The record-union., 1893-01-14
DEATH OF MR.. RAYMOND.

The death of Hon. Greed Raymond
comes not Unexpectedly, since his long
illness prepared the public mind for it.
But the regret that is everywhere and by
all our people keenly felt is not less
because of the knowledge that the afllio-
ton was about to be visited upon us.
Creed Haymond's name is entitled to
inscription upon the historic tables of the
State, along with those of the foremost
men the commonwealth has been proud
to claim as its own. His memory will
not fade from the annals of the State, for
his public services have made it imperish-
able. As chief among those who gave to
us codified system of laws, his labor
and genius will remain enshrined in
that splendid work. AS the Chairman
of the Senate committee that gave to the
people the first simplihed, direct and
convincing report upon the Chinese
question, his accomplishment became
one of the prominent facts in the his
tory-making of the State. AS lawyer,
Mr.. Raymond was one of the very few
who, by the common consent, ranked as
leaders. Indeed, it is not excess of praise
to say that since the death of one of his
brilliant compeers, Mr.. Raymond has
been entitled to stand as the leading legal
mind of the California bar.
His was an analytical mind; he
reasoned out propositions so plainly,
simply and convincingly that they were
susceptible of comprehension by the
commonest intelligence. He analyzed
according to systems of reasoning that
were so free from involvement. SO
straightforward and direct that the
mental effort to follow him was scarcely
felt. We have known of no lawyer who
possessed in so eminent a degree the
ability to lay bare to the mind not trained
to familiarity with legal subtleties, propo-
sitions that ordinarily are as sealed books
to the laity.
In the Legislature he was the courage
GUS, far-seeing legislator, who related
himself apparently without effort to the
most prominent and vital questions that
concerned the whole people, so that as to
immigration, irrigation, land distribu-
ton, public institutions and code re-
forms, he was legislative leader. He
was the first legislator California had
who was nerved by the courage to assault
with incisive weapon the gigantic evil of
land monopoly in a proposition to limit
the capacity to transfer, bequeath or devise
landed interests. Whether it could have
been made practical or not, it had the
effect of directing public thought in
opposition to that gigantic monopoly as
had not been done before.
AS counsel for the Southern Pacific
Company Mr.. Raymond proved some of
the finer qualities of his genius. In that
position he was called upon to wrestle
with the giant minds of the State and
Nation, and to test his steel upon the
rarest blades of learning and legal acu-
men and skill in the world.
Personally, Mr.. Raymond in this com
munity was liked as are only the few.
Always the gentleman, always loyal
TO friends and trusts, always consider
ate of the feelings of others, always
charitable and kind, always desiring the
respect of men and always according to
every man his due, always and at all
times having place in worthy public
movements, progressive in ideas, and in
action, forever looking on the bright side,
but never insensible to the shadows, al
ways charitable, generous and peace-loy-
ing. he was in the best and truest sense
man of the people; citizen whom men
were proud to greet as friend; publicist
who commanded respect by the brill
fancy of his genius, his scholarly ability
and the fearlessness of his life.
He came to California boy in the
pioneer days. Here his manhood de-
velopment took place. He drew in with
every breath the spirit of his environ
ment-breadth and freedom. As his
State was grand in dimensions, hmitless
in possibilities, so his mind grew; as it
WAS soft in satmosphere. gentle in its cli-