The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-25

A Beautiful Tribute to the Late ASSO-
CiatC Justice.

Though His Practice was Greatly In
terrupted the Genius of the Deceased
Profession-only Twelve Years of
Actual Work at the Bar.
Washington, April 24-Attoney Cen
eral Olney made his first appearance in
the supreme court of the United States
to-day, save ON the occasion Of his formal
introduction to the court by his prcdc
cessor. The occasion that called him out
was the presentation of resolutions
recently adopted by members of the bar
upon the death of the late Justice Lamar
In anticipation of this event there was
an unusually large attendance of attorneys
upon the session of the court, and the
visitors benches were also quite wed
filled. Attorney General Omcy spoke
easily and gracefully, and was listened %
with interest, not only for his .bioct
but for the manner in which he handled it,
Chief Justice Fuller responded 80 the
request made by the Attorney General to
spread the resolutions upon the record of
the court in u few words on behalf Of the
court of earnest tribute to- the worth of
the dead.
MIR. oLNEY's SPEECH.
The following is Attorney General
Olneys address:
have been requested, II your honors please,
to present to the court the resolutions Of the
bar upon the occasion of the death OF MIR.
Justice Lamar. In undertaking that duty |
have no hesitation in saying that the rcsolu-
uonS-whiCh | shall presently rcad-dO but
simple justice to the character OF your late
associate. and in no way exaRgerate either the
great loss of the whole community or the pro
found afilCtiOn of very large circle OF friends
and acQuaintanccS. Under any circum-
stances the death Of Justice Of this court is
of pre- eminent Importance Though the court
remains an element disappears which had
vitally affected its deliberations and its re-
suits, to be succeeded by "a new one different
to some extent in the nature of things and
possibly Of wholly diverse character, Thus,
as one departs and another assumes his place,
a new order of things arise all the more
surely because it comes in sensibly and almost
by stealth. 1t Is "A new order OF greatest mo
ment. because in the scope and extent OF its
jurisdiction and power, as touching on the one
hand the private rights OF every one Of 60,
100000 Of people, and dealing on the
other with the collective rights of numerous
populous communities and sovereign states,
no court like It, or even strongly resembling
it, has ever existed among men. To have sat
upon such a court without rcprOaoh and
without disCredit may well I'LL TO full meas
ure the lOftcst ambition.
With Justice Lamar has passed away not
merely a lawyer and Judge but a notable his
torical figure. II may have been his mis-
fortune as u LAWYER though certainly his
good fortune as "a man, that his lot was cast
in tempcstuous tmes-in times which, how
ever adverse TO the acquisition Of technical
knowledge and technical skill, always and in
evitably develop whatever there is in ~ man
Of intellectual and moral greatness. He was
born when the echoes Of sectional
contest over the admission OF
Missouri into the unon-that issue which
startled Jefferson like fire bell in the
night still rcsounding throughout the
land tIp a VOuth when the Mis-
souri, compromise was succeeded by another
and the specter Of disunion was delayed for n
time by the mingled firmness and moderation
OF Gen Jackson.
He had hardly entered upon the practice Of
law when the north and south again came into
violent collision over the fugitive slave law
and the extension of slavery into the terri
tories, He went with his section and his state
in the civil war that followed only ten years
later. and supported their cause with equal
devotion on the battle field and the forum.
Always and under all circumstances ne was
leader. not merely follower, not only obeyed,
but implicitly trusted and sincerely loved. He
continued to lead even more decisiVely. and on
a larger field when arms were laid down, and
to him more than to any other one man, north
or south. is due the adoption by both ViotOrs
and vauqushcd Of those counsels OF modera-
ton and magnanmity and wisdom which
have made the cdihce OF our
constitutional union more impreRnabc to all
assault than ever before. But this evcntful
ard stormy career, these engrossing and ex-
tllluE ONtuDdblpilS anu dtnlCNtlllNHbN VI
soldier and statesman ana patriot necessarily
interrupted and prevented that exclusive de-
votion TO the science OF jurisprudence and
that constant familiarity with it's practical
application in the administration Of Justice,
which that jealous mistress, the law, mex
orably exacts of all her followers. do not
believe that Justice Lamar ever practced
law as his sole or chief occupation Tor any one
term Of five consecutive years. ! am unable
TO discover that he could have made
the practice Of law his sole
g.. tNsuI loo
years IN all and is the highest possible trib-
butte to his natural genius TO his legal in
stincts and extraordinary intellectual gifts,
that. in spite Of all the disadvantages under
which he labOred Justice Lamar performed his
part as q member of this high court Of judi
Cature not only to the acceptance of the bench
and bar but with such intelligent and well
directed soul and devotion that only falling
health and strength could have prevented his
ultimately attaining decided Judicial emi-
nencc.