Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-03-02


pay the last honors TO his memory.
Such honors suit him well,
Better than funeral pump OF Ming bell.
The motion to adopt the resolutions was
seconded by Edward g. bradford who
spoke as follows:
May 1t please your honors: As one Of the
committee charged with the sad duty of
presenting to this court the resolutions in .
question, deem il a privilege to have this
opportunity Of paying q BRIEF tribute to
the memory Of the distinguished dead.
My relations with Chief Justice Com
eggs, while not of an intimate social .
character were ever of the pleasantest and
most cordial nature. He was elevated to I
the bench, SO long adorned by his pres .
once and learning some Sly years after my
admission to practice, and | now recall 4
With much satisfaction to myself the /
lively interest and pleasure ], in common /.
with the great majority of the members Of .
the bar throughout the state, felt in his .
selection rs successor 10 the gifted and pro- /
found Chief Justice Gilpin.
1t was my fortune 10 take Part in the
argument Of one of the earliest eases. IL /
not the first case, heard by him While sit /,
ting in the court Of errors aud appeals,
aud from hat time, and So luug as he con.
tinued in the active discharge Of tile duties F..
of his high office, had full and frequent
opportunity during the trial aud argument
cisiars to form, AS | believe Il Just csti-
mate Of his Judicial character and depOrt
ment.
chief Justice Comegys was a man of
robust and vigorous Intellect. quick per-
ceptiUns and highly cultivated mind
enriched and disciplined by general read
ing and wide and careful study of the
underlying principles Of the law. History
science and literature all had charms for
him of which he eagerly awaited himself
10 the last. lie was interested, ready and
instructive in many branches of human
knowledge, and possessed great familiarity
with business methods and affairs. His
power of prompt mental concentration
was large. lie welded u remarkably facile
pen and performed his judicial abors
with both dispatch and thoroughness. He
had strong convictions of right aud wrong,
and his sense of Justice was in my udg-
ment, the dominating element in his
character. These qualities and attain
mcnts could not and did not fail TO make
| him a good. wise and strong judge.
No one who mas administered justice In
! Delaware ever contributed more to the
! dignity of the bench than did he His
| personality and judicial department
| etfeCtuaily checked disorder and levity
/ and ensured respect All felt in his
\ presence that the tribunal over which he
| presided mcrited and compelled conf
]
majesty of the law. Yet, dignied and
commanding us was his presence. no
| Judge was ever more courteous and con-
sideratc to the members and eSpPciallythe
younger members, Of the bar than was
| Chief Justice Comegvs. And this con
sideraton SO shown was one Of the most
admirable features Of his judicial deport-
ment. He fully understood the value of
kind and appreciatiye words spoken IN
season to the young practitioner and !
am sure that express the heartfelt senti-
nent Of our younger brethren when | say
that they deplore his death as the loss Of a
true friend
There was another characteristic of Chief
I.IustiCe tomegys that richly merits eulOgy.
With all his ability and learning he, as
other accomplished jnrists have done,
recognized that the judicial mind is not
exempt from liability to err i'll its conCln.
sions and no man more patiently than he
listened to argument made for the purpose
of showing that no was in error in any
opinion expressed by him, or more readily
and chccrfrlly acknowledged that he was
wrong. if convinced of error on his part
This, though rarely, ! have known tC
! occur: and he has received from me as be
has from others respect aud admiration
i for his moral courage and the integrity o.
his manhood. For there is no surer marx
/, OF essential manhood or of an honorable
determination to do ones duty than thu
{, public admission and correction by "A iudgl
i Of error into which he has fallen.
Chief Justice Comegys was an arden
i lover Of his native state. He took pride il
. her history. lie admired her people. II
: was fond of her territory. lie took vita
: interest in her institutions and in he
. progress and welfare, He was happie
. here than elsewhere The seashore, b
y whose sounding waves he 50 often fingered
= the fields uf golden grain, the sunllt skie
y and woodland scenery Of Delaware wer
L TO him an inspiration and source Of III
failing pleasure.
. lie has gone TO his rest We miss hi
&c stately forin-his gracious salutation Ma
We who remain cherish the memory q
y his virtues and attalumcnts and recogniz
! in them true tests Of juilcial and mani
: excellence.
With these remarks | second the prescl
" tatipn Of tile resolutions.
'e Chief Justice Robinson then paid tn
~ last tribute 10 the memory Of his distil
y. guished predecessor and feclingly spoke
VI his responsibility in succeeding JudE
y CUmegys to the bench.
III The court unite with you most unrt
~ servedly in your expression of sorrow fl
~ the great loss the bench, bar and the who
" state have sustained i'll the death Of our IA
VI Chief Justice. We sorrow with you, wit
" his family, and with the whole common
" wealth.
Us On this occasion our personal remini
~ cenees of the deceased ri,e spontaneous
= in our minds and it cannot but he prop
y, for us 10 refer 10 them. and to those of h
IA many admirable qualities that struck us
y being most worthy OF imitation.
th Every one recognizes his clear and pr
We found knowledge of the law and his wo
" derful lift Of legal expression. His gtri
%. impartiaity could never be qucstiunG
81 He was great and just Judge.
~, ~ But what struck me most was his unr
" luctant readiness 10 yield previous up
llE ion when once convinced he was wr6n
VI II seems to be impossible to avoid furmiI
~ an opinion as soon is question is pr
" scented to YOU. The mind dies not WI
II upon the will but forces llr Judgment
va conclude at once, anu II wJr was wi
~ Judge C0mogys rs it is with all of US u
~ he had no pride Of opninn in the sen
a that he would ubstinaicly cinG To his iii
~ inclnatons--hiS intellectual integrity "
IN such that his reason was always open
Gin delibGratiou, and wien convinced
IIe Judgment yielded willingly and you Cou
~ see no signs Of a lingering love for
~ former opinions.
81 Gentlemen excuse me if ! say that
~ fully appreciate how hard q task il will
IL to fill the place left vacant by tine Il
ne Chief Justice, and to approach at q d
atN lance the full dimensions ui his iudiC
Nv stature. liut ii is stimulating to foil,
re such predecessor and to have such
V example to initiate, and can only asst
'kc YOU that ! will try to follow as closely d
ny can in the path that he has laid downfOri
Court then adjourned until 10 oClC
,es- Monday morning.
~ Reynard Caught.
,as Another big crowd assembled Mono
No. along the causeway to witness the +,
I..I... f.tU- .f..1..