bank president in New York. He
was a large siaye-owner and a believer in
the system He had the courage of his con-
victlons lie could see no wrong in the
slave trade BE denounced the sacrifice of
- ,4,,fT. Nc
a surrender of principle In concert with
Yancey Of Alabama, he favored the con-
vention which was called to reopen the
slave trade. and he was always believed to
have supplied money to the slave-traders
who imported Africans into the South just
before the war. In New York he was re-
gsrded as a crank on the subject of slavery,
but he enjoyed general respect for his high
minded pTobity.
The Judge who has Just died was cot as
strong man as his uncle. He wenI through
the usual experience of Southern gentle
men-became lawyer, planter, member of
Congress, Confederate officer, and then
after the war Congressman again. Public
attention was drawn to him by speech
which he made eulogzug the memory Of
Charles Sumner of Massachusetts, and
many thought that he might become pO-
litieai possibility as q type of the South
erner who had renowned slavery and all
the wrongs which 1t involved. II was the
conspicuous position in which that eulogy
placed him which led to his selection "a a
mem Der Of Mr.. Ceyeland's Cabinet But
intimate association with the man revealed
the weakness OF his character and
his impossibility as leader He
was incapable of sustained exertion.
Like many able men from his section, be
was too lazy to work steadily. and the
quality Of his mind was such that he in
clined 70 frivolous pursuits When he
ought to have been studying complicated
land cases he was writing commonplace
verse. ADd while he was a perfectly honest
man, he was so careless and negligent that
he allowed knaves to involve him in suspi-
cioUs and fraudulent Affiliations with liti-
gants before his department.
On the Supreme bench he was not sue
cess. H was perfectly willing to leave 10
his brethrea the toll of studying out intri-
cate cases, and when they reached results
he was TOO Indifferent to dissent. This
! habit led to his being held responsible for
decisions which viii not stand the test of
| examination, and which were the work Of
Judges more industrious and less con-
scientious. For some months he has been
disabled by illness. and his duties have de-
yolved upon his brethren.
Ii be had lived six weeks longer his death
would have afforded Mr.. Cleveland an ap-
p0rtunity of replacing him with another
Southern Democrat-probably Bayard Of
Dslaware-who has long desired to round
out his career By q term on the bench. But
President Harrison is not likely 10 leave
that plum to the Incoming administration.
4 numb Der Of Republican Senators have so
neariy reached the term Of their political
life hat they must be willing to retire to the
Supreme bench. Such an honorable retire st
would probably suit Sherman Of Ohio
Teller of Colorado, Allison of Iowa, or
nthers WIN nicht be narnad