Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-01-28
NAME iEs,slaFuas.


sxen as 10 the admirable aai distinguishes
Fatalities with which be was endowed As
Imam. that We unite today in giving hoao
Ito his memory. He was COOL example u
Stha. class of men which has kept Maine il
THE front rank.
Coming from good stock, he has fuifiile.
all the promises of his youth In his earl
manhood he laid broad and deep the foun
Edations for his future usefulness. He hs'
d thorough classical education and acquire,
style of expression that was always clear
and concise and often eloquent. But it wa
with his pen that be achieved his creates
success. a success because he has helpe
buttons and laws by which the intricate
eyer-changing, eyer-growing relations G.
men in and to the State are governed.
When student al Gould Academy il
Bethel ii was said of him that he woui
make his mark. The prophecy has bee
fulfilled At the bar he became distin
Eguished advocate. In the civil war he wa
u leader of men, In this Senate Chambe
he became President. lie performed tn
duties of reporter of decisions with ability
He prepared two digests, aud it is to hin
more than to any other man that We are in
tlebted for the Maine Civil Officer
book which is the constant companion o
every lawyer in Maine.
During all these years OF labor and prep
aration he KEEP, close to the people. and i
Rcan truthfuliy be said that he was always
man of the people.
When he was called to the bench in ISL.
be was all equipped and ready to serve thu
State. How well he has performed the i'm
portant duties of his Office is known to all
In the trial of causes he was quick to de
tect and denounce fraud or deception, AM
ready to encourage and uphold the veal
and timid. If he erred in Judgment, it wa
through sympathy. If he ever was sever
it was to shield the oppressed.
But Judge Virgin did his best work il
the preparation of the opinions of the court
70 say that judge has attained distinction
in this department of judicial labor is t
say that his name will be hailed with pleas
ure as long rs men desire to know tn,
law and as long as our institutions shall
survive. The opinions of our judges ar
not the creations for a day, they will =
down the years. and as they go they viii
tell the story of the strength or weakness
of their authors. In this department Judg
Virgins history is secure. His opinion
bear the mark of scholarship and show tina
he has brought all the resources of wei
stored mind to bear upon the subject. Il
many of his opinions there is a fulness an
completeness in the discussion that leave
nothing further to be desired.
To us who have known Judge Virgin
well his loss is the loss of a kind. genia
and sympathetic friend. Time has silvere
his hair and made slow his step, but III
eye was lustrous and spoke of impulses o
the heart that was young and fresh. II
never allowed the corrodipg. distraetin
|cares of life to absorb the sweetness of hi
nature. His tastes were simple, his lif
faultless, and he was free from an inortii
nate ambition either for wealth or fame, al
"a ambition which too often dries the fountai
Iof love and sympathy in the heart
We can well say today what has bee
said before: when man has faithful
sought To do that which is right. and t
Improve the talents God gave Inn for til
g. benefit of his kind, there remaineth abou
his msmOry fame as well as tragranc
that no amount of success in the accumu
lation of riches, SO eagerly sought by mos
men of today, can give"
But, Mr.. President, while we stand her
today as though in the presence of death
We are not without hope. We are not con
tent with the saying of Horace that ..Deat
is the Ultimate boundary of human mai
ters." Since the day when he sang Chris
ftianity has illuminated the world and lai
the foundation of pure, simple faith in
Wife to come. If we ask the question toda
as did Walter Scott, is death the las
Sleep instlnctively and unbesitatiugly til
answer comes, with his answer, NO it i
the last final awakening"
Mr.. President, the State has lost the ser
vices of an able and good judge, and
seems especially proper that we shoul'
honor one who has in years gone by pre-
sided over the deliberations in this cham
Sber. | therefore move the adoption of til
sresolutions which have been read.
Mr.. Winslow of Somerset While
cannot, like the senator from Oxford, an
Hike other senators present, claim direC
interest in these resolutions on the groun
|of personal friendship or professional fra
ternity, yet, as representing thousands o
the people of Name who have receive
and will continue to receive the benefit 0
- the thorough investigations and just and i'm
partial decisions of the late Judge Virgin
q take great pleasure in seconding the mo
3 ton.
= Mr.. Peaks of Piscataquis Mr.. Presi
a lent, my brother by my side has suggeste
Ito me that / say something on this coca
sion OF course, had no intention of dc
ling So but it is a pleasure to me, because
Isfeci, as every member of the bar feels,
&think, that the loss of Judge Virgin is
lpersonal loss. have only known him q
Sjudge of the supreme court did no
know him personally, only as became &c
sguainte,I with him III court believe hi
= Hove of justice was as delicate, as keen an,
gtrue As the love of woman. believe hin
ITO have been an honest man, "a man who's
lSwholc life was given to the investigation o
fquestions of truth honesty and Justice
,gnpd believe that the State of Maine will
,Ssmiss the counsels of Judge Virgin upoI
t(the supreme court bench of this State a
g!they will miss and have missed those of n,
{other man in its history. saw this witt
3al due Difference to the surviving member
Eof the honorable bench. Judge Virgin
Ewas A man who knew neither friend no
Efoc in deciding a cause in court between
sparty and party.
Mr.. Sellers of Cumberland: 1t was no
9mv intention to make any remarks upoi
sthis subject Just now. yet as citizen o
smy city and "A man whom have always es
steenieti a. of the highes, character, and ~
i a man who loved men, feel it incumben
supon me to say a few words in relation t,
kthe resolutions which have been presented
I Men answer to men in their every-ela,
Fife, and death is glorious gateway 10 ont
: such as our friend, the Hon. William Wiz
VIRGIN. We have known him not only a,
Ia inrist. not only as a man of great abilit,
lin his particular line. but we have know
ssshim rs near our hearts. We have taker
$hirr hv the hand. both the old and ihs