The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-03-30

To many friends l suggested the
propriety of calling, Immediately
after the close of the first DAVIS es-
sion of the March court for 1898, a
peoples meeting to take some pub
lie action respecting the death of
the late Col. John W. Veitch. By
misapprehersion on the part of
one IN sympathy with the movement
the papers drawn for the occasion
were not at the court house and.the
meeting was abandoned, conse-
quently | gratefully accept the offer
of The REPUBLICAN to state in its
columns the substance, at least, of
what it was my purpose to say in
that meeting of one deserving any
homage possible for it to convey.
Nearly twenty years ago, in the
first year of CARROTS creation. l
came to this section of Maryland
and settled as one of her citizens
With the beginning of that citizen
ship my acquaintance with Col.
John W. Veitch commenced and
grew and stronghold to the last day
of his life. | believe that | knew
him as intimately as one friend can
know another and over the span of
years measuring the duratin of that
acquaintance cluster recolections
man cannot cherish without a more
exalted conception of his fellow
man. In an exactlng construction
of the term Mr.. Veitch was gen.
tleman, and IN the habitual rela-
tons of life as well AS IN the heated
crucitle of the severest test, tnat
preponderant fact doomed up as a
central star radiant in its tirma-
ment. Honest, frank and brave he
shrunk from the paltry tricks and
ignobie devices to which men
"stoop to conquer" or to filch an
advantage, and which are accepted
in modern obiiquitv as smart, with
the revulsive adherence as he would
shrink from the crawl of snake
over his barred arm. By reason of
the sound qualities and superior
structure at the bases of his human
ity he was incapable of u mean act.
Possessing an enlightened discern
ment with firm convictions coupled
with an absolutely independent will
no com blnation of forces, lavish of
preferment nor menace of auto
cratic displeasure could disturb his
judgment or deyiate his foot steps
from the straightway lighted by the
lamp of free and approving con-
science.
AS an Official wearing the crown
of popular trust he stood erect In
the glare of public scrutiny without
reproach, and Garrett owes it no
less to herself than she owes 1T to
him to declare, if that be possible,
some enduring testimonial of her
appreciation of the faithful and
eminent services so rendered by
him in her behalf as often to adorn
and never disparage the admins
tration of justice IN the honored
precinct Ct the county's fame. 1t
did not require a mind versed in
Jurisprudence to detect that Mr..
Veitch brought to his cases skill
and culture so happily blended and
effectively employed as to equip him
in forensic contest the peer of the
foremost of his profession. He was
not only an attorney widely read
and safely grounded in the science
of the law, but his cultivated mind
expanded to liberal compass of
other useful knowledge and schol-
arly attachments. With a fond
ness for study and polished taste
for literature, he was a graceful and
thoughtful writer, and frequently
entered the domain of poetry IN
flow of style and sweetness of die
ton as to eyince latent genius ripe
for development in that art.
His social accomplishments were
so concealed in the background of
modest temperament that but few
beyond the circle of his closest as
sociates accurately estimated the full
charm and refinement of his char
acter. A friend to the friendless;
his more than ample and generous
heart kindled in unison with every
laudable appeal. and a magnanl-
nifty from his soul or "a charity from
his hand, was not proclaimed from
the house-t0p nor Wanted out to be
seen of men, but came to the recipi-
ent as noiseless as the dew of night
to the flower it unfolds for the NOR
row. In his inflexible adherence
to the right Mr.. Veitch illustrated
clear consciousness of the prime
truth. That duty performed or duty
abused is with us with US wherever
we 60 in this world; that we cannot
force 1T from us; and that, like the
spirit of which we read, if we take
to ourselves the wings of the morn