Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-10
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THE BIRMINGHAM BAR.
John M. Martin Speaks Upon the Re
tons on the Death of Jas. L. Hawlzin
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| John M Martin Speaks Upon the Resolu-
tons on the Death of Jas. L. Hawkins.
The following remarks were made by
Hon. John M Martin upon the presen-
ta1on OF the resolutions on the death of
| Hon. James E. Hawkins at a recent
meeting of the Birmingham bar:
feel 1t a duty to say something at this
time, when resolutions adopted by the
Birmingham bar upon the occasion of
| the death of our brother, James e, Haw-
hlhs, are presented, and you are asked
| TO order them spread upon the minutes
OF TINS court. The occasion suggests
ana all or our surroundings prompt me
TO say something of the distinguished
member Of our bar who has been taken
from us.
Many years ago Williamson Hawkins.
the grandfather of our deceased friend.
came TO Alabama, before our state had
name or place among her sister states
HIS wife came with him, dressed in
noiiiespun ana riding upon sled. Wheth-
er TINS style of dressing was due to
Strengthened financial condition and thu
inode OF travelling due to the condition
of the roads or the absence of anything
put an indian trail, matters not; two he.
rolc Spirits came to Alabama to fell the
forests and help to build up our noble
commonwealth. Nor did poverty or al
most impenetrable forests long affect
them, FOR very soon they became very
rich, ana We're front and foremost in
every good work and commanded the
respect and enjoyed the love and admi-
ration or their neighbors. 1t was natural
and Just like him" for such father to
bred his son Nathaniel to the profession
OF medicine, who afterwards held a high
place amongst the physicians of his day
and generation. Am not correct in saw
ing, then, that James e. Hawkins was
one of the first fruits of jefferson county.
ana old ne not come to us imbued with
all the ardor of the pioneer; with the en-
terprlse industry, hospitality and dar-
ing of his forefathers? Bred to the legal
procession, he was a practicing attorney
in Eiyton before Birmingham existed in
the brain Of her future builders After
wards, as one of Alabama's lawmakers
ne rendered valuable services to his ma
tive state, and as a lawyer he took a
nigh place amongst his brethren: but il
was reserved for him as a solicitor in this
court to win enduring reputation of a
this in the hearing of your honor. for
you know so fully how honest he was
and how faithful to the state he never
suffered a guilty man to escape for want
OF vigorous prosecution; and yet he
was just and generous to the erring and
could quickly see the line which sepa-
rated the thoughtless, indiscreet his h
tempered man from him whose devilsh
| malignty or want of enlightened moral
nature made the deed deserving the
pains and penalties of the law
Our deceased brother was boon COM
panion, for he entered heartily into the
enjoyments of his friends and contrib
uted so much to the happiness all about
him. He had remarkable strength of
intellect, and his judgment was so dis
eliminating, his perception so acute, that
he seemed to have long before studied the
men and matters engaging his attention,
although the former was but an ac-
quaintance of yesterday and the latter
a subject just submitted to him.
The loss of such a man, whether as
citizen, friend. or husband and father we
view him, is very great and yet he lived
until his virtues, his intellect and his
true nobility Of soul were all we'll known
and fully appreciated; he lived until all
who knew him forgot his faults and
weaknesses, for they were but the foils
which served to illustrate the more
strikingly his strong and manly charac-
ter.